ONDCP Awards $21 Million to Local Community Coalitions Addressing Youth Substance Use

The Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) announced $21 million in new Drug Free Communities (DFC) grants to 161 communities across the country and ten new DFC Mentoring grants. The awards are in addition to the $60 million in Continuation Grants released earlier this month to 565 Drug Free Communities coalitions and ten DFC Mentor Continuation coalitions. These grants provide community coalitions needed support as they work to prevent and reduce youth substance abuse.

“The Drug Free Communities program embodies the Obama Administration’s dedication to preventing drug abuse in youth before it starts,” said ONDCP Director Gil Kerlikowske. “Evidence shows that communities receiving DFC funding have lower instances of youth using tobacco, alcohol and marijuana. I commend the community leaders, parents, youth, teachers, health care professionals, and law enforcement officials who work tirelessly to prevent and reduce youth drug use across the Nation through DFC-funded coalitions.”

“CADCA congratulates the new 161 DFC grantees and we wish the new mentor grantees much success as they work to help younger and smaller coalitions become more effective in their drug prevention efforts,” said CADCA Chairman and CEO, Gen. Arthur Dean. “CADCA stands ready to assist all of the new grantees in meeting the terms and conditions of their grants. I hope all of the grantees take advantage of the many resources CADCA has available, including a full-time technical assistance manager that is prepared to help any of the grantees with any obstacles they might face.”

The Drug Free Communities program is directed by the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy in partnership with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). The DFC program provides grants of up to $625,000 over five years to community organizations that facilitate citizen participation in local drug prevention efforts.

The 161 new grantees were selected from 417 applicants through a competitive peer review process. To qualify for matching grants, all awardees must have at least a six-month history of working together on substance abuse reduction initiatives, have representation from 12 specific sectors of the community, develop a long-term plan to reduce substance abuse, and participate in a national evaluation of the DFC program.

Since 1998, ONDCP has awarded approximately 1,500 Drug-Free Communities grants to local communities in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, Palau, American Samoa and the US Virgin Islands. More information about the Drug-Free Communities Program is available at: www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov/dfc.