Youths As Partners in a Community Participatory Project for Substance Use Prevention By: Pamela A. Kulbok, Peggy S. Meszaros, Donna C. Bond, Esther Thatcher, Eunhee Park, Monica Kimbrell, and Tracey Smith-Gregory. Kulbok, P. A., Meszaros, P.S., Bond, D. C., Thatcher, E. & Park, E., Kimbrell, M., & Smith- Gregory, T. (2015). Youth as partners in a community participatory project for substance use prevention. Family & Community Health, 38(1), 3-11. DOI: 10.1097/FCH.0000000000000061 Made available courtesy of Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins: http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/FCH.0000000000000061 ***© Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins. Reprinted with permission. No further reproduction is authorized without written permission from Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins. This version of the document is not the version of record. Figures and/or pictures may be missing from this format of the document. *** Abstract: This community-based participatory research project aimed to develop strategies to prevent youth substance use in a rural county. This article (1) describes the project phases, (2) examines unique contributions and considerations of youth involvement, and (3) explores the youths' perspective. Twelve youths, aged 16 to 18 years, joined parents, community leaders, and research specialists on the community-based participatory research team. The youths were integrally involved in all phases including the community assessment, community leader interviews, selection of a substance use prevention program, and program implementation. Youths reported sustained enthusiasm, experiences of authentic leadership, development of research skills, and greater awareness of their community. Keywords: adolescent | community-based participatory research | health education | rural | substance-related disorders Article: COMMUNITY-BASED PARTICIPATORY RESEARCH (CBPR) represents a range of approaches to partnerships between researchers and communities; the mutual goal is improving health or other social benefits. 1 It places value on equitable collaborations between community members and academic partners, which reflect shared decision making throughout the entire research process. 2 As health disparities continue to affect certain populations and communities disproportionately, CBPR provides an opportunity to improve research through accessing the true “experts,” the residents living in the community. 3 Community-based participatory research can also provide multiple benefits to communities. These benefits include empowerment of previously disenfranchised individuals, capacity building through training and new experiences, financial and other tangible benefits to organizations and individuals, and entrée into ongoing mutually beneficial partnerships with academic institutions. 4 In this article, we report on a 3-year