A four-year federal grant that funded substance use prevention work in the Newport district ended June 30, but local police say the partnerships and programs will endure.
The Regional Prevention Partnership (RPP) grant was a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Newport was one of six Vermont Department of Health districts to receive funding, which aimed to curb underage drinking, binge drinking, prescription drug misuse, and marijuana use.
Over the grant period, more than 300 community members were trained in Mental Health First Aid through a partnership with Vermont Care Partners. Sunny Naughton, the RPP coordinator, was named the top female trainer in Vermont in 2019 for the number of partnerships she created.
The grant also brought the Dover Y2Y youth empowerment curriculum to all schools in the Orleans Central Supervisory Union, established after-school programs in the North Country Supervisory Union, and supported North Country Union Junior High School's first Gay Straight Alliance meeting, which drew 45 students in spring 2018.
Partnerships formed during the grant period led to a Drug Take Back Day in fall 2018 with the Orleans County Sheriff and Kinney Drugs, and promotion of a mail-in envelope program for unused medication. Allyson Howell worked with Mike Stanley and the Northern Vermont Youth Recreational Soccer League to adopt a substance-free policy, and NCUJHS received substance-free signage placed around school property.
A digital awards ceremony was held via Zoom with community leaders to recognize the prevention work and local partnerships.
Originally reported by Newport Dispatch.
Photo: David Trinks via Unsplash. Photo is illustrative and not from the scene.
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