Rize Prevention Inc

AS AN ORGANIZATION, OUR VISION IS TO CREATE AN EFFECTIVE, PROVEN SOLUTION TO ONE OF THE BIGGEST CRISES AFFECTING OUR STATE AND COUNTRY TODAY. PROVISIONAL DATA FROM CDC?S NATIONAL CENTER FOR HEALTH STATISTICS NEW PROVISIONAL DATA SHOW THAT THE NUMBER OF DRUG OVERDOSE DEATHS OCCURRING IN THE UNITED STATES INCREASED BY ALMOST 7% FROM THE 12 MONTHS ENDING IN APRIL 2021 TO THE 12 MONTHS ENDING IN APRIL 2022, FROM 101,167 TO 108,174. THE NUMBER OF OPIOID-INVOLVED DRUG OVERDOSE DEATHS IN THE UNITED STATES FOR THE 12-MONTH PERIOD ENDING IN APRIL 2022 (81,692) INCREASED FROM 76,383 IN THE PREVIOUS YEAR. THE NUMBER OF DRUG OVERDOSE DEATHS INVOLVING SYNTHETIC OPIOIDS (EXCLUDING METHADONE; T40.4), PSYCHOSTIMULANTS WITH ABUSE POTENTIAL (T43.6), AND COCAINE (T40.5) CONTINUED TO INCREASE COMPARED TO THE PREVIOUS YEAR. ADDITIONALLY, DATA SHOWS A 60% INCREASE IN DRUG USE AMONG TEENS SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE COVID EPIDEMIC. LAST YEAR, DRUG OVERDOSE DEATHS AMONG TEENS INCREASED BY 109%. THAT STATISTIC

WE PROVIDE THE IRIZE PROGRAM, WHICH IS BUILT ON OUR SIGNATURE, EVIDENCE-INFORMED AND RESEARCH-BASED PREVENTION METHODOLOGY AND COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND SUPPORT MODEL. WE PROVIDE IRIZE FREE OF CHARGE TO MIDDLE SCHOOLS IN SOUTH CAROLINA THANKS TO GRANTS AND DONATIONS WE RECEIVE FOR THIS PROGRAM. WE ARE IMPLEMENTING AN IMPORTANT 3-YEAR PILOT STUDY, IN COLLABORATION WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN UPSTATE SC TO TEST THE EFFICACY OF OUR EVIDENCE-INFORMED APPROACH AND OUR IMPLEMENTATION OF EVIDENCE-BASED DRUG PREVENTION PROGRAMMING AND PEER LED SOCIAL NORM INTERVENTIONS. THIS 6-MONTH PROGRAM SERVES STUDENTS IN THE 6TH GRADE AND IS EXPANDING TO SERVE 7TH AND 8TH GRADE STUDENTS. ACCESS TO OUR CCFC RESOURCE TOOL IS GIVEN TO ALL STUDENTS, PARENTS AND SCHOOL STAFF. DURING THE 2022-23 ACADEMIC YEAR, RIZE PREVENTION PROVIDED THE IRIZE PROGRAM TO 5 MIDDLE SCHOOLS AND CONDUCTED OVER 20 'RIZE UP! LIVE DRUG-FREE' PRESENTATIONS. OVER 60% OF 6TH GRADERS RECEIVED OUR IRIZE PROGRAM SIGNED OUR PLEDGE TO BE DRUG-FREE.

WE ALSO PRESENT THE RIZE UP! LIVE DRUG-FREE PROGRAM. IRIZE PRESENTATION TO HIGH SCHOOLS AND TO TEENS AND THEIR PARENTS AT HOUSES OF WORSHIP AND COMMUNITY CENTERS. THIS PRESENTATION FOCUSES ON THE IRIZE PROGRAM PHILOSOPHY AND IS SOMETIMES DELIVERED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH LOCAL COMMUNITY RESOURCE PROVIDERS, LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AND NATIONAL LAW ENFORCEMENT. THIS PRESENTATION IS PROVIDED FREE OF CHARGE AND IS FUNDED BY SPECIFIED DONATIONS AND GRANTS RECEIVED BY RIZE PREVENTION. ACCESS TO OUR CCFC RESOURCE TOOL IS GIVEN TO EVERYONE WHO ATTENDS, AS WELL AS TO THE ENTIRE UPSTATE COMMUNITY.