LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The opioid crisis highlights stories of adults facing substance use, but lesser-known statistics show that the crisis affects our youth in alarming numbers.
To combat the trend in Lake County, Hope Rising received a $78,750 Youth Opioid Response Grant to prevent and reduce opioid overdose deaths and opioid use disorders among youth, ages 12 to 23.
Until recently, youth facing opioid use disorders in rural Lake County had minimal prevention and education resources targeted to their age group.
Hope Rising is working to change this gap in services with the YOR Grant. By building a framework that encourages innovative solutions to target discrepancies, Hope Rising empowers youth to have a voice in the program.
Partnering with medical systems, nonprofit community agencies, schools, youth outreach-serving organizations, families, and the public, they are creating sustainable change, positive youth development, and age-appropriate engagement.
“The grant extends the focus of Hope Rising’s SafeRx program by prioritizing and addressing high-risk youth in Lake County,” says Kate Gitchell, Hope Rising administrative manager. “Through targeted youth interviews, we were able to build the foundation for a functioning youth advisory board and prevention strategy to drive this work for Lake County.”
Partnership Health Plan of California awarded the Youth Opioid Response, or YOR, grant to 14 California counties.
Lake, Humboldt and Sonoma counties collaborated to engage key informants and focus groups of local youth on developing and driving the campaign materials and direction.
One result of the collaboration is the Find Your Way website, a site offering resources for youth to receive help, get connected to youth services, stay informed, and get involved.
More than one in five youth misused opioid pain relievers at least once by the 11th grade in California. Some youth are at higher risk of substance use disorders, or SUDs, such as experiencing homelessness, trauma, or stigma/discrimination/bias (e.g., a youth of color, LGBTQ), those exiting foster care, documented/undocumented immigrants, or justice-involved youth.
YOR California assists counties in engaging youth teams in community outreach and education using up-to-date technology and social media.
Tactical aims are to prevent opioid overdose-related deaths with youth-specific prevention, intervention, Medication-Assisted Treatment, and other treatment and recovery activities for youth at high risk of overdose.
These services include and target youth with poly-substance use, foster care, or juvenile justice involvement histories, and those in communities with high overdose rates.
Fundamental principles of YOR California incorporate evidence-based practices, supports, and services that are age-appropriate for youth.
Adaptation of successful adult-interventions is crucial to the continuum of prevention, intervention, treatments, and recovery of our youth.
“As an extension of our development, we are engaging our youth advisory board to help develop social media platforms that will speak to their peers about their unique experiences and prevention priorities,” said Gitchell.
For more information about the YOR program or to get resources call 707-998-8488 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Hope Rising serves as a neutral convener to bring together leaders in our county to identify issues, develop innovative solutions, and implement agreed-upon actions with accountability and measurable outcomes. Hope Rising acts to raise, manage and disburse funds.
Additionally, Hope Rising provides facilitation and project management support to drive the work forward and keep projects on track, ensuring active engagement of stakeholders and a focus on outcomes.
Learn more about Hope Rising at http://www.hoperisinglc.org/.