Lowey Announces $1.8 Million to Fight Youth Substance Abuse in the Lower Hudson Valley

Press Release

Congresswoman Nita Lowey (D-Westchester/Rockland), the Ranking Member on the House Appropriations Committee, today announced 15 grants totaling $1,823,461 from the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) Drug-Free Communities Program to Westchester and Rockland community coalitions to prevent and reduce youth substance use.

"Substance abuse can have disastrous effects on individuals, families, and entire communities," said Lowey. "I'm pleased these grants will help stem youth substance abuse in the Lower Hudson Valley using a proven method: enabling local coalitions to solve local problems. As Ranking Member on the House Appropriations Committee, I will continue fighting to protect investments that keep communities safe and secure."

Three Drug-Free Communities (DFC) grants totaling $375,000 were new, while 11 DFC grants totaling $1,373,461 were continuations. One new DFC-Mentoring (DFC-M) grant of $75,000 was also awarded. DFC grants fund community coalitions formed to address youth substance use. For the two-year DFC-M grants, mentee coalitions aim to meet all of the statutory eligibility requirements of the DFC Program and compete for DFC grants independently.

Dobbs Ferry Youth Services Council and Pleasantville STRONG (Safe Teens, Real Opportunities, New Goals) have each been awarded a new $125,000 DFC grant to implement coalition meetings, a new grantees meeting, a Coalition Academy, and quarterly trainings; networking with other coalitions and updated by-laws; youth Leadership Council and training for youth; community scans, a website, a social media campaign, email blasts, a quarterly newsletter, and a Town Hall Meeting; school policy change; policies for alcohol outlets, alcohol compliance checks, Responsible Beverage Server Training, a student social norms campaign, and a sticker shock campaign; focus on areas known for underage drinking and marijuana use, marijuana prevention campaign for parents, and prescription drug disposal efforts; and mailings to healthcare providers, partnership with houses of worship, and training for parents and youth on prescription drug prevention. Pleasantville STRONG will also conduct a "Health of the Coalition" survey.

Suffern United Coalition Against Substance Abuse (SUCASA) has been awarded a new $125,000 DFC grant to conduct compliance checks as well as training and education.

"We're thrilled," said Superintendent of Dobbs Ferry Union Free School District Lisa Brady. "We believe we will be able to make a difference in the lives of more kids and more families because we have access to a high level of service. The issues around drugs and alcohol are an ever-moving target. Having access to this professional support is important for schools."

The South Orangetown Community Awareness of Substance Abuse (SOCASA) has been awarded a $75,000 DFC-M grant to train and mentor the Prevention Education for East Ramapo (PEER) Coalition. SOCASA will achieve the objectives by increasing active PEER Coalition membership; assisting PEER Coalition members to create organizational documents; enhancing PEER Coalition member's cultural competence, media literacy, and communication skills; increasing the PEER Coalition's participation in Rockland county-wide youth prevention

Meetings; enhancing leadership skills for the PEER Coalition's Director and teen leaders; and conducting a comprehensive community needs assessment.

"We are elated because every community needs the funds to raise awareness of the epidemic of drugs and alcohol throughout this country," said Victoria Shaw, an Executive Director at Wellcore, Inc. of West Nyack, which helps community stakeholders secure funding opportunities that improve the quality of health throughout local communities.

Names and grant amounts of DFC Continuation awardees are below:

Alliance for Safe Kids, Inc. in Yorktown Heights: $125,000

Blind Brook Community Coalition: $125,000

Cortlandt Community Coalition: $125,000

Croton Community Coalition: $125,000

Irvington Community Advisory Board: $125,000

Mount Kisco Drug & Alcohol Prevention Council: $125,000

Our Community Against Drug Abuse (OCADA, Inc.) in Blauvelt: $123,461

Peekskill Agencies Together (P.A.T.): $125,000

Port Chester Cares Community Coalition: $125,000

South Orangetown Community Awareness of Substance Abuse in West Nyack: $125,000

Westchester Coalition for Drug and Alcohol Free Youth: $125,000

According to the White House, among all DFC grantees ever funded, DFC-funded community coalitions have achieved significant reductions in youth alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana use. For middle school youth living in DFC-funded communities, data from the DFC National Evaluation indicate a 24.4% reduction in alcohol use, 29.4% reduction in tobacco use and 15.1% reduction in marijuana use. High school-aged youth have reduced their use of alcohol by 15.5%, tobacco by 23.7% and marijuana by 4.9% in DFC-funded communities.

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