YAKIMA, Wash.-A new grant will fund youth mentoring and substance misuse awareness training in Yakima.
Safe Yakima Valley’s Youth Mentoring Program was awarded the $650,000 grant from the Department of Justice to help address the harmful impact of individual and family substance misuse.
Six program objectives will be tracked as part of the grant funding:
Expanding and enhancing Safe Yakima Valley’s Youth Mentoring Program with Elements of Effective Practice for Mentoring.Developing 300 positive adult role models with a high degree of mentor competency, established through successful completion of mentor training.Providing substance misuse awareness training to 300 adult mentors.Initiating direct one-on-one mentoring for 300 target youth for a minimum of 39 contact hours over a 12-month minimum match period.Providing 10 hours of “Keepin’ it REAL” drug-prevention training to 300 target youth.Holding 18 mentee-family engagement events.
“We all are alarmed at the increased rates in substance abuse by today’s youth, and we must take action,” said U.S. Attorney Vanessa Waldref in announcing the grant. “Youth mentoring programs like this one allow federal, state, local, and Tribal community leaders an outlet to provide youth in need with information to prevent substance misuse and make Eastern Washington safer and stronger.”
