MCYAF Awarded Grant to Continue Prevention Work

MCYAF, the Maine Community Youth Assistance Foundation, will receive $125,000 this year in Drug Free Communities (DFC) Continuation grant funds to engage the Maine Township community to prevent substance use among youth. 

Gil Kerlikowske, Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, announced $7.9 million in new Drug-Free Communities Support Program (DFC) grants to 60 communities and 6 new DFC Mentoring grants across the country. The awards announced this week are in addition to the nearly $76.7 million in Continuation grants simultaneously released to 608 currently funded DFC coalitions and 18 DFC Mentoring Continuation coalitions.

The DFC Program provides grants to community coalitions that involve citizens in local drug prevention efforts. Coalitions are composed of community leaders, parents, youth, teachers, religious and fraternal organizations, health care and business professionals, law enforcement, the media, and others working together at the local level.

“America’s success in the 21st century depends in part on our ability to help young people make decisions that will keep them healthy and safe,” said Gil Kerlikowske, Director of National Drug Control Policy. “We congratulate this coalition on its work to raise a generation of young people equipped to remain drug free and ready to prosper in school, in their communities, and in the workplace. While law enforcement efforts will always serve a vital role in keeping our communities safe, we know that stopping drug use before it ever begins is always the smartest and most cost-effective way to reduce drug use and its consequences.”

With money from the DFC grant, MCYAF will continue to fund initiatives such as its social marketing campaign “Talk Early. Talk Often.”, Medication Take Back Days, the Parents Who Host Lose the Most campaign, and advocate for policies that promote early identification of teen alcohol and drug use.

Because of MCYAF and its coalition partners’ efforts, regular alcohol use among high school teens in Maine Township declined from 41% in 2009 to 35% in 2012. Binge drinking also decreased from 24% to 18% for the same time period. 

 To learn more about MCYAF, go to www.mcyaf.com. For more information about the Office of National Drug Control Policy or the Drug Free Communities Support Program, visit: www.WhiteHouse.gov/ONDCP. 

About MCYAF

The Maine Community Youth Assistance Foundation is a not-for-profit organization whose mission is to provide Maine Township residents with a foundation to make healthier choices. MCYAF works with parents, schools, police, youth, government, health care providers, social service, faith and civic organizations toward a common goal of healthy youth.  MCYAF secures federal and state grants as well as corporate and private donations for programs and services that promote improved health for residents. For more information, see www.mcyaf.com or contact us at (847) 858-7090.

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