Write a commentToday, U.S. Representative John Katko (NY-24) announced $375,000 in federal funds for community organizations focused on addressing youth substance abuse in Central New York.
This award is from the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) as part of their Drug-Free Communities (DFC) Support Program. The DFC Program provides grants to community coalitions to strengthen the infrastructure among local partners to create and sustain a reduction in local youth substance use.
With this award, the Syracuse Youth Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition (YSAP), Cayuga County Drug-Free Community Coalition (DFCC), and Oswego County Prevention Coalition will each receive $125,000 in DFC grant funds to involve and engage youth in Central New York to prevent substance abuse.
“I applaud the Office of National Drug Control Policy for providing community organizations in Central New York with the necessary funds to reduce drug abuse,” said Rep. Katko. “Serving as a federal prosecutor for more than 20 years, I have seen countless young lives destroyed as a result of drug abuse, and, during my time in Congress I’ve heard countless stories from parents who have tragically lost loved ones to the heroin and synthetic drug epidemic plaguing our region. This funding will go a long way to help support the efforts of local organizations who work on the front lines every day to help prevent drug use and treat addiction.”
“In order to create safe and healthy places for the next generation to grow up, we must break through to our children now and educate them about the dangers of substance use,” said ONDCP Director Jim Carroll. “The Drug-Free Communities, administered by our office across the United States, are proven prevention programs tailored to do just that by meeting the local prevention needs in each community. The Trump Administration will continue expanding the number of community-based coalitions dedicated to the critical mission of stopping substance use among our youth before it starts.”
In June, ONDCP released the 2018 Executive Summary and End-of-Year Report for its DFC grant recipients, which continue to yield consistently reduced youth substances use rates.
Background on the Drug-Free Communities Support Program
The Drug-Free Communities (DFC) Support Program, created by the Drug-Free Communities Act of 1997, is the Nation’s leading effort to mobilize communities to prevent youth substance use. Directed by the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), the DFC Program provides grants to community coalitions to strengthen the infrastructure among local partners to create and sustain a reduction in local youth substance use.
The DFC Program provides grants of up to $625,000 over five years to community coalitions that facilitate youth and adult participation at the community level in local youth drug use prevention efforts.
Recognizing that local problems need local solutions, DFC-funded coalitions engage multiple sectors of the community and employ a variety of environmental strategies to address local drug problems. Coalitions are comprised of community leaders, parents, youth, teachers, religious and fraternal organizations, healthcare and business professionals, law enforcement, and media. By involving the community in a solution-oriented approach, DFC also helps those youth at risk for substance use recognize that the majority of our Nation’s youth choose not to use drugs.
DFC-funded community coalitions continue to make progress toward achieving the goal of preventing and reducing youth substance use. In June, ONDCP released the 2018 Executive Summary and End-of-Year Report for its DFC grant recipients, which continue to yield consistently reduced youth substances use rates.
