Northland Coalition Major Contributor to National Substance Abuse Prevention Success

Vicky Ward, prevention manager for Tri-County Mental Health Services, recently received a congratulatory letter regarding the success of the Northland Coalition from the national offices of the Drug Free Communities (DFC) Support Program.

In his letter, Administrator Jack W. Claypoole referred to the recently reported findings of the latest National Evaluation of the program. Gil Kerlikowske, director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), made the Feb. 8 announcement of the findings.

“Thanks to the hard work of the DFC coalitions, these findings show that DFC-funded coalitions are an effective catalyst for change at the local level. DFC grantees make a difference in their communities, contribute to reducing youth drug use and these findings add to the mountains of research that show why drug prevention is so critical,” Claypoole stated. “ONDCP congratulates you on your hard work and appreciates the efforts of DFC coalitions across the United States.”

The report titled “National Evaluation of the Drug Free Communities Support Program Summary of Findings from January 2002 through November 2009” stated that the rates of substance use have declined significantly in communities where prevention coalitions are active. The decline included all substances (alcohol, tobacco and marijuana) and all grade levels of middle school and high school.

“The Northland Coalition, with the invaluable support of Tri-County Mental Health Services, is celebrating its 10 year anniversary,” Prevention Manager Vicky Ward said. “Over the years, the dedicated volunteers from Clay, Platte and Ray counties have been recognized statewide and nationally for the success of the numerous prevention programs and campaigns they have created and implemented,” Ward said. “It’s very rewarding to see how the hard work of our prevention volunteers is making a significant impact on the health and well-being of our young people and communities.”

For further information regarding the Northland Coalition visit www.northlandcoalition.com.

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