COMMUNITY IN CRISIS INC

PREVENTION PROGRAMS CIC FOR PREVENTION AND RECOVERY DELIVERS EVIDENCE-BASED PREVENTION EDUCATION AND YOUTH DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMING THROUGHOUT SOMERSET COUNTY AND SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES. PROGRAMS ARE PROVIDED IN SCHOOLS, COMMUNITY SETTINGS, AND YOUTH-SERVING ORGANIZATIONS AND FOCUS ON SUBSTANCE USE PREVENTION, VAPING PREVENTION, MENTAL WELLNESS, SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL LEARNING, LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT, AND HEALTHY COPING SKILLS. DURING THE FISCAL YEAR, THE ORGANIZATION DELIVERED PREVENTION EDUCATION, WORKSHOPS, PRESENTATIONS, AND COMMUNITY OUTREACH INITIATIVES REACHING THOUSANDS OF STUDENTS, PARENTS, EDUCATORS, AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS. PROGRAMS INCLUDED YOUTH LEADERSHIP INITIATIVES, PARENT EDUCATION WORKSHOPS, MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID TRAINING, AND PREVENTION PROGRAMMING DESIGNED TO REDUCE RISK FACTORS AND STRENGTHEN PROTECTIVE FACTORS AMONG YOUTH. RECOVERY SUPPORT SERVICES CIC SERVES AS SOMERSET COUNTY'S DESIGNATED COMMUNITY PEER RECOVERY CENTER, PROVIDING PERSON-CENTERED, TRAUMA-INFORMED RECOVERY SUPPORT SERVICES TO INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES IMPACTED BY SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER AND CO- OCCURRING MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES. SERVICES PROVIDED DURING THE FISCAL YEAR INCLUDED PEER RECOVERY COACHING, RECOVERY MEETINGS, WELLNESS AND HOLISTIC RECOVERY PROGRAMMING, HARM REDUCTION OUTREACH, NARCAN DISTRIBUTION, RECOVERY SUPPORT NAVIGATION, FAMILY SUPPORT SERVICES, AND COMMUNITY-BASED OUTREACH INITIATIVES. THE ORGANIZATION FACILITATED HUNDREDS OF RECOVERY MEETINGS AND WELLNESS PROGRAMS DURING THE YEAR AND DISTRIBUTED THOUSANDS OF NARCAN KITS TO HELP PREVENT OVERDOSE DEATHS AND INCREASE ACCESS TO LIFE-SAVING RESOURCES. COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS & SYSTEMS CHANGE CIC COLLABORATES WITH SCHOOLS, MUNICIPALITIES, HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS, LAW ENFORCEMENT, FAITH COMMUNITIES, BUSINESSES, AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS TO STRENGTHEN COORDINATED PREVENTION AND RECOVERY EFFORTS THROUGHOUT THE REGION. DURING THE FISCAL YEAR, THE ORGANIZATION EXPANDED ITS SERVICES THROUGH ITS FRANKLIN TOWNSHIP HUB AND CONTINUED IMPLEMENTATION OF RECOVERY FRIENDLY WORKPLACE INITIATIVES DESIGNED TO REDUCE STIGMA AND SUPPORT INDIVIDUALS IN RECOVERY WITHIN THE WORKFORCE. CIC ALSO PARTNERED WITH LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AND COMMUNITY AGENCIES ON OUTREACH AND DIVERSION INITIATIVES THAT CONNECT INDIVIDUALS TO TREATMENT AND RECOVERY SUPPORT SERVICES RATHER THAN PUNITIVE RESPONSES. IMPACT & RECOGNITION CIC'S PREVENTION AND RECOVERY INITIATIVES HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO MEASURABLE COMMUNITY IMPACT AND HAVE RECEIVED STATEWIDE AND NATIONAL RECOGNITION. THE ORGANIZATION WAS RECOGNIZED BY THE WHITE HOUSE OFFICE OF NATIONAL DRUG CONTROL POLICY WITH A BLUE RIBBON AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN YOUTH SUBSTANCE USE PREVENTION EFFORTS. ACCORDING TO THE DRUG HARM INDEX, FROM 2019 - 2025, SOMERSET COUNTY HAS EXPERIENCED COMPARATIVELY LOWER RATES OF OVERDOSE DEATHS AND OTHER INDICATORS OF DRUG-RELATED HARM THAN MANY PEER COMMUNITIES IN NEW JERSEY. CIC FOR PREVENTION AND RECOVERY BELIEVES THIS PROGRESS REFLECTS THE PIVOTAL ROLE IT HAS PLAYED IN RECOVERY SUPPORT SERVICES AND ITS SUSTAINED COLLABORATION AMONG COMMUNITY PARTNERS AND CONTINUED INVESTMENT IN EVIDENCE-BASED PREVENTION, EDUCATION, HARM REDUCTION, AND RECOVERY SUPPORT SERVICES. DURING THE FISCAL YEAR, CIC FOR PREVENTION AND RECOVERY CONDUCTED MORE THAN 950 PREVENTION, RECOVERY, AND OUTREACH ACTIVITIES; ENGAGED MORE THAN 5,200 PARTICIPANTS; DISTRIBUTED 3,182 NALOXONE KITS; FACILITATED 685 RECOVERY MEETINGS AND 101 WELLNESS PROGRAMS; PROVIDED PREVENTION EDUCATION TO MORE THAN 1,100 STUDENTS AND NEARLY 600 PARENTS AND EDUCATORS; AND BENEFITED FROM 1,895 VOLUNTEER HOURS VALUED AT APPROXIMATELY 133,494. THESE OUTCOMES REFLECT CIC'S COMMITMENT TO DELIVERING MEASURABLE, EVIDENCE-BASED SERVICES THAT STRENGTHEN PROTECTIVE FACTORS AMONG YOUTH, SUPPORT INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES AFFECTED BY SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER, REDUCE STIGMA, AND IMPROVE ACCESS TO PREVENTION AND RECOVERY RESOURCES.