Youth Development and Substance Use Prevention

The City of Framingham is leading prevention efforts to address youth substance misuse across the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

Our goal is to prevent youth substance misuse in Framingham by addressing the individual, family, peer, school, and community factors that protect youth and put them at risk for using substances:

Factors that Protect Youth
Factors that Put Youth at Risk
Positive peer support
Poor mental health
Extracurricular activities
Challenging home life
High self-esteem
Low perception of harm about taking substances
Family support
Isolation
Adult mentors
Lack of support
Safety and well-being
Unmotivated for future success

We are beginning this program by assessing the needs of the Framingham community, to see where youth most need support. We will be partnering with local youth organizations and speaking directly with youth to better understand and resolve these concerns.

Want to get involved? Contact the program coordinator, Chris Delude, at cdelude@framinghamma.gov