Drug and alcohol abuse continue to challenge Connecticut’s families and communities across the state, but CMHA’s Substance Abuse Action Council (SAAC) is now more prepared than ever to face the problem, thanks to recent federal grant awards.

• The White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) Drug Free Communities grant awarded SAAC $125,000 per year for a total of $625,000 over five years to collaborate with local school and youth organizations in offering substance abuse prevention programs. This grant will also enable SAAC to provide prevention resources to 14 cities in central Connecticut and to develop a social outreach campaign to reduce substance abuse in the region.

• The $75,000 ONDCP Drug Free Communities Mentoring grant will provide SAAC the funds to help a community in the region assess the need for substance abuse prevention, develop and implement a plan, and eventually apply for their own Drug Free Communities grant.

In fact, through the Drug Free Communities Mentoring grant this past year, CMHA’s SAAC successfully mentored the Plymouth Local Prevention Council (LPC). As a result of SAAC’s guidance, the Plymouth LPC has received its own Drug Free Communities grant of $100,000 per year for a total of $500,000 over five years. This will enable the Plymouth LPC to provide prevention programs for parents and other adults, as well as targeted youth programs, and to implement a town-wide prevention initiative.

“These grant awards afford SAAC and CMHA the opportunity to continue the important work of preventing drug and alcohol abuse, as well as other risky behaviors,” said Raymond Gorman, CMHA President & CEO. “We are honored to be recognized on a national level for the work we do to keep Connecticut’s youth safe and drug free.”