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Substance Abuse Council of Indian River County PREVENT ! Program CSAC of IRC <br /> B. PROGRAM NEED STATEMENT (Entire Section B not to exceed one page. <br /> a) What is the unacceptable condition requiring change? b) Who has the need? c) Where do <br /> they live? d) Provide local, state, or national trend data, with reference source, that corroborates that <br /> this is an area of need. <br /> Alcohol and drug abuse continues to be the number one problem facing the youth of America. The use of <br /> mind altering chemicals has proven to be especially harmful to the adolescent growth and development <br /> process. Psychoactive drugs interfere with physical, social and emotional growth during the critical years of <br /> adolescent development. <br /> An adolescent who uses intoxicants is not only at high risk of becoming drug dependent, but is also at an <br /> increased risk of dropping out of school, getting involved in crime, attempting suicide, or becoming involved <br /> in an assortment of dangerous behaviors . <br /> The prevention of adolescent drug and alcohol abuse is most likely to occur when parents, teachers, and other <br /> individuals in the community who are part of the youth' s circle : <br /> ➢ are well informed of the harmful effects of drugs <br /> ➢ recognize behavioral changes that accompany drug use <br /> ➢ understand how drug use is encouraged and accepted in the social world of a youth. <br /> According to the 2006 FYSA Survey of Indian River County students, IRC students continue to have <br /> incidences of substance abuse that are above national averages. Over the 7 years of data gathered, we have <br /> seen significant changes in youth usage, but our youth continue to report a high level of availability for <br /> alcohol, marijuana and other illegal drugs. Of 9th through 12th graders, 37 . 5% also reported a "perceived <br /> great risk of harm if one or more drinks , (of alcohol) every day ", but continue to use alcohol at a rate of <br /> 73 . 2%. (FYSAS 2006) . <br /> When comparing the PRIDE Survey to the Florida Substance Abuse Survey (FSAS), we see comparable rates <br /> within Indian River County. Reporting levels indicate that Indian River County youth are at the highest <br /> category for Binge Drinking, Alcohol use in the past 30 days and Marijuana use in the past 30 days . (FYSAS <br /> 2006) <br /> All of this combined have made it increasingly more important for efforts to focus on behavior strategies and <br /> intervention for youth by promoting behavioral change including healthy lifestyles. (i .e., not using drugs, <br /> alcohol, tobacco ; practicing abstinence; participating in school ; anger control with focus on alternatives to <br /> violence) With substance use/abuse intertwined with so many other high risk behaviors, early intervention <br /> must be available to specifically target the prevention education needs . <br /> a) Identify similar programs that are currently serving the needs of your targeted population; b) <br /> Explain how these existing programs are under-serving the targeted population of your program. Local <br /> The Substance Abuse Council ' s program is the only program that provides comprehensive community based <br /> prevention education within Indian River County. Suncoast Mental Health and the Mental Health <br /> Association do provide crisis intervention services, but are not specifically substance abuse related and not for <br /> youth. New Horizons provides Student Support Specialists in the middle schools. DATA also provides <br /> services to youth. Both these agencies work with a very small indicated population of students and can not <br /> serve the entire indicated population of youth. These youth would receive no additional program services if <br /> the PREVENT! Program was not available. The PREVENT ! program provides no duplication of services. <br /> N <br />