A community needs assessment report on youth substance use and abuse in Miami-Dade County 1 115 zip codes of central Miami-Dade County: 33054, 33056, 33127, 33136, 33137, 33138, 33142, 33147, 33150, 33161, 33162, 33167, 33168, 33169, 33181. What’s really going on in our communities? 2022
2 2022 Community Needs Assessment
LOCAL CONDITION
2021
Florida approves the rules for the labeling and sale of medical cannabis, allowing it to be available through physical and online dispensaries.
2022
The city of Miami approves the licensing of medical dispensaries within city limits.
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EXIST TO SAVE
WE
Miami-Dade County Youth Substance Use Trend
2010 - 2020
What’s really going on in our communities?
A community needs assessment on youth substance use and abuse in Miami-Dade County 1 LIVES
Although alcohol use has steadily decreased since 2010, new substances including vaping nicotine, and vaping marijuana are on the rise.
2022 Community Needs Assessment
2022 Community Needs Assessment
2022 FINDINGS
commonly used substance for high schoolers while for middle schoolers, it was nicotine vaping.
Youth Substance Use Reported
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2022 Community Needs Assessment
In Comparison to 2020
-Alcohol use by middle and high schoolers has decreased
-Opioid misuse by high schoolers has increased
-Marijuana smoking by middle and high schoolers has decreased
What’s really going on in our communities?
-Vaping nicotine by middle schoolers has increased
-Use of inhalants by high schoolers has increased
-Over-the-counter medications misuse in high schoolers has increased
A community needs assessment on youth substance use and abuse in Miami-Dade County
LIVES
1 WE EXIST TO SAVE
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2022 Community Needs Assessment
WHAT INFLUENCES YOUTH SUBSTANCE USE
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Perceptions of Availability
Substances Reported As Being “Easy to Get”
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Elementary schoolers reported that they know where they can get alcohol, opioids, and marijuana but not e-cigarettes.
2022 Community Needs Assessment
It’s “easy to get”.
What’s really going on in our communities?
Alcohol is reported as being the most accessible substance.
A community needs assessment on youth substance use and abuse in Miami-Dade County 1
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2022 Community Needs Assessment
Perceptions of Harm and Disapproval 2
Across all grade levels:
- There is an increase in the perception that alcohol use is harmful
- There is a decrease in the perception that marijuana use is harmful
- The perception of harm from opioid and prescription drugs misuse remains high
With middle schoolers:
- There is a decrease in the perception that peers and parents disapprove of drug use
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2022 Community Needs Assessment
Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)
These include: Residential Segregation, Poverty, Income Inequality and Suicidal Ideation
On Suicidal Ideation
What’s really going on in our communities?
The odds of a student reporting drug use were more than double among those who reported suicidal ideation, specifically use of alcohol, marijuana, cocaine, and meth.
40%
of middle and high school students reported a suicide attempt in the previous 12 months
reported that their attempt had required treatment from a doctor or nurse.
A community needs assessment on youth substance use and abuse in Miami-Dade County
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7% 9
2022 Community Needs Assessment
Focus Group Feedback
Youth
“Parents are a part of the problem, and, perhaps, part of the solution.”
“Existing programs supporting youth are not adequate, and those that exist lack visibility, accessibility, and accountability.”
Community Leaders
Click here to see an interactive map that shows the locations of gas stations, smoke shops, liquor stores, convenience stores, cannabis dispensaries, pain clinics and CBD stores within the UPSCM focus area. Areas where identified businesses are within 500 feet of schools or parks are noted.
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2022 Community Needs Assessment 11
Data Sources:
Drug Free Coalitions in Miami-Dade
American Community Survey, US Census
Miami-Dade County Juvenile Services Department
Florida Health Charts (Florida Department of Health)
Youth, Parent & Community Focus Groups, 2022
PRIDE Survey (done in UPSCM target areas), 2022
Florida Poison Information Center Network
Florida Youth Substance Abuse Survey (FYSAS), MiamiDade 2020
Florida Drug-Related Outcome Surveillance Tracking System
What’s really going on in our communities?
Florida Department of Education
Thriving Mind South Florida
A community needs assessment on youth substance use and abuse in Miami-Dade County 1
Where Do We Go From Here?
The Urban Partnership Drug Free Community Coalition (UPDFCC) and the Urban Partnership for Success Collaborative- Miami (UPSCM), through Gang Alternative, Inc., work with partners across 12 sectors of the community to reduce youth substance use by employing community-driven strategies guided by the Strategic Prevention Framework. A major emphasis of this work is to coordinate data-driven planning and to achieve needed system and policy changes. The data collected through the 2022 Community Needs Assessment will be used to craft the 2023-2024 Youth Substance Use Strategic Plan to reduce underage drinking, marijuana and other substance use.
This data will expand Miami-Dade County’s data capacity so that all existing and future prevention work can be more effective.
For more information on this Community Needs Assessment or to join the Urban Partnership Drug Free Community Coalition, please contact us at UPDFCC@MyGA.org.
Visit us @ MyGA.org
