Mescalero Prevention Program

This Prevention Program proposes to provide a Purpose Area #9 Tribal Youth Program to the on-reservation population of youth ages 12–18, focusing primarily on boys who adopt alcohol and substance use as a rite of passage into adulthood and older girls who report depression and suicidal plans. The purpose of the program is to decrease current 30-day drug and alcohol use for middle and high school and increase positive leadership and life skills by 10 percent for target Mescalero youth from baseline (as measured by the Youth Risk and Resiliency Survey). Evidence-based prevention programming will be the Lead and Seed evidence-based program and include a focus on Apache traditions, language and culture, service learning, and family, school, and community activities. Tribal leadership, council, and community elders support the project. It will be fully integrated with the language and culture program. Additionally, law enforcement, Tribal administration, Social Services, the Mescalero library, the Boys & Girls Club, and school will be partners in program implementation.