Extension
It Starts With Us
Substance Use Prevention and Recovery
STEM
Kayla Walton, Mary McCarty
Substance Use Prevention and Recovery General
Health
Family Development General
Positive Employability
: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.
- The prevention and/or reduction of substance use and its related consequences.
- Changed public perception of substance use via stigma reduction.
- Improved parent-child relationships that are less dependent on grandparent/ other family care or state appointed care.
- Reduced stigma from local community members
- Increased Opioid Stewardship (less rx’ing by doctors, appropriate Rx disposal, drug takebacks, etc.)
- Delayed age of first use among Kentucky youth
- 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.
- Increased knowledge of substance use prevention, addiction, and recovery (or related subject matter)
- Increased ability to use destigmatized language
- Improved social skills and/or self-efficacy in KY youth
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
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
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
Date: Annually September- May
Author: Kayla Walton
Major Program: Stories, Songs, and Stretches
According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), Kentucky has the third highest rate of substance abuse deaths at 23.6 out of every 100,000 deaths (Kentucky Safety). The SAMHSA also states that substance abuse disorders can create parent-child relationship issues such as neglect of parenting responsibilities and a lack of connection with children. One way to work toward overcoming such issues and create a stronger parent-child relationship is to provide fun an
Author: Kayla Walton
Major Program: Family Development General
The Menifee County Family and Consumer Sciences agent partnered with the Menifee Family Resources, Menifee Health Department, Gateway Early Headstart Program and the UK Nutrition Education Program to host a virtual community baby shower for expecting and new parents.The virtual event consisted of three guest speakers who spoke on prenatal nutrition, breastfeeding and infant nutrition and early childhood development. Our speaker for prenatal nutrition was a University of Kentucky dietetic intern
Author: Kayla Walton
Major Program: 21st Century Skills (Career & Workplace Development)
In the spring of 2021, one of the Menifee County 4-H Agents worked with the county boys’ group home in a virtual program setting to conduct six lessons to better prepare participants to become employable individuals. Topics covered in the lessons were selected from the Kentucky 4-H Workforce Preparation & Career Preparedness Curriculum and focused on career selection, teamwork, personal skills, resumes, interview etiquette, and personal profiles.Each lesson consisted of a verbal discus
