“Empowering Youth and Families in Rural Colorado: Implementing SFP 10-14 to Prevent Opioid Misuse”
Colorado’s rural communities are suffering from high rates of drug misuse including opioid deaths. Five of the seven counties in the Northeast area have been identified as rural counties that currently lack the capacity to identify and implement evidence-based prevention programs, yet we are in great need. As a result, Morgan, Phillips, Washington and Yuma counties have been awarded funding to implement the Strengthening Families Program for Parents and Youth 10-14 (SFP 10-14).
Using the Cooperative Extension system, the opioid prevention project employs a multi-level strategy to prevent opioid misuse in rural counties in two regions in Colorado. The ultimate goal is to deliver an empirically-proven and family-based program and engage in a community-level, locally-directed public awareness campaign. The project links the Colorado State University Prevention Research Center, the Cooperative Extension System, and the Colorado Consortium for Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention, and Rise Above Colorado, to empower rural residents to lead healthy lives and promote healthy communities.
Consistent with results of a statewide assessment documenting the expressed need for evidence-based family interventions, SFP10-14 will be delivered for the first time to 120 families in 12 communities. This program was selected because of the strong evidence showing it promotes family and individual protective factors, reduces risk factors and prevents initiation and escalation of opioid and other substance use.
In addition to SFP 10-14, agents and community collaborators will work with the Consortium and Rise Above to adapt/develop public awareness messages about opioid and other substance use relevant to the local community.
The program will also provide training in Prevention Science and Human Service Leadership to increase agents’ and local service providers’ capacities to engage in health leadership in rural communities through improved collaboration, communication and knowledge about selection and implementation of efficacious prevention programs. The project intends to alter family practice and change levels of health literacy in the community to prevent opioid misuse.
For more information, contact your local CSU Extension Office: Morgan 970-542-3540, Phillips 970-854-3616, Washington 970-345-2287 and Yuma 970-332-4151.