input: [Action Item Number] 1.4.C [Action Item Name] Strengthen Prevention Efforts Along Southwest Border [Lead Agency] ONDCP [Component(s)] --- [Action Item Description] 
output: Just as increased national and bi-national collaboration can improve interdiction, intelligence, and enforcement efforts along the United States-Mexico border, an increased and more coordinated emphasis on substance abuse prevention will benefit both countries in border regions. Read more Despite many excellent alliances and programs, prevention efforts along the border region remain fragmented. Therefore, ONDCP will establish and lead a Federal working group to promote communication and collaboration with State, local and tribal agencies, bi-national organizations and agencies, and Mexican counterparts to maximize available resources in addressing the common factors that influence the region’s violence and substance abuse. Prevention is essential for long-term solutions to the region’s substance abuse and related problems, including the recruitment of youth into gangs. Many conditions and issues that impact broken communities – sometimes affecting the ability and even the will of communities to mobilize to address them – exist on both sides of the border. The ONDCP-led workgroup will identify, recruit, and engage key stakeholders on both sides of the border to work together to address the problems. This effort will build on annual United States-Mexico Bi-national Demand Reduction Policy meetings, bringing together high-level officials committed to improving demand reduction efforts and establishing teams from both countries to work together on building capacity to address specific issues, such as strengthening communities, coalition building, conducting clinical research trials in prevention and treatment to reach vulnerable populations, gang prevention and intervention approaches, criminal justice innovations, and recovery support efforts.