After a two year study of 10 years of data, The State of Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, (known as DMHAS) identified the need to reduce underage drinking as a priority issue. The State of Connecticut found underage drinking costs the citizens of Connecticut $621 million in 2005. Those included costs related to incidences of youth violence, youth traffic crashes, high risk sex as well as other medical and treatment costs.

Based upon this information, DMHAS established the Strategic Prevention Framework State Incentive Grant (SPF SIG) and the purpose was twofold: one, to institutionalize the Strategic Prevention Framework throughout prevention and two, to decrease the consumption and consequences of alcohol at the community level, including underage drinking. DMHAS funded 28 grantees across the state of Connecticut to address underage drinking in their local communities. Positive Directions was one of those 28 grantees, and received the grant to address underage drinking in Westport, Wilton and Weston.

The SPF SIG Steering Committee is comprised of:

• Weston, Westport and Wilton Youth Services Director
• Weston, Westport and Wilton Social Services Director
• Westport’s local prevention agency: Positive Youth Development
• Wilton’s local prevention agency:  Vision 2020 and The Taskforce to Reduce Underage Drinking
• Weston’s local prevention agency is the Alcohol and Drug Awareness Program (ADAP).

What we have accomplished:

• Wilton Student and Parent Surveys administered Nov. 2007
• Weston Student and Parent Surveys April 2008
• Westport Parent Surveys April/May 2008

Based on the data from these surveys as well as previous student survey data the SPF SIG Steering Committee will implement prevention programs focused on the community needs.

Links

• Parentsempowered.org/resource/teaching_tools.pdf
• DrawYourLine.com
• Wiltonyouthservices.org
• Westonadap.org