Our History
Celebrating 30 Years of Substance Misuse Prevention
30 years ago, a group of parents met to create the Ohio Association of Parents for Drug Free Youth and worked to raise awareness about the dangers of drug and alcohol misuse. Now, that organization has grown into a prominent nonprofit dedicated to preventing substance misuse and promoting mental wellness.
We started out selecting schools for national drug-free recognition programs before taking a leadership role in the formation of Ohio Alcohol and Drug Policy Alliance and forming the Statewide Prevention Coalition Association. We received national awards from the Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America, Center for Substance Abuse Prevention, and the Ohio Department of Alcohol and Drug Addiction Services for our efforts to educate parents. We were also selected by Georgetown University to be Ohio’s lead agency for the Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth.
We began managing more statewide programs and initiatives, including Parents Who Host Lose the Most, Know! and the Ohio College Initiative and changed our name in 2005 to Drug Free Action Alliance. We awarded mini-grants to Ohio communities to expand local efforts and launched a program to honor prominent leaders in prevention advocacy. We also created the Ohio Center for Coalition Excellence to expand education and training to communities across the state. We spoke at conferences, policy summits, and the United Nations, and we coordinated youth rallies, wrote position papers, and successfully advocated for healthy state policies. In 2017, we changed our name to Prevention Action Alliance.
Recently, we’ve expanded our efforts to include conferences, policy summits, and youth rallies, plus research, writing, network development, product marketing, and new media – all with the goal we’ve had since the beginning: to build healthier communities.
August 2023
We Are The Majority transitioned into We Are Change
March 2023
2022
September 2022
August 2022
Drug Free Action Alliance becomes Prevention Action Alliance.
May 2017
Drug Free Action Alliance turns 30 years old.
2016
Partnered with Cedarville University to host the Faith Leader's Conference, equipping and inspiring more people to build safe and healthy communities.
Be the 95% wins 4 national awards at the National Council on Problem Gambling, including public awareness, social media, people's choice, and best website.
April 2016
Hosted the 5th annual We Are The Majority Rally.
The Ohio College Initiative marks its 20th anniversary helping colleges support their students.
2015
November 2015
We helped defeat Issue 3, which would have created a marijuana monopoly in Ohio
Statewide Prevention Coalition Association celebrates 20 years of empower community coalitions.
April 2015
Sponsored the 2015 Midwest Alcohol Policy Summit with more than 250 attendees and 26 states.
2014
Sponsored the Midwest Alcohol Policy Summit with participation of 27 states.
Restructuring of the Statewide Prevention Coalition Association.
June 2014
SOLACE on the Solstice motorcycle ride held.
Monthly Program Webinars offered.
April 2014
We Are The Majority Youth Rally held in Columbus, Lorain and Cleveland with over 2000 youth involved.
2013
Held a statewide conference on Bridging the G.A.P. that included an evening celebration of SOLACE.
Regional trainings held on Bridging the G.A.P. and regional meetings held for the Statewide Prevention Coalition and the College Initiative program.
April 2013
"We Are The Majority" Youth Rally held in Columbus, Ohio.
2012
Parents Who Host, Lose The Most: Don’t be a party to teenage drinking program started sharing a nationwide training, “Beyond Billboards and Brochures”, with visits to three states to share the training.
BUZZKILL was piloted in six college communities for a second year of the program.
The Ohio College Initiative to Reduce High Risk-Drinking membership increased to 50 with the addition of four Community Colleges.
Ohio Youth-Led Prevention Network was initiated.
SOLACE Ohio Network was organized.
January 2012
Drug Free Action Alliance turns 30 years old
Increased College Initiative to Reduce High Risk Drinking to 46 Colleges and Universities.
Online agency communication expanded including social media sites Facebook and Twitter.
Buzzkill: Serve Under 21 and the Party’s Over, a college social hosting program was trademarked and shared with three college communities as pilot schools, who were evaluated along with three identified control schools.
Know! Parent Tips changed to being sent electronically and emailed to individuals and point persons in at least 34 states.
2010
Marijuana as Medicine Position Paper released.
Clark Kellogg served as Chairman of Parents Who Host Lose The Most campaign.
Social Hosting Pilot Project and Urban Pilot Project began.
Super Bowl Survey generated national involvement of over 40,000 participants and included 39 states.
2009
March 2009
Alcopops Position Paper released at Press Conference at the Rife Center.
Ohio Center for Coalition Excellence awarded five partner grants to community coalitions to implement environmental prevention strategies.
2008
College Initiative hosted U.S. Acting Surgeon General for meeting with College Presidents and Senior Level Administrators.
October 2008
Minimum Legal Drinking Age of 21 Position Paper released at Ohio Statehouse Press Conference.
2006
2005
Agency name changed to Drug-Free Action Alliance.
United Way of Central Ohio selected Drug Free Action Alliance to manage Know! initiative.
Hope Taft Prevention Advocacy Award established and presented to Senator Mike DeWine.
2003
Statewide Prevention Coalition Association received national award from Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America as the Outstanding Statewide Coalition.
“Parents Who Host, Lose The Most: Don’t be a party to teenage drinking” received National Exemplary Promising Practice Award from Center for Substance Abuse Prevention.
Georgetown University selected Ohio Parents for Drug Free Youth to be lead agency in Ohio to participate in the Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth.
“Parents Who Host, Lose The Most: Don’t be a party to teenage drinking” received Exemplary Prevention Program Award From Ohio Department of Alcohol and Drug Addiction Services.
1999
Enforcing Underage Drinking Laws Initiative developed – “Parents Who Host, Lose The Most: Don’t be a party to teenage drinking”.
1998
The Statewide Prevention Coalition Association and the Ohio College Initiative to Reduce High Risk Drinking received Exemplary Program Awards from the Ohio Department of Alcohol and Drug Addiction Services.
1996
Ohio College Initiative to Reduce High Risk Drinking started with 19 participating colleges.
1995
Formed Statewide Prevention Coalition Association.
1994
Received award from National Family Partnership for role in Red Ribbon Celebration.
1993
Hired first paid Executive Director.
1992
Resource Room established through Ohio Prevention and Education Resource.
1991
Name changed to Ohio Parents for Drug Free Youth.
Hired first paid staff.
1990
Held first statewide conference.
Leadership role in formation of Ohio Alcohol and Drug Policy Alliance.
1988
Participated in selection of schools for national drug free recognition.
1987
Ohio Association of Parents for Drug Free Youth incorporated.
