The Counseling Department in Barry University’s Adrian Dominican School of Education announces receipt of an $85,000 grant to launch an HIV, Hepatitis and substance abuse prevention program. The grant, which was awarded by The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP), is initially for one year with three years possible depending on first year results.
Barry’s program, called Project S.A.F.E. (Strategic Affirmation for Empowerment), will focus on minority and young adult students ages 18-24. University statistics indicate that approximately 80 percent of Barry’s undergraduate students are minority students. Under the guidelines of the program, Barry will have a project director, University liaison, student peer educators, and an advisory board made up of the student body and community organizations to evaluate the progress of the program.
Barry’s Project S.A.F.E. will address the barriers of limited exposure (one day campaigns), lack of culturally and ethnically sensitive prevention strategies, and stigmatization. The goal is to directly increase access to comprehensive, integrated substance abuse, HIV, and hepatitis prevention services and early detection of HIV on campus. Barry is partnering with ALERT Health and CARE RESOURCE to provide educational workshops and testing.
