Graves County CES

Title:

Improving Mental Health and Reducing Substance Use

MAP:

Preventing Substance Abuse

Agents Involved:

4-H Agent, FCS Agent

MAJOR PROGRAM 1:

Active Living and Health Promotions General

MAJOR PROGRAM 2:

Substance Use Prevention and Recovery General

MAJOR PROGRAM 3:

Health

MAJOR PROGRAM 4:

Family Development General

Situation:

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.

Long-Term Outcomes:

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

Intermediate Outcomes:

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

Initial Outcomes:

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

Evaluation:

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

Learning Opportunities:

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

Success Stories