Extension
It Starts With Us
Improving Mental Health and Reducing Substance Use
Preventing Substance Abuse
4-H Agent, FCS Agent
Active Living and Health Promotions General
Substance Use Prevention and Recovery General
Health
Family Development General
The recent statewide needs assessment identified substance use prevention and recovery as the most urgent priority for Cooperative Extension. Moreover, substance use was the focal point of the CES Advisory Council Meeting in early 2019. 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.
Substance use disorder and mental health disease can affect anyone. Suicide rates are at a record high, with Kentucky suicides at 15.3 per 100,000 people, which is the 10th highest in the nation. There were 1,160 reported opiod-involved deaths (a rate of 27.9 deaths per 100,000 people) and the rate of fatalities is increasing. The 35-54 age group had the highest rate of suicides in Kentucky. Vaping has nearly doubled among Kentucky's middle and high school students with 27% of high school seniors reporting that they had tried the product in 2018.
Community members will reduce fatalities
Community members will reduce the poverty rate
Community members will reduce the number of children in foster care
Community members will reduce the number of incarcerations
Community members will reduce the number of children raised by grandparents
Community members will reduce Hepatitis C rates
Community members will lower rates of relapse
Community members will increase rates of labor force, participation, and employment
Community members will develop new coalitions to address substance use and mental health
Community members will develop new community strategies to implement to address substance use disorder and mental health disease
Community members will improve access and utilization of resources
Community members will improve perceived stress and ability to cope
Youth will contribute to their communities
Youth will practice refusal skills
Youth will intervene to prevent use/abuse
Agents will be trained in Mental Health First Aid
Community members will improve in awareness of the situation
Community members will receive improved education about substance use disorder and mental health disease
Community members will reduce stigma of individuals with substance use disorder and mental health disease
Community members will improve understanding of the consequences of risk behaviors
Community members will improve understanding of household finances
Outcome: Youth and adults participate in substance use disorder and mental health disease education
Indicator: Youth and adults completing substance use disorder and mental health disease
Method: Surveys, attendance
Timeline: Ongoing
Audience: Youth ages 9-18
Project: Substance Use and Mental Health Education
Curriculum: Health Rocks, Truth & Consequences, Botvin Lifeskills, Community Initiatives
Inputs: 4-H Agent, FCS Agent, Volunteers, Community Partners
Timeline: Ongoing projects
Audience: Community adults
Project: Substance Use and Mental Health Education
Curriculum: Understanding Addiction, Community Coalition-building, Recovering Your Finances
Inputs: FCS Agent, Volunteers, Community Partners, ASAP
Timeline: Ongoing projects
Audience: Agricultural Producers
Project: Substance Use and Mental Health Education
Curriculum: AgrAbility, AgriSafe Network, Managing Farm Stress, Preventing Farm Stress, Mental Health First Aid
Inputs: Ag Agent, Volunteers, Community Partners
Timeline: Ongoing projects
Author: Denise Wooley
Major Program: Substance Use Prevention and Recovery General
According to the most recent KIP (Kentucky Incentives for Prevention) data 2,010 students in the Four Rivers area think drug use is a problem at their school. The Graves County Cooperative Extension Service in partnership with the GCMS Youth Service Center implemented Truth & Consequences: The Choice is Yours, a scenario based role-play activity designed to help students learn more about the physical, legal, financial, and emotional consequences of substance abuse, for 174 eight g
