(Washington, DC, - October 14, 2003)—Delegate to Congress Donna M. Christensen is pleased to announce that the Access to Racial and Cultural Health (ARCH) Institute has been awarded $350,000 from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration (SAMHSA).

ARCH will use these funds for the Coalition for Adolescents and Young Adults (CAYA) project. The intent of this project is to utilize historical culture as the framework to integrate Substance Abuse Prevention and HIV prevention. They will use the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration model program and the Centers for Disease Control HIV prevention program: Life Skills Training and Focus on Kids program as models for the St. Croix based program.

According to Delegate Christensen, this grant follows on a successful process involving our community in identifying and developing strategies to address substance abuse and HIV/AIDS prevention in adolescents.

For additional information please contact ARCH at 4093 Diamond Ruby, Ste. 7-298, Christiansted, VI 00820 or visit the website at http://www.archinstitute.org/projects.html.