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18 <br /> Letter of Support: Orange Partnership for Alcohol and Drug Free Youth <br /> � <br /> 0 <br /> DRUG <br /> 101 <br /> May 31,2023 <br /> Terence L.Johnson <br /> Executive Director <br /> Reintegration Support Network <br /> 117 West Main Street <br /> Carrboro,NC 27510 <br /> RE:Orange County Opioid Settlement Funding <br /> Dear Terence, <br /> On behalf of Orange Partnership,I am writing to express our support for Reintegration Support Network <br /> (RSN)'s proposal to the Orange County Opioid Advisory Committee to create an Orange County Youth <br /> Advisory Committee to develop and lead a coordinated effort focused on intervention and early <br /> identification of youth experiencing challenges related to substance use,mental health,and justice- <br /> involvement. <br /> Orange Partnership for Alcohol and Drug Free Youth envisions a community where young people live <br /> safe,healthy and productive lives,free from the influence of alcohol and drugs.The coalition <br /> accomplishes these goals by using evidenced based community impact strategies through collaboration, <br /> education,advocacy and empowering youth.RSN is an Orange Partnership coalition member and funded <br /> to provide one-on-one mentoring and life skills groups to youth in Orange County.We are supportive of <br /> RSN's proposed plan to develop a multi-pronged approach to address the national youth mental health <br /> crisis by:(1)Developing a Youth Advisory Committee by expanding the Alcohol and Drug Abuse <br /> Prevention Team(ADAPT)program,(2)Developing youth-centered educational materials and <br /> conducting workshops(e.g. mental health,opioid and other substance use disorders,community support <br /> and stigma);and(3)Collaborating with Orange Partnership coalition members to develop and implement <br /> a coordinated referral system for youth at risk of substance use and/or mental health challenges to receive <br /> interconnected services. <br /> We recommend RSN continue to enhance their capacity to provide interpretation services and provide <br /> materials in multiple languages.Incentives to eliminate barriers to engagement,such as transportation and <br /> compensation for their time are also recommended. We will support RSN by working with Orange <br /> Partnership coalition members,coordinating professional development and substance use training,as <br /> needed,and supporting evaluation activities to ensure the success of the coordinated efforts. <br /> Sincerely, <br /> Gayane Chambless <br /> Program Director <br /> 104 New Stateside Dr. <br /> Chapel Hill NC 27516 <br /> Page 14 of 15 <br />