Communities That Care awarded multi-year Drug Free Communities Grant

- Private group -
Wed, 09/24/2014 - 7:45am

The Five Town Communities That Care (CTC) Coalition has been awarded a Drug Free Communities (DFC) Support Grant of $125,000 per year for five years from the federal Office of National Drug Control Policy. DFC is a Federal grant program that provides funding to community-based coalitions that organize to prevent youth substance use.

This is the second DFC grant Five Town CTC has received since the Coalition formed in 2003. The first award spanned 2008 – 2012; the current funding will run from 2014 through 2018. Together, the two DFC grants total $1,250,000 of federal money in support of prevention efforts in the towns of Appleton, Camden, Hope, Lincolnville, and Rockport.

The philosophy behind the DFC Program is that local substance problems require local solutions. Recent evaluation data indicate that where DFC dollars are wisely invested, youth substance use is lower. Over the life of the DFC Program, youth living in DFC communities have experienced reductions in alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana use. 

Due to the community’s combined prevention efforts over the last 10+ years, youth alcohol use rates (with the exception of binge-drinking) in the Five Towns are the lowest they have been since the community began collecting data in 2002, as are rates of cigarette use. Inhalant abuse for all but tenth graders is also at an all-time low.

The Coalition will continue to select prevention programs, policies, and practices that reduce risk factors in our community and boost protective factors that serve to buffer youth against these risks. As a result of this effort, local rates should continue to fall for adolescent substance use and other problem behaviors, such as violence, delinquency, school dropout, teenage pregnancy, and suicide.

“DFC funding will allow us to continue to support the many local Coalition volunteers dedicated to promoting healthy youth development,” says Five Town CTC Executive Director, Dalene Dutton. “Volunteers are the lifeblood of the CTC system; they provide training to community organizations and families, collect and analyze data, and share with the community the latest in prevention science. Five Town CTC will also continue to convene key stakeholders and citizens in the community to develop shared action plans that benefit our local youth.”

“This latest DFC award is significant and exciting,” says Five Town CTC Board Chair, Dick Strong. “I’ve been involved in this goal-oriented community effort from its infancy to the full-fledged, very successful community “organism” it is now, one focused on helping our youth steer from risky behaviors to a healthier life style. I’ve seen this progression myself by talking with our youth and observing the data we continually collect to guide Coalition activities. I couldn’t be more proud of what the Coalition has already accomplished in making positive community change. This DFC grant will allow the Five Towns to make even more progress."

 To learn more about prevention and the Five Town CTC Coalition, and to learn about ways to become involved as a volunteer, call 233-9800 or visit www.fivetownctc.org.