Delegation Announces $1.1 Million to Reduce Youth Substance Abuse in RI

Boosting local substance abuse prevention efforts throughout Rhode Island, the state’s Congressional Delegation today announced $1,122,062 in grants from the Drug-Free Communities Support Program (DFC). The funding is used to strengthen partnerships among community organizations, parents, youth, schools, health care and business professionals, and law enforcement. These coalitions work to create conditions within their communities that reduce the prevalence of drugs and help youth make decisions that keep them healthy and safe.

“Effective prevention brings together parents, teachers, coaches, and all members of the community to support young people in every aspect of their lives,” said U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse, and Congressmen Jim Langevin and David Cicilline. “That’s why the work of our state’s local drug prevention coalitions is so important. We are proud that these organizations are receiving federal resources to support their efforts to provide education and healthy alternatives for Rhode Island children.”

Nine community coalitions in Rhode Island received awards:

• Barrington Substance Abuse Task Force: $124,131
• Chariho Tri-Town Task Force: $124,595
• Town of Middletown: $125,000
• Narragansett Prevention Partnership: $123,336
• Working Together for Wellness (North Kingstown): $125,000
• Mayor’s Substance Abuse Prevention Council (Providence): $125,000
• The Smithfield Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition (North Providence, Johnston and Smithfield): $125,000
• Tiverton Prevention Council: $125,000
• Woonsocket Task Force on Substance Abuse: $125,000

The DFC Program, administered by the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), was created by the Drug-Free Communities Act of 1997. It offers matching grants, with recipients providing a minimum of a one-to-one match in local funding for each federal dollar they are awarded.

According to ONDCP, recent evaluation data indicate that where DFC dollars are 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.

For middle school youth living in DFC-funded communities, data from the DFC National Evaluation indicate a 16% reduction in alcohol use, 27% reduction in tobacco use, and 23% reduction in marijuana use.  High school-aged youth have reduced their use of alcohol by 9%, tobacco by 16%, and marijuana by 7% in DFC-funded communities.  DFC-funded coalitions are actively engaged in facilitating prescription drug take-back programs in conjunction with local law enforcement, as well as local policy change to effectively address the accessibility and available of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs.