Project Right Now
Our Mission
Project Right Now is designed to combat the opioid and youth substance abuse crisis by getting help to youth ages 16-25 in their homes, at school, and on the street. Project Right Now takes a unique approach to connecting youth struggling with substance abuse disorders with all available resources.
YOR California is funded by the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) through the State Opioid Response (SOR) IV grant, supported by the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).
The initiative is managed by the California Institute of Behavioral Health Solutions (CIBHS) in partnership with Advocates for Human Potential (AHP), and is aimed at strengthening local systems and partnerships that serve youth and their families across the state.
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Funding
About
Project Right Now is part of the statewide Youth Opioid Response (YOR) California initiative, designed to improve access to prevention, treatment, and recovery services for youth and young adults at risk of opioid use or overdose.
In Fort Bragg, the project is focused on providing immediate, on-campus support for students and families at Fort Bragg High School, Mendocino High School, Alternative Education, and Mendocino College.​
Through this program, students can quickly connect with services such as substance use counseling, early intervention, and Medication for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD) when clinically appropriate.
By being physically present on school campuses, staff can assist students in real time, helping them access the resources they need without delay.
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To access our referral form,
Our Partners
Project Right Now is built on strong partnerships with local schools, including Fort Bragg High School, Mendocino High School, Alternative Education, and Mendocino College. Each school has played an active role in shaping the program by providing input on the most important needs and priorities for their students and families.
Through ongoing collaboration, school staff have helped identify key areas of focus—such as mental health support, life saving overdose prevention, and faster access to community resources.
The schools were directly involved in the hiring process for the new Social Services Liaison, ensuring the selected candidate would be a good fit for each campus and able to respond effectively to the specific challenges their students face.
This collaborative approach helps ensure that services are relevant, timely, and truly reflective of what the school communities need.
Planning
As we reintroduce Project Right Now, we have staffed one Social Service Liaison between the four different school campuses.
Project Right Now has met with every school site to hear the needs and wishes of their campus, allowing our team to fill the gaps in services.
This may look like supporting campuses with summer programs, enhancing education to identify at-risk behaviors, and supporting faculty on attendance and participation for at-risk students, as well as being the on-site school liaison to help assist students explore different treatment options. ​
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Why
Most adults with opioid use disorders (OUDs) began using opioids before age 25, and about one-third started before they turned 18. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, patterns of drug use have changed significantly. The increased presence of fentanyl has led to more overdoses and death.
Many young people don’t get the help they need because services are limited, uncoordinated, or difficult to access. There are also barriers related to funding and regulations. What’s needed are more youth-friendly and culturally appropriate services—including early screening, mental health and substance use support, family involvement, case management, and recovery resources—available in schools, clinics, and other community spaces.
There’s also a continued need to educate healthcare providers, mental health professionals, and school staff about substance use as a chronic health condition, how harm reduction works, the role of medications in treatment, and the realities of long-term recovery.
