UK College of Education receives grant for youth substance-use prevention

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Aug. 17, 2026) — A University of Kentucky College of Education initiative will expand evidence-informed substance-use prevention programming for young people across Kentucky after receiving nearly $200,000 from the Kentucky Opioid Abatement Advisory Commission through the state’s Office of the Attorney General.  

The funding is part of more than $30 million the commission distributed this year to more than 100 organizations statewide. The funds flow directly from landmark settlements with opioid manufacturers and distributors, which have directed more than $1 billion to Kentucky to date. 

The award will support “#IChampionHealth Live Like a Champion: Expanding Youth Substance-Use Prevention (grades 4-8) Through Regional Train-the-Trainer Partnerships,” a two-year effort to strengthen Kentucky’s youth prevention network by equipping facilitators with the knowledge and tools to deliver prevention education in their own communities. 

“Communities know their young people best,” said Melinda Ickes, Ph.D., the project’s principal investigator. “This is about giving local leaders the training, resources and support they need to help young people develop healthy coping skills, make informed decisions and build resilience before substance use begins.” 

Prevention is most effective when it is sustained and supported locally, said Ickes, associate dean for research, innovation, and community-engaged scholarship in the UK College of Education and professor in the Department of Kinesiology and Health Promotion.  

Live Like a Champion is an evidence-informed youth mental health and substance use prevention curriculum that helps students build personalized playbooks for decision-making, coping, help-seeking, prosocial behavior, navigating influences and setting goals. The curriculum will be delivered to youth in grades 4-8 by near peer facilitators — young adults who are close enough in age and experience to connect with students and serve as positive role models.  

Aligned with national and Kentucky health education standards, the four-lesson curriculum uses real-world scenarios, relevant examples and creative expression, and is designed for use in schools, after-school programs, community organizations, faith-based settings and other youth-serving environments.   

The initiative focuses on students whoare in a critical period of their lives for building the social and emotional skills that can reduce the likelihood of substance-use initiation later in adolescence. 

“If we help children build healthy social-emotional competencies early on, such as decision-making skills, they will be better equipped to navigate challenges before substance use becomes part of how they cope,” said co-investigator Meagan Scott, Ph.D., an assistant professor in the UK College of Education Department of Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology.  

A 2023 UK Cooperative Extension statewide needs assessment survey conducted identified gaps in Kentucky’s youth prevention landscape, including uneven prevention capacity across counties, limited access to developmentally appropriate and strengths-based prevention for upper elementary and middle school youth and the need for adaptable approaches that work in real school and community settings.  

In addition to facilitating sessions for youth, the project will create a statewide youth prevention-focused professional learning network with quarterly sessions. 

“Prevention efforts improve the more we collectively share what’s working and what can be improved,” said Jakob Hester, program coordinator for the project. “By preparing and connecting regional trainers, we’re building local capacity to deliver evidence-based prevention in ways that can best support the communities we serve.”   

The project is part of #IChampionHealth, a youth- and family-focused initiative in the UK College of Education that advances health and hope in Kentucky communities through partnerships that educate, empower and engage young people, caregivers and those who work with youth and families. 

“The Live Like a Champion project is another way the UK College of Education is coming alongside communities to find solutions to real-world challenges,” said UK College of Education Dean Nick Pace, Ed.D. “There’s nothing more important than equipping young people to make healthy decisions and we're proud to contribute.” 

This project was paid for with funds from the Kentucky Opioid Abatement Advisory Commission by and through the Office of the Attorney General. The opinions, findings, conclusions and recommendations expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Kentucky Opioid Abatement Advisory Commission or the Office of the Attorney General.