Menifee County CES

Title:

Substance Use Prevention and Recovery

MAP:

STEM

Agents Involved:

Kayla Walton, Mary McCarty

MAJOR PROGRAM 1:

Substance Use Prevention and Recovery General

MAJOR PROGRAM 2:

Health

MAJOR PROGRAM 3:

Family Development General

MAJOR PROGRAM 4:

Positive Employability

Situation:

The recent statewide needs assessment identified substance use prevention and recovery as the most urgent priority for Cooperative Extension.  Menifee County community needs assessment also indicated that substance abuse and related issues were prominent within the county. Moreover, substance use was the focal point of the CES Advisory Council Meeting in early 2019. As of 2017, 43.7% of Kentucky children were living in out of home care, which can often be directly or indirectly related to substance abuse within their family. Taken together, youth KIP survey data and data from the CES needs assessment demonstrate the need to address substance use prevention, recovery, stigma, and impact on families and communities.

Long-Term Outcomes:

1. The prevention and/or reduction of substance use and its related consequences.
2. Changed public perception of substance use via stigma reduction.
3. Improved parent-child relationships that are less dependent on grandparent/ other family care or state appointed care. 

Intermediate Outcomes:

1. Reduced stigma from local community members.
2. Increased Opioid Stewardship (less rx’ing by doctors, appropriate Rx disposal, drug takebacks, etc.).
3. Delayed age of first use among Kentucky youth.
4. Improved practice of life skills (financial management, nutrition, career/ education guidance, etc) for those recovering, with recovering family members and as an approach to substance abuse prevention.. 

Initial Outcomes:

1. Increased knowledge of substance use prevention, addiction, and recovery (or related subject matter).
2. Increased ability to use destigmatized language.
3. Improved social skills and/or self-efficacy in KY youth.

Evaluation:

Outcome:  Increased knowledge of substance use    

Indicator:  Number of individuals attending programs         

Method:  Retroactive pre-post

Timeline: Following every addiction 101 training   

Outcome:  Improved social skills and/or self-efficacy in KY Youth

Indicator:  Number of individuals undergoing Health Rocks, Truth and Consequences, financial management, nutrition or other programs targeted toward individuals in recovery, with recovering family members or as an approach to prevention.

Method:  Retroactive pre-post

Timeline: On-going, annually

            Outcome: Reduced stigma from local community members

            Indicator: Increased knowledge of community members on substance abuse and improved attitudes towards individuals with substance abuse issues.

            Method: Pre/post test, conversational observation

            Timeline: On-going annually

Learning Opportunities:

Audience: Families Impacted by Addiction

Project or Activity:  Addiction Training

Content or Curriculum: Addiction 101, Art of Recovery, Recovering your Finances, other FCS Lifeskills programs (financial management, career preparation, etc.) targeted toward families impacted by addiction

Inputs: Coordination with community stakeholders

Date: Ongoing, annually

Project or Activity: Grandparents Parenting Grandchildren

Content or Curriculum: Grandparents and Grandchildren together, PASTA (Parenting a second time around), community resources for grandparents/ family members with custodial care of children impacted by substance abuse

Inputs: Coordination with community stakeholders       

Date: Ongoing, annually

Project or Activity: Supporting Parents

Content or Curriculum: Nurturing Fathers, Community Baby Shower

Inputs: Coordination with community stakeholders

Date: Annually in spring

Audience: KY Youth

Project or Activity:  Prevention Program

Content or Curriculum: Health Rocks, Truth and Consequences, Career Readiness Programs

Inputs: Coordinate with Menifee Co. School Staff and community stakeholders

Date: Annually September- May

Success Stories

Laugh and Learn Playdates

Author: Kayla Walton

Major Program: Family Development General

The Menifee County Family and Consumer Sciences agent hosted the “Laugh and Learn Playdates” in the summer of 2021. From the months of May through August, participants ages 2-5 years old met at the Menifee County park on the second Thursday of each month for the “playdate”. Each playdate consisted of an interactive story reading, a craft, a learning game and a healthy snack, along with socialization amongst peers. Each month had an educational theme that coordinated with

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