#iCANendthetrend: Mobilizing Youth Tobacco Prevention & Treatment Champions

Abstract The overarching goal of our proposed project is to decrease youth susceptibility to tobacco use (including vaping) through coordinated evidence-informed school- and community-based prevention efforts among individuals living in the eight Kentucky counties served by the Foundation. #iCANendthetrend will provide innovative and culturally relevant prevention education using a near peer model in the respective counties through 1) school-based and after-school educational programming delivered by trained college and/or high school students; 2) community outreach initiatives to support parental education; 3) peer-developed health communication and social media campaigns; and 4) professional development opportunities for adults working with youth. In addition, to support sustainability of tobacco prevention and treatment efforts in these often-underserved communities, we will recruit, train, and mobilize a cohort of 16 Community Health Champions (1 adult and 1 youth from each county).