Substance Abuse Prevention
YSA was awarded the Drug Free Communities (DFC) Grant on December 31, 2020. The Cass County Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition will focus on substance abuse prevention in our youth, with DFC funds. From assessing local Indiana Youth Survey data, there is a big issue with Cass County youth using alcohol and tobacco products. The county’s youth does not see these as harmful, they think using has substances have no consequences. The coalition needs to educate on how harmful these substances are to them. The coalition also must educate our community of these findings and together we must find a way to prevent our youth from ever using these substances. This is a community coalition made up of people/organizations ready to make a change in our community.
Another council that meets in Cass County is the Local Coordinating Council/Partners for a Drug Free Cass County. They meet the 2nd Monday of each month to combat the local drug issues in our community. People from prevention, law enforcement, treatment, and volunteers are invited to attend these monthly meetings.
SAMHSA's Strategic Prevention Framework (SPF) is a planning process for preventing substance use and misuse. YSA has used this framework while working in the prevention field.
The five steps and two guiding principles of the SPF offer prevention professionals a comprehensive process for addressing the substance misuse and related behavioral health problems facing their communities (SAMHSA).
The effectiveness of the SPF begins with a clear understanding of community needs, involves community members in all stages of the planning process, and is a data-driven approach to addressing substance abuse prevention (SAMHSA). For more information, visit SAMHSA's page on Applying the Strategic Prevention Framework, and access the overview and toolboxes for each phase on the left.
Indiana Coalition Network is a collaboration among Local Coordinating Councils (LCCs) throughout the state to work together toward a common goal of building safe, healthy and drug free communities.
The Indiana Criminal Justice Institute's (ICJI) Behavioral Health and Research Division conducted an LCC Survey & Focus Group Project in 2019. While supported within their communities, LCCs expressed strong interest in creating an online presence to expand their impact and make stronger connections with other LCCs.
The ICJI, in collaboration with CEASe of Scott County, the Indiana Addictions Issues Coalition, and Solutionize, created the Indiana Coalition Network, a web-based collaboration platform, for LCCs to easily make collaborative connections, find best practices, access resources, as well as connect to existing statewide recovery infrastructure through the Indiana Recovery Network.