10/20/2025
Protecting the Youth – Preserving the Future
Florida Atlantic Lands $3M Federal Grant to Prevent Substance Use in At-Risk Youths
Florida Atlantic University received a $3 million, five-year grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to lead a community initiative designed to prevent substance use among South Florida’s youth.
The initiative, named “Rising Strong: Empowering Youth for Substance-free Futures,” will implement evidence-based, trauma-informed prevention strategies to reach more than 3,000 youth across Palm Beach and Broward counties throughout the next five years. The program aims to give young people the skills, confidence and support they need to make healthy choices and build stronger, substance-free lives.
“This grant represents the best of what we strive for at Florida Atlantic University – collaboration, impact and transformation,” said Lewis S. Nelson, MD, dean and chief of health affairs, Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine. “When academic expertise joins forces with community leadership, we can reach young people where they are and give them the tools to rewrite their stories.”
For more information, email dorcommunications@fau.edu to connect with the Research Communication team.