Hunterdon County Safe Communities Coalition

The Hunterdon County Safe Communities Coalition was the only mentoring grant recipient in New Jersey, and will receive $150,000 in DFC grant funds to mentor a new coalition in Morris County to prevent and reduce substance use among youth. The Hunterdon County Safe Communities Coalitionwas also awarded the DFC Year 3 Continuation grant for (2011-2012), which will continue to support Hunterdon County.

 

“Efforts to keep our youth drug free are critical to healthy and safe communities here in Hunterdon County,” said Lesley Gabel, Co-Chair of the Coalition. “The Drug Free Communities program recognizes the great potential of our Coalition to help save lives of youth. This new funding will allow us to mobilize and organize the Hunterdon community to prevent and reduce youth substance use.”

 

ONDCP Director Kerlikowske said, “Data show that community efforts to reduce youth substance use through the DFC program are effective. I commend coalitions like the Hunterdon County Safe Communities Coalition, who work tirelessly to prevent and reduce youth drug use across the nation.”

 

“Action at the community level and kitchen tables drives rates of substance abuse down,” said SAMHSA Administrator Pamela S. Hyde, J.D. “SAMHSA is pleased to join the Office of National Drug Control Policy in supporting coalitions like the Hunterdon County Safe Communities Coalition that are bringing citizens together to create healthy and drug-free environments for children.”

 

The Drug Free Communities program is directed by the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, in partnership with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. The DFC program provides grants of up to $625,000 over five years to community coalitions that facilitate citizen participation in local drug prevention efforts. Coalitions are comprised of community leaders, parents, youth, teachers, religious and fraternal organizations, health care and business professionals, law enforcement, the media, and others working together at the local level.

 

The Hunterdon County Safe Communities Coalition was one of 87 new grantees selected from 452 applicants through a competitive, peer-reviewed process. To qualify for matching grants, all awardees must have at least a 6-month history of working together on substance abuse reduction initiatives, have representation from 12 specific sectors of the community, develop a long-term plan to reduce substance abuse, and participate in the national evaluation of the DFC program.

 

The DFC program was created by the Drug Free Communities Act of 1997, and was reauthorized by Congress in 2001 and 2006. Since 1998, ONDCP has awarded nearly 2,000 Drug Free Communities grants to local communities in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, Palau, American Samoa, the U.S. Virgin Islands and the Federated States of Micronesia. More information about the Drug-Free Communities Program is available at: www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov/dfc.