Get Involved
How To Get Involved:​
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What is the United Prevention Partnership (UPP)?
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UPP is a partnership between schools, villages towns and cities, composed students, community members, and other stakeholders. Our purpose is to work together to motivate the community to promote and support healthy lifestyles for all residents and to eliminate underage use of alcohol and other drug consumption. In December of 2020, UPP received the Drug Free Communities (DFC) Grant of $125,000 annually for 5 years, which enables UPP to strengthen the infrastructure among our local partners to create and sustain a reduction in local youth substance use.
​What does UPP Do?
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Connect: UPP is a partnership where people from all sectors connect; neighbors, businesses, parents, students, staff and administrators, law enforcement and emergency personnel, governmental agencies, faith groups, healthcare providers…anyone who cares about building a healthy community.
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Create: Environmental strategies work at the population level – not just with individuals – to reduce alcohol and drug use and its effects on individuals and the community. These strategies might include policies and practices that reduce availability, access, and excessive use, or events that create community and provide alternatives to alcohol and drug use.
Why should I join?
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UPP needs people who are willing to share their ideas, find solutions to issues, and have some fun doing it. Members will be educated on the root causes and local conditions regarding underage drinking and drug use in Jefferson County. By joining, you create connections and make Jefferson County a great place for everyone to call home.
​Do you want to be involved with a community coalition?
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According to local data, there is a significant issue with Jefferson County youth using alcohol and marijuana. While the United Prevention Partnership Coalition (UPP) addresses many aspects of prevention and harm reduction, we focus primarily on youth prevention related to those two substances, Alcohol and Marijuana. UPP, with the support of the Drug Free Communities Support Program believes this is the first step to creating an effective Drug Free Community.
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According to recent data collected by the UPP and Family Recovery Center, many of our youth do not see these substances as harmful; they think using them has little to no consequence. The coalition plans to educate them and their parents on just how harmful those substances are to them. The coalition will educate the community on these findings as well. Together we must find a way to prevent youth from ever using these substances.
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The purpose of this coalition and DFC funding is to address two major goals:
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Establish and strengthen collaboration among communities, public and private non-profit agencies, and Federal, state, local, and tribal governments to support the efforts of community coalitions and
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Reduce substance use among youth, and over time, among adults
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There are different levels of involvement with the coalition:
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Information Sharing/Supportive member – would like to get emails, will share information, will promote coalition.
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“Call-Me” member – when we have a specific need we can call them to help, will share information and help promote coalition and its work.
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Leading member – would like to represent a sector in the community, will lead tasks when needed.
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If you are interested in joining the coalition or learning more, please email:
