Kerry, Kennedy fund local anti-drug programs

LYNN - Anti-drug abuse initiatives in Lynn and Danvers were among nine organizations to divvy up more than $1.1 million in federal funds from the Drug Free Communities Support Program.

The funding, announced by Sens. John Kerry and Edward Kennedy, included $125,000 for the Lynn branch of the Communities that Care Coalition and $124,805 for Danvers CARES.

In Lynn, the Communities that Care organization created a resource guide that dovetails with its mission to involve the whole community - schools, families, youth groups - in addressing the problem of drug abuse.

"Drugs threaten our kids and our communities. These education and community-wide prevention efforts will save lives. I am glad that so many of our state's great programs will receive the financial help they need to keep our neighborhoods safe, healthy and drug-free," said Kerry.

Melissa Wagoner, spokeswoman for Kennedy, echoed that message. "The health and safety of the nation's children should be a top priority for the Congress," she said. "This funding is important in enabling our communities to develop positive environments for children to thrive and reach their full potential, and avoid the use of drugs."

The total funding was $1,124,733. The other communities to receive awards were: Arlington Youth Health & Safety Coalition, $125,000; Brookline Coalition Against Substance Abuse, $124,928; Falmouth Substance Abuse Commission, $125,000; South Berkshire Youth Coalition, $125,000; Gil-Montague Community School Partnership of Franklin Co., $125,000; Dukes County Heath Youth Task Force, $125,000; and Wayland Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition, $125,000.

The Drug Free Communities program was created in 1997 through the Drug-Free Communities Act of 1997. The White House Office of National Drug Control Policy in partnership with the Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration oversees the program, which is designed to support communities as they mobilize individuals and organizations to push back against youth drug use.

The Communities That Care system takes a practical, research-based, outcome-focused approach that involves the whole community in promoting positive youth development by reducing risk factors and enhancing protective factors. The Communities That Care system can help our community use prevention science research to enhance how our community, schools, families and youth groups operate to prevent youth behavior problems and promote healthy development. It can also help us use our money, efforts, and energy efficiently and effectively, by using objective data to determine priorities, by implementing programs that have been shown to work, and by giving us the tools to measure and track results.

July 2009

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