Kootenai Alliance for Children & Families

Fostering a safe, healthy, drug-free community

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Goals & Objectives

 

           KACF’s goals for the 2007 / 08 fiscal year are to:

 

1. Build and strengthen collaboration among community organizations and members that support substance use prevention and provide substance use prevention services for youth;

2. Deter first-time alcohol and drug use among adolescents by providing seed money, technical assistance, and network opportunities to membership organizations that provide direct substance use prevention education and services, as well as through a local social marketing campaign;

3. Complete the Communities That Care® (CTC) prevention-planning process, which promotes the positive development of youth and prevents problem behaviors such as substance use (see more information on the CTC process, click here);

4. Reduce our community risk factors and increase protective factors, as identified through CTC Youth Survey results, for our area youth in relation to substance use.

5. Increase awareness of Child related issues.

 

To achieve these goals, the coalition will implement the following strategies:

 

1. Partner with member and community organizations to implement programs and activities proven to reduce substance abuse;

2. Establish social marketing campaigns directed at youth and their parents on the effects of substance use;

3. Complete the CTC youth surveys in the four main school districts to further identify risk and protective factors for local area youth;

4. Identify gaps in community services in relation to substance use by gathering and analyzing data in our community regarding existing resources;

5. Provide training to KACF coalition members and community members to select programs and policies that meet measurable outcomes;

6. Establish a Community Action Plan;

7. Prepare for implementation of a tested, effective program with fidelity;

8. Educate community members, KACF members, parents and youth on the top four identified risk factors among the youth in our community.

 

KACF will measure success at achieving its 2007 goals quarterly and yearly through multi-sector member participation, specific program evaluations, pre to post tests showing specific attitude and behavior change, Kootenai County reduction in       substance abuse rates among its youth, increase in perception of harm of alcohol and drug use among youth, parents and peers, and creating a Community Action Plan.

Alert for Parents

 

· Marijuana is not an “outdated” drug — it is by far the most widely used illicit drug among youth today;

· Marijuana is not relatively “risk-free” — it is a harmful, addictive drug that can increase risk taking behaviors that can jeopardize a young person’s future;

· While people of their generation may have “experimented with pot,” the increased potency of marijuana today means far greater risks for their own children, who typically are trying it at much younger ages;

· Marijuana is often adulterated with other substances, increasing the risks and hazards;

· They are the key to fostering a serious attitude about marijuana in young people.  The best thing parents can do is talk to their children about drugs, including marijuana, and carefully monitor their activities.

ABOUT KACF