Frontier Community Coalition and its Mustang Youth Team were recently featured by a national organization for their work addressing substance misuse, mental health and youth leadership across rural Northern Nevada.
Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America highlighted the Lovelock-based organization June 18 as part of its "Coalitions in Action" series. CADCA is a national nonprofit that provides training and support to community organizations working to prevent substance misuse.
Founded in 1983, Frontier Community Coalition provides prevention programs and other services across Pershing, Humboldt, Lander and Mineral counties. The organization works with schools, parents, businesses, healthcare providers, law enforcement, tribal partners and local governments to address challenges that can be particularly difficult in rural communities.
Those challenges include long distances to mental health and specialty healthcare services, limited transportation and fewer local treatment and recovery resources.
The coalition's programs include community prevention campaigns, educational workshops, mental health awareness efforts and recovery support. The organization has also distributed naloxone, expanded prevention education in area schools and helped connect residents with recovery services.
CADCA placed particular emphasis on the Mustang Youth Team, Frontier Community Coalition's youth-led prevention and leadership program in Pershing County.
The team includes middle and high school students who promote drug-free communities and develop projects addressing substance use, mental health and related issues. Members educate their peers, participate in community service and advocate for changes they believe will improve the health and safety of local youth.
According to the national feature, Mustang Youth Team members are currently preparing presentations for the Lovelock City Council and Pershing County Commission in support of a proposed social host ordinance.
Social host ordinances generally address adults or property owners who knowingly allow underage drinking at homes or other private locations. The students have been reviewing local data and studying prevention strategies as they prepare to explain how social hosting can contribute to underage alcohol use.
"The crown jewel of FCC's programming is the Mustang Youth Team," CADCA wrote, describing the students as genuine stakeholders in the health of their community.
Frontier Community Coalition also operates the Warrior Youth Team in Humboldt County and the Longhorn Youth Team in Lander County. Its prevention division serves all four counties in its service area.
More information about the coalition and its programs is available through Frontier Community Coalition website.
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