STATE OF NEW YORK
EXECUTIVE CHAMBER
GEORGE E. PATAKI, GOVERNOR

Press Office
518-474-8418
212-681-4640
http://www.state.ny.us

FOR RELEASE:
IMMEDIATE, Thursday
January 27, 2000

GOVERNOR: STATE GRANTS STRENGTHEN SUBSTANCE ABUSE PREVENTION

Governor George E. Pataki today announced that $2.5 million in funding has been awarded to 15 community-based initiatives throughout New York State to improve substance abuse prevention services.

The selected programs will receive funding through the Office of Alcoholism And Substance Abuse Services (OASAS) to help bring public and private sector interests together to provide substance abuse prevention services more effectively in their respective communities. Community Initiatives will lead the development of comprehensive, multi-system prevention "Work Plans" for their communities.

"Through early intervention at the local level, we can keep young people from using drugs," Governor Pataki said. "By building on existing community networks, coalitions and prevention programs, these grants will help communities across New York improve their drug prevention services targeted to our youth."

New York State was one of 19 states last year to receive a State Incentive Grant from the federal Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP). Governor Pataki assigned OASAS Commissioner Jean Sommers-Miller to manage the program and the project is being administered through the OASAS Bureau of Prevention and Intervention Policy.

The project, which includes $3 million per year for three years, directs 85 five percent of the award to the community level with the remaining funds allocated for local and state evaluation and administrative costs.

Community Initiatives were selected by the Advisory Council through a statewide competitive application process. All applicants were required to be part of a broad-based partnership that reflected the diversity of stakeholders within their community, including, for example, service providers, schools, businesses, law enforcement, health care, parents, youth and local government.

Commissioner Miller said, "By concentrating community efforts on risk and protective factors associated with alcohol, marijuana and other drug use, these local initiatives will extend the state's record of achievements in helping our young people to build healthy and productive lives."

The principal aim of the project is to change the individual and contextual conditions associated with substance abuse, including community norms that tolerate, ignore or reinforce substance use by youth. Specifically, this project targets those perceptions and norms that are most closely linked with youth marijuana use.

Grants up to $180,000 were awarded to 15 groups or organizations that demonstrated a superior commitment to the OASAS Prevention framework as well as a demonstrated concern for collaboration. Following is a list of the specific awards: