ETCADA receives grant award

John Walters, director of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), announced last week the award of $24.4 million in Drug Free Communities (DFC) grants to 199 communities across the country. Drug Free Community coalitions work collaboratively at the local level to prevent and reduce drug and alcohol abuse among youth.

Director Walters said, "Youth drug use has dropped 24 percent since 2001, due in large part to the active and effective engagement of strong community anti-drug coalitions. The expertise, time, and talent of those involved with Drug Free Community coalitions helps make the drug problem and the related public health and safety consequences smaller. Our young people are healthier, our communities are safer, and our Nation is stronger because of the work of Drug Free Community coalitions, and we are proud to support their efforts."

The East Texas Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse is a recipient of a $625,000 award. A portion of that will support its drug-free coalition, "Kilgore Together," over the next five years. The coalition facilitates citizen participation in local drug prevention efforts and is comprised of community leaders, parents, youth, teachers, religious and fraternal organizations, health care and business professionals, law enforcement, and the media.

ETCADA was one of 199 grantees selected from 419 applicants through a competitive peer review process. To qualify for matching grants, all awardees must have at least a six-month history of working together on substance abuse reduction initiatives, have representation from twelve specific sectors of the community, develop a long-term plan to reduce substance abuse, and participate in a national evaluation of the DFC program.

Created under the Drug-Free Communities Act of 1997, the Drug-Free Communities Program has earned strong bipartisan support from Congress and is one of President Bush's major funding priorities. In December of 2006, Congress passed and the President signed into law a five-year extension of the Drug- Free Communities Act.

Kilgore Together's mission is to reduce adolescent use of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs. The coalition sponsors a variety of school-based and community based drug-free activities. Members of the coalition include Kilgore residents representing schools, churches, businesses, law enforcement, elected officials, parents, and youth.

ETCADA is a United Way agency that provides substance abuse prevention, intervention, and education in twenty-three East Texas counties.