Coalition says funding critical
Drug prevention is making a difference locally, coordinator says
Carla Gwaltney Owens Sentinel Writerr

Proposed cuts in the 2008 federal budget could affect the Coalition for a Safe and Drug- Free Clay County. In an effort to balance the federal budget and reduce the National deficit, President George W. Bush's 2008 proposed budget includes major cuts in funding for drug prevention programs. These cuts could have a direct impact on the Coalition for a Safe and Drug-Free Clay County. Like 394 other drug-free coalitions across the country, the Clay County Coalition receives a portion of their funding from grants through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMSHA). The President's budget reduces SAMSHA's funding by cutting a total of $158.7 million from their budget. Funding for the State Grants portion of the Safe and Drug Free Schools and Communities Program, which funds many school based substance abuse programs across the United States, could lose $255 million next year under the proposed budget.

Local Coalition Coordinator Dawn Wilde said that although the proposed cuts are far from a reality, coalitions across the United States are paying attention and are asking that local residents contact their representatives in Washington, D.C. to make sure funding for drug prevention programs like the local Coalition is not cut. "Any preventive action that we can take now can only be beneficial," Wilde said of reaching out to Representatives in Congress.

The Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA), of which the Clay County Coalition is a member, has said that these proposed budget cuts could have a "devastating impact" on community drug-free coalitions which receive much of their funding from the federal government.

Funding for the local Coalition comes directly from a SAMSHA grant, Wilde stated. The local coalition operates with an annual $100,000 matching grant which has been awarded to the Coalition for five years. Wilde added that the local Coalition must raise $100,000 in local matching funds each year to be eligible for the 5-year/$500,000 grant. In addition, the Coalition is not guaranteed of receiving the grant each year, they must not only raise the matching funds through local donations, but must also reapply each year and show that they have met their goals.

"We have to get matching funds to maintain the grant funding," Wilde stated. "And show that we are meeting our goals." "We are committed to continuing to help Clay County," Wilde commented. "We will continue to seek funding whatever the outcome of the Federal budget. We are going to dedicate ourselves to finding the resources to continue to help the community." One way Wilde said the Coalition can gauge the positive impact they have already had on the community since they began a little over two years ago is through the Pride Survey they complete each year. The survey asks both students and parents questions regarding alcohol, tobacco and marijuana.

"The greatest impact has been the age of onset," Wilde said of the results received from the most recent Pride Survey. Since the Coalition began its work with local school children Wilde said the age that children first start using any of the three drugs in question has risen. "The average age of onset was around 10 years old…this means that we are seeing our children waiting later to use any of the three drugs," Wilde explained. "And the perception of risk or harm has increased among both parents and students," she added. "We feel like the education has made a difference. And we have seen a real difference the tobacco education has made. We are seeing definite changes now and the only thing that has been done differently is the drug education has increased."

Wilde said one of the greatest improvements has been seen in the middle school students who are facing much more serious issues than students their age faced ten or twenty years ago. Wilde said that because drug prevention education is beginning earlier than ever before, kids are being reached before they ever get to the critical middle school years. With program like the Mendez Curriculum which is used in the local elementary school, students begin to receive information to help them make good choices before they are ever faced with a serious situation.

"Every bit of information points to middle school as the critical time when decisions begin to be made about drug use," Wilde commented. "By the time they get to middle school we have already started educating them in elementary school about the negative impact of drugs. Afoundation has been laid, then we continue the education through those critical middle school years and by high school they are well equipped to make good decisions." Through the efforts of the Coalition, all three local schools have been provided with the Mendez Curriculum for drug prevention education.

"You have to reach them early when you have an influence," Wilde said of the reason funding for drug and alcohol education for our youth is so important. Another key, Wilde added, is to make sure you show them why and how to make the right decisions. "You have to have the conversation with them," she stressed.

"One thing I have learned through working with the coalition," Wilde shared, "is that you never stop learning. Through our work with the drug-free coalition we still learn new things all the time. That is why it is so important to continue talking to kids about drugs and alcohol. Every time you tell them it adds to the decision making process. Through each conversation the ground work is laid for that day when they are faced with the critical decision of whether or not to use drugs and alcohol."

Wilde said one of the main goals of the Coalition it to work with parents and to encourage them to enter the conversation

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