FY 2003 Drug-Free Communities Support Program Application for Continuation Funding

Luz Academy of Tucson is the fiscal agent for the Luz Southside Coalition (LSC). LSC is a community coalition that serves a target area that is bordered by 22nd Street on the North, Los Reales on the South, Country Club on the East and the Santa Cruz River on the West in Tucson, Arizona. The coalition serves a rural area with a target population of approximately 83,055. The goals are to: 1) utilize the Razalogia and Getting to Outcomes 2004 (GTO-04) Models to strengthen the existing collaborative efforts in the coalition area in order to foster substance abuse prevention among Southside children and youth; 2) reinforce the prior science-based environmental prevention program training in the Communities Mobilizing for Change on Alcohol model with a booster training; and 3) provide Latino leadership and cultural enrichment programs in our communities that are resiliency-based, reinforce positive cultural pride, reduce cultural stress, and conflict, as well as create positive norms regarding substance abuse and violence among our youth. To achieve these goals, the coalition will implement the following strategies:
1) support programs to facilitate a change in community norms, attitudes, and perceptions about the use of alcohol, tobacco, inhalants, and other drugs among youth;
2) develop and maintain collaborative relationships within our target area to jointly identify community needs, establish priorities and address substance abuse prevention, treatment, and research issues;
3) provide the community with state-of-the- art, science-based prevention training and programming;
4) generate private and public resources to sustain the coalition;
5) expand the general membership of the coalition by 10% from within the residential sector to strengthen collaboration;
6) support an environmental prevention program; and
7) expand a community-based, comprehensive strategic plan that reflects needs, assets, gaps in services, and prevention strategies that address community issues identified by the strategic planning committee.

CA/NCF