UNICOI COUNTY PREVENTION COALITION INC

In 2025, UCPC focused its efforts on evidence-based prevention strategies and community-wide education. Key accomplishments include: Youth-Led Public Service Announcement (PSA) Campaign: To address the rising concerns of underage drinking and tobacco use, UCPC engaged high school students in a creative art-based PSA initiative. Students developed original billboard designs focused on the dangers of social host laws (parents providing alcohol) and the correlation between substance use and mental health. oImpact: Winning designs by Peyton Higgins, Kennedie Renfro, Sydney Saldana, Khloe Potter, and Abigail Silva were featured on high-visibility billboards throughout Unicoi County, reaching an estimated population of over 17,000 residents. Drug-Free Communities (DFC) Program Expansion: Supported by the Drug-Free Communities Support Program Grant, the coalition successfully implemented the Strategic Prevention Framework (SPF) to identify local needs. This year, UCPC focused specifically on youth ages 1217, delivering educational materials and workshops to reduce the initiation of prescription drug and nicotine use. We reached 2,438 students in the schools system with our LEAD evidence based program, Playbl intervention program, and youth events. TDMHSAS Opioid Response (SOR IV) Initiatives and Block Grant: Through the SOR IV project and Block Grant, UCPC enhanced community access to opioid prevention resources. This included the distribution of medication safety lockboxes and resource guides that provide local families with immediate access to treatment and recovery support services. We distributed over 3,100 lockboxes and resource guides into Unicoi County. The Coalition served as a primary resource hub for Unicoi County by providing: Mental Health & Suicide Prevention Resources: Collaborative workshops with local health councils to address "Frequent Mental Distress" statistics highlighted in the 2025 Tennessee Health Data Package. Adult Education: Outreach programs targeting parents and guardians to clarify "Social Host" liabilities and the long-term biological risks of youth substance exposure. In 2025, UCPC managed a diverse portfolio of federal and state funding, ensuring all expenditures were strictly allocated to exempt purposes: Our biggest expenditure were: Student PSAs and Radio Ads totaling $20,625.00 from 5 grants Lockbox purchases - $ 40,145 12.95 per lock box UC Resource Guides - $8,835.00 at 2.85 per print costs for 3,100 resource guides