Capacity Building

Project Name:  Health Ambassador Leadership Program

Project Description:  The Health Ambassador Leadership Program aims to address the opioid epidemic by empowering and engaging young individuals in an action-oriented coalition over a 10-month period. Through monthly meetings, participants develop leadership skills and gain knowledge about opioids, prevention, and interventions, including the use of Naloxone. They learn how to collect peer input using surveys and to increase awareness of support services. Participants create impactful social media posts, engage in community events, and organize youth activities to promote a healthy lifestyle. This program equips youth to effect positive change in their community by fostering leadership skills and raising awareness about opioid-related issues among their peers and their community.

Primary Contact:

Name: Nancy Verdin
Position: Project Director
Email: Nancy@GoDayOne.org
Phone: (626) 429-5253

Agency Website:   www.GoDayOne.org

Project Name: Finding Outlets for Youth with Substance Abuse Issues

Partner Agencies: Urban Restoration Counseling Center (URCC), San Diego Unified School District, San Diego Youth Services, South Bay Community Services, San Diego Unified School Police

Project Description: With partnerships from the school systems, law enforcement agencies and community involvement, we are able to enroll youth that are showing signs of opioid use or involvement as well as the family members. The self referral system works if youth feel that they need help and do not know where to turn for help 

Primary Contact:

Name: Eddie Underwood
Position: Director Youth Empowerment and Diversion
Agency: Logan Heights CDC
Email: Eddieu@loganheightscdc.org
Phone: 619-329-4641

 Website: www.loganheightscdc.org

Project Name:  JUDAHH Project’s Youth Opioid Program

Project Description: JUDAHH Project’s Youth Opioid Program was created in response to the many deaths that occurred from opioid abuse in the African American youth population in South Sacramento.  We offer educational information through outreach activities and social media campaigns.  JUDAHH, in collaboration with behavioral health professionals utilizes strategies to identify how to reduce stigma and break down barriers to youth seeking support.

Primary contact:

Name: Valerie Andrews
Phone number: (916) 389-0152,
Email address: thejudahhproject@gmail.com

Project Name: Somali Familly Services – Leaders In Our Neighborhood Refugee Opioid Awareness and Restoration (LION ROAR) Program

Project Description: Somali Family Service of San Diego’s Leaders In Our Neighborhood Refugee Opioid Awareness and Restoration (LION ROAR) Program empowers refugee and immigrant youth representing a diversity of refugee and immigrant communities including Somali, Swahili and Middle Eastern communities. As ROAR Advisory Group members and Peer Supporters, youth engage in leadership training and learn how to address substance use disorders and addiction in a culturally-appropriate manner including how to combat cultural stigmas which often create barriers to prevention and treatment. Youth participate in educational workshops and webinars, support group sessions, presentations and trainings designed to bolster awareness of how to become civically engaged to promote community health and wellness.

Primary Contact:

Name: Mustafa Sahid
Position: Director of Operations
Email: msahid@sfssd.org
Phone: (619) 265-5821 ext. 208

Agency website: www.somalifamilyservice.org

Partner Agencies: Round Valley Indian Health Center (Round Valley Indian Tribes)

Project Name: Native Health in Native Hands

Project Description: The Native Health in Native Hands Project  connects and empowers native youth with positive traditional culture experiences, traditional ecological knowledge, and outings to traditional homelands. Our community activities are designed to encourage resiliency, self-respect, knowledge, skills, and abilities through youth and elder connection and mentorship. The connection we make between participants, plant knowledge, and native languages provides culturally relevant, healthy alternatives, and relief from the pressures of stimulant, opioid, and other substance misuse. We revitalize youth participation in traditional activities, art, and science. Food sovereignty, health, self-worth, cultural appreciation, and expression all disrupt and counter the physical and mental health issues linked with substance misuse and addiction. We focus on Round Valley Indian Tribal youth and families at risk with OUD and provide outpatient services for the Round Valley Indian Health Center.

Primary Contacts:

Name: Perry Lincoln
Position: Founder and Project Director
Email: nativehealthinnativehands@gmail.com
Phone: (530) 382-5840

Name: Brian Dykstra
Position: Project Assistant
Email: nativehealthinnativehands@gmail.com
Phone: (616) 558-0404

Website: www.nativehealthinnativehands.org

Project Name: Kern County Youth Treatment Access Expansion

Project Description: Through strengthened partnership Kern Behavioral Health and Recovery Services (KernBHRS) will develop outreach strategies specific to youth that are in need of substance use disorder treatment services.  Increased outreach will promote enrollment in SUD treatment programs for youth (12-17) and young adults (18-24), prepare treatment providers to better serve adolescents and young adults that have an opioid use disorder, and increase access to Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT). These goals will be reached by engaging youth serving community partners to formulate strategies for providing addiction and recovery education, overdose prevention approaches, and resources for accessing SUD treatment locally. Additionally, work will be done throughout the community to provide support in stigma reduction and ease stigma related barriers to youth and young adult access of MAT services.

Primary Contact:

Name: Liz Bailey
Position: Behavioral Health Recovery Systems Administrator
Phone: 661-868-7852
Email: EBailey@KernBHRS.org

Website: https://www.kernbhrs.org/