GOT OUTCOMES! Coalition of Excellence Award Winners 2009
Coalition of the Year Award
Formed in 1997, and based in Revere, Mass., Revere CARES works to change the social norms around underage drinking and drug use in order to prevent substance abuse and build a healthier community. By implementing numerous program, practice, and policy changes such as doubling after school activities in Revere schools, successfully advocating for increased access to substance abuse treatment and services, rolling back bar closing times and utilizing social marketing campaigns to raise community awareness, the coalition contributed to a number of reductions in alcohol and drug use among local teens. For example, between 1999 and 2009, binge drinking among high school students decreased by 39 percent, and the percent of high school youth reporting that it is “fairly easy” or “very easy” to obtain tobacco, alcohol, and marijuana decreased by 17 percent, 21 percent and 15 percent respectively. VIEW VIDEO
Coalition in Focus Award
After initial assessments revealed high levels of binge drinking among students attending Missouri colleges, and significant correlations between binge drinking and student absenteeism and low test scores, Missouri Partners in Prevention (PIP) developed a plan to reduce binge drinking by 5 percent in three years for each campus community. They implemented the evidence-based Community Trials intervention (a model program) to address the issue comprehensively. Coalition staff helped each campus set their own goals and individual strategic plans to address their unique local conditions. As a result, campus communities have experienced numerous significant outcomes. For example, all member schools have increased campus personnel who address campus binge drinking, and campuses have seen a combined 10 percent reduction in student binge drinking behavior. When combining the efforts of each member campus, the coalition reports a 33 percent statewide reduction in binge drinking in the past two weeks among college students. VIEW VIDEO
Milestones Award
MATForce implemented a variety of comprehensive and effective strategies to address the rising methamphetamine (meth) problem in Yavapai County. While still in the process of implementing their long-range plan, MATForce has made great strides, helping to bring about key policy changes and increasing community resources for treating meth addiction. For example, MATForce played a significant role in the passing of a 2006 pseudoephedrine control ordinance enacted in most cities within their county and successfully advocated to increase the county’s mandatory prison penalty for selling methamphetamine to a minimum of 5 years to deter the behavior. Recent data revealed declining dangerous drug offenses of which an estimated 95 percent involve meth, and a downward trend in youth methamphetamine use. VIEW VIDEO
