Safety First: Preventing Rural Youth Risk Behavior

• Sponsor
  U.S. Department of Agriculture
  Subaward from West Virginia University
  Total award: $343,719
  Subaward: $68,215
  

• Principal investigator
  Kristine Ramsay-Seaner
  Assistant professor
  West Virginia University

• Co-principal investigators
  Amanda Giordano
  Associate professor
  Department of Counseling and Human Development Services
  

  Amber Letcher
  Professor
  South Dakota State University
  

  Meagan Scott Hoffman
  Associate professor
  North Dakota State University
  

• Active since
  September 2024

Abstract

Youth in rural areas participate in considerable risk behaviors, calling for effective prevention and intervention efforts. Factors that may contribute to heightened risk behaviors among rural youth include poverty, social isolation, and lack of access to mental health treatment or providers. Not only do rural youth receive less prevention programming, but both frontline youth development professionals and caregivers in rural communities also receive limited training in addressing substance use and other risk behaviors among youth.

When training is provided, rural professionals and caregivers lack time and financial resources to participate in traditional forms of professional development, such as day-long, on-site training sessions. To address substance use and risk behavior prevention programming needs, a virtual training for youth development professionals and caregivers will be developed. Programming will be targeted toward professionals and caregivers in rural communities within four states: Georgia, North Dakota, South Dakota, and West Virginia.

In each state, the majority of counties are mental health professional shortage areas and are also classified as non-metro. Extension agents, school counselors, social workers, and teachers, as well as caregivers including parents, grandparents, and foster parents, will participate in trainings targeting both physical and digital forms of risk behaviors. Training will be supplemented with podcasts providing practical tips for discussing risk behaviors with youth. Program outcomes will be evaluated through pre- and post-tests during training, and at three months post-training. Participants are expected to increase their knowledge of youth risk behavior and self-efficacy in responding to youth needs.