COLUMBUS — Drug Free Action Alliance, with funding from the Ohio Department of Mental Health & Addiction Services (Ohio MHAS), awarded $18,000 in grants to nine community coalitions and campuses as part of an effort to support prevention efforts throughout Ohio, the nonprofit announced today.
Three of the grantees seek to increase compliance with existing laws that prohibit the sale of alcohol to those younger than 21 years of age. Other grant recipients proposed initiatives to reduce access to tobacco products, host drug take-back days and empower or develop assets within the youth of a community.
The grants are part of the #PUSH4Prevention Community Stipend, which funds coalitions and campuses to implement or enhance prevention programs in their communities to prevent substance misuse. All of the proposed projects will occur in the spring of 2017.
“Thanks to funding from the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, these communities will be able to make crucial, public health investments in preventing substance misuse,” said Marcie Seidel, Drug Free Action Alliance’s executive director. “We’re excited to see how these coalitions’ and campuses’ initiatives will improve the lives of many in their communities.”
The grant recipients and their projects include:
- Community Action for Capable Youth (Richland County) – to reduce underage access to alcohol through community compliance checks and to train vendors after the checks to improve compliance.
- CIRCLE Coalition (Wayne County) – to build youth developmental assets through a communitywide campaign to promote family togetherness during mealtimes that will culminate in a community dinner.
- Drug and Alcohol Awareness and Prevention of Morrow County – to host and promote a drug take-back campaign to reduce unsafe access to prescription medications.
- Fayette County Prevention Coalition – to create a youth-led group that will advocate and implement environmental changes.
- Ohio Northern University – to create and implement a social media campaign promoting the safe use of medications and preventing high-risk drinking.
- University of Cincinnati – to bring awareness to the newly adopted Tobacco-Free campus policy through social media and student awareness activities.
- University of Toledo – to promote the adoption of a citywide ordinance restricting the purchase of tobacco products to those 21 and older through a social norms campaign and summit.
- Wright State University – to use a “Reward & Remind” program to encourage compliance with laws restricting the sale of alcohol to those under 21.
- Wood County Prevention Coalition – to reduce underage access to alcohol through community compliance checks and provide an event as an alternative to drinking on St. Patrick’s Day for students at Bowling Green State University.
“We had many great applications, and I know that the recipients will do an excellent job of reducing substance misuse in their communities,” Seidel said. “The grant recipients all demonstrated thoughtful plans to prevent the misuse and abuse of substances in their communities and on their campuses.”
The #PUSH4Prevention Community Stipend is made possible with support from Ohio MHAS and is administered by DFAA’s Ohio Center for Coalition Excellence and Ohio College Initiative to Enhance Student Wellness.
