Substance Use Prevention

What We’re About

Community coalition working to prevent substance misuse, with a focus on youth substance use prevention.

Mesa County Opioid Response Group (MCORG) Goal: Reduce opioid misuse and overdose through data-driven decisions and community education events.
Tobacco Prevention Goals: Reduce the harmful effects of tobacco use by providing education about the burden of tobacco, providing cessation resources, and raising awareness for tobacco prevention. Reducing the initiation of use is especially important amongst youth as e-cigarette use continues to rise and can lead to a life-long addiction.

Mesa County Partners, in collaboration with Ariel Clinical Services, are implementing two programs for youth referred to Partners from local court systems: implementation of Botvin LifeSkills and referral and treatment system for counseling. Youth receiving the Botvin LifeSkills programming are taught personal self-management skills, general social skills and drug resistance skills. Ariel Clinical Services provides counseling support to youth in need of mental health support.
The Riverside Educational Center has implemented Botvin LifeSkills with all enrolled students. This curriculum includes promoting positive health and personal development. Over two-hundred students participated between Fall 2021 and Spring 2022.