Mentoring for Youth Affected by the Opioid Crisis and Drug Addiction

Beginning New Outreach Mentoring for Youth Affected by the Opioid Crisis and Drug Addiction project will provide ongoing mentoring for youth who are currently abusing or addicted to drugs, youth at risk for abusing, and youth with family members who are currently abusing or addicted to drugs. Education will be delivered through evidence-based Substance Abuse Prevention Program (SAPP) curriculum paired with Positive Youth Development (PYD).  Beginning New Outreach seeks to address: high opioid and substance abuse rates in the target community by delivering substance abuse education through evidence-based classroom instruction that includes PYD as part of its risk avoidance strategies; help participants build healthy life skills; empower participants to make healthy decisions; prevent opioid and other substance use; and prevent youth engagement in other risky behaviors. The project will target youth, ages 11-17, living in the Muscogee County area with high substance use and crime rates. Beginning New Outreach will target youth populations vulnerable for runaway and homeless, in and aging out of foster care, and in juvenile justice system. The Beginning New Outreach OAY program will provide ongoing mentoring to target youth through evidence-based curricula. The project will promote social and emotional well-being and provide goal-oriented group case management to all program youth, while offering individual case management to the highest-risk of participants.