Earlier this year, a new coalition formed in Payette County, Idaho with a vision to help kids grow up safe, healthy, and ready to succeed. The 1P Kids Succeed Coalition launched in 2025 to address the growing pressures facing youth and strengthen youth resilience, prevent substance use, and build supportive connections.
Located on the Oregon border, Payette County youth are surrounded by easy access to marijuana, targeted by vaping and nicotine companies, and immersed in the pressure of social media. Families are able to see the risks, but conversations about substance use and mental health often don’t happen until there’s a crisis. The coalition is working to change that by putting prevention front and center: bringing consistent education in schools, building pathways for safe spaces and mentorship opportunities for youth, and providing resources to equip parents with the tools they need before problems take root.
True to their mission, 1P Kids Succeed Coalition meets the community where they are. At football games, school open houses, and community festivals, they share prevention-focused parenting packs and engage both kids and parents with positive messages. Their efforts are already paying off. Initiatives like the Strengthening Families Program are improving communication and reducing risky behaviors, while new opioid prevention education in schools has brought prevention into rural classrooms. Mental health awareness campaigns and stigma reduction have also opened doors to conversations that once felt off-limits.
Partnerships with local schools, health providers, elected officials, parents, and law enforcement have been key to their success. The coalition also credits its participation in CADCA’s National Coalition Academy for giving them practical tools and expert guidance to ensure strategies are evidence-based and tailored to their community.
One of their accomplishments is the creation of the Youth Vaping Short-Term Action Team. This dedicated group of members meets every other week, leads coalition assessments, distributes resources, and organizes youth listening sessions to gather first-hand perspectives about the problems in the community. Their leadership has set a model for what active, engaged membership looks like.
Looking ahead, the 1P Kids Succeed Coalition is preparing to expand school-based prevention programming with the This Is Not About Drugs curriculum in addition to helping develop a district-wide prevention plan, an exciting step towards systems-level change. The coalition hopes to expand its membership and have more local residents involved by attending meetings, volunteering at community events, participating in surveys, or simply starting conversations about prevention at home. To get involved or learn more, visit their website.
