Pubdate: Wed, 22 May 2002
Source: Clarion-Ledger, The (MS)
Copyright: 2002 The Clarion-Ledger
Contact: http://www.clarionledger.com/about/letters.html
Website: http://www.clarionledger.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/805
Author: James V. Walker, Clarion-Ledger Staff Writer
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?135 (Drug Education)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth)

$9M GRANT TO AID DRUG ABUSE FIGHT

State To Focus On Prevention Programs In Effort To Save Teens

A new drive to use tested, successful programs to fill the gaps in 
Mississippi's fight against teen drug abuse got a $9 million boost Tuesday.

The Mississippi Alliance for Prevention, a coalition of groups ranging from 
the National Guard to the Boys and Girls Club, got a three-year grant from 
federal health officials to keep children ages 12 to 17 away from drugs and 
alcohol.

Organizers hope to get diverse groups to focus on programs with scientific 
data showing they reduce drug and alcohol use, said Glenda Crump, project 
manager for the alliance.

"There are a lot of people out there doing a lot of things, from bringing 
in speakers to walking drug dogs through the schools," Crump said. "We want 
to focus on implementing programs that have been proven effective."

Research shows that "one-shot" programs are not as effective as more 
comprehensive efforts over longer periods, she said.

Course materials for such programs are out there for anyone to use, Crump said.

Gov. Ronnie Musgrove unveiled the initiative in a news conference at 
Madison Central High School.

"We're going to take our efforts to protect our children from the scourge 
of alcohol and drug abuse to the next level," Musgrove said. "We worked 
hard to secure this funding, and now we're going to work hard to secure 
results."

Grants went to about a third of the 30 states that applied for them, said 
Thomas Deloe, a project officer with the U.S. Center for Substance Abuse 
Prevention.

"We're pleased with what Mississippi is going to do with the money, which 
is fund many drug and alcohol prevention programs around the state," Deloe 
said.

The program will be run by Crump's nonprofit DREAM Inc. and the Mississippi 
Department of Mental Health.

Valesha Williams, director of the Metro Jackson Community Prevention 
Coalition, said the grant will go a long way toward focusing and 
strengthening the state's efforts to keep kids away from drugs and alcohol.

"Prevention is important, rather than on the back end trying to save folks, 
which has a lesser rate of success," Williams said.

And the requirement for science-based methods will help communities benefit 
from the experiences of others, she said.

"We don't want to start at ground zero in developing strategies," Williams 
said. "The idea is to not recreate the wheel, but just go with the one 
that's already created."
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