Rx for Saving Oregon Teens

Through the Byrne Congressionally Mandated Awards program, the Office of Justice Programs helps communities improve the capacity of local justice systems and supports training and technical assistance programs and other efforts that strategically target local needs. This program is authorized to organizations identified in the Conference Report to accompany the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2010.

The goal of this FY 2010 Byrne Congressional Earmark Program, "A Prescription to Save Oregon Teens' Lives", is to attack and reduce a problem of escalating concern among Oregon's law enforcement, prevention and treatment communities--the misuse of prescription drugs by Oregonians under the age of 18. Oregon Partnership (OP) will execute five objectives: a comprehensive public education campaign about the non-medical use of prescription drugs based on youth-led focus group research, developed by newly hired staff and consultants with youth, and delivered via print, television, radio and the Internet to multiple audiences; the monthly delivery of a new educational module on prescription drug abuse to 1,000 elementary schoolchildren in 7 schools; the hosting of a Prescription Drug Summit as a venue for professional trainings and best practice information dissemination for an estimated 300
attendees; and the continued availability of OP's 24-hour, confidential YouthLine, ensured through increased marketing, and by upgrading workstations used to train teens offering peer counseling. OP will provide performance data related to system improvement (e.g., the percent increase of those exhibiting knowledge of the program area), and data related to direct service (e.g., number of youth who exhibit desired change in targeted behavior). NCA/NCF