Southern New Mexico Human Development is the fiscal agent for the BIG (Border Initiative Grant) Avanzar Coalition. The coalition is a cross-border collaborative effort in this portion of the New Mexico-Mexico border region. The two counties in New Mexico that are served by the coalition are Do±a Ana and Luna. There are 199,698 residents in these two counties. The goals of the coalition are to: 1) build the joint capacity of providers in southern New Mexico and Chihuahua, Mexico; and, 2) reduce the prevalence of substance abuse among youth in this part of the U.S.-Mexico border. To achieve these goals, the coalition will implement the following strategies:
1) assess underage drinking risks and develop interventions to reduce underage drinking among border youth;
2) identify drug-free activities and programs for youth;
3) expand the capacity of the existing binational youth group as a peer group for the development and dissemination of media messages, educational materials and environmental strategies; and,
4) provide ongoing educational opportunities for BIG Council members in order to increase their mutual understanding and application of science-based prevention.CA/NCF
