Drug Free
Communities
(DFC) Coalitions
Overview &
Orientation 2015
Gail Gramarossa
Collaborative for Educational Services
Working
Together
Since 1997, federal Drug Free Communities grants have
funded over 2,000 community coalitions
across the USA.
DFC communities form a nationwide network working
for healthier youth and families.
DFC Grantee Class of 2014
Goals for Today
Briefly review the Drug-free
Communities approach to
substance use prevention
Begin to look at:
Introduce concepts of root causes
and local conditions that contribute to
youth drug use/abuse and why they
are important
What does this all
mean to the QHCC
SUTF?
What do we need
to think about and
do going forward?
Annual Drug Free Communities
Application Timeline
Request for
Applications
(RFA) released
in mid-January
Applications
are submitted
in mid to late
March
Applications
are reviewed
and scored
over spring
and summer
Notice of
Awards is made
in August or
September;
grant begins on
September 30th
A reminder about our shared vision
We want Quaboag Hills towns to be places
where youth, parents, and the entire community
collaborate effectively to promote health,
wellness, and positive youth development.
We believe that reducing substance use and its
negative impact on youth, families, and
communities is our collective responsibility.
Together, we will use effective public health and
educational strategies proven to reduce youth
substance use.
2 Main Drug Free Communities Goals
“Local substance use problems require local solutions”
Establish and
strengthen
collaboration among
communities, public
and private non-profit
agencies, and federal,
state, and local
governments to
support the efforts of
community coalitions
working to prevent and
reduce substance use
among youth
Reduce substance
use among youth
and, over time,
reduce substance
abuse among adults
by addressing the
factors in a
community that
increase the risk of
substance abuse and
promoting the factors
that minimize the risk
of substance abuse
Good News!
Nationwide,
youth living in
DFC funded
communities
experience
reductions in
alcohol,
tobacco, and
marijuana use
New DFC Info-graphic
DFC Required Data/Core Measures
For alcohol, tobacco, marijuana, and prescription drugs for
three grades (6-12th)*:
Past 30–day use
Perception of risk or harm
Perception of parental disapproval of use
Perception of peer disapproval of use
Required data must be collected for at least one middle
school grade and one high school grade.
Brief Word about DFC Funding
Drug Free
Matching
Communities
funding from
Grant;
other grants
receive 5
and/or inyears funding
kind
and
contributions;
opportunity
types of other
to apply for
direct
another 5
funding are
years;
outlined by
$125,000 per
SAMHSA
year
What is a DFC Coalition?
The 12 Community Sectors
Parents
Healthcare
Professionals
Media
Youth Serving
Organizations
Religious and
Fraternal
Organizations
Youth
Substance
Abuse
Organizations
State & local
government
Business
Schools
Law
Enforcement
Civic &
Volunteer
Groups
Who does what in a DFC Coalition?
Staff & Lead
Agency
Provide support, facilitation and
administrative work for coalition
leaders and members
Outreach to, communicate with,
and convene required sectors
Attend required meetings and
trainings
Provide orientation to new
members
Manage budget and reporting
Community Sectors
Volunteers serve as sector
representatives
Actively develop, implement,
and oversee strategic action
plan based on local data,
needs, and conditions
Serve as key community
leaders and resources on
effective prevention
initiatives
Promote and engage the
community in the work of the
coalition
DFC support & resources at the local, state and
national levels
CADCA = Community AntiDrug Coalitions of
America
Not the funder, CADCA serves as
the national level Technical
Assistance (TA) and training
resource for DFC grantees
Provides online support, training
events, conferences, booklets,
chat groups, etc. to enhance
coalitions’ work and
effectiveness – take advantage
of them!
Strategic
Prevention
Framework
A public health
approach to
preventing &
reducing
substance abuse
An Updated Public Health Approach
Apply proven strategies to affect the
root causes of health problems that
need attention locally
Previous
approach:
Change
individual
behavior
Current approach: Change the
larger environment those
individuals live in, including their
family, school, peer, and community
environments
Make where we live, work,
learn and play healthier; “make
the healthy choice the easy
choice “ or the more appealing
choice
Example
Using the Strategic Prevention Framework:
Supports Accountability, Capacity, and Effectiveness
16
Assessment
Profile population needs,
resources, and readiness to
address needs and gaps
Capacity
Mobilize and/or build capacity to
address needs
Planning
Develop a Comprehensive
Strategic Action Plan
Implementation
Implement evidence-based
prevention programs and activities
Evaluation
Monitor, evaluate, sustain, and
improve or replace those that fail
DFC Coalition Planning Process
Strategies
Local
Conditions
Root
Causes
Problem
Common Root Causes: But Why?
Availability/
Accessibility
of
substances
Youth
attitudes
favorable
toward
substance
use
Parent
attitudes
favorable
toward
substance
use
Community
laws and
norms favor
use
Local Conditions: But Why Here?
Paint a picture of
the unique issues
in your
community
Select strategies
matched to
address those
unique
conditions and
change them
Look more closely at:
Who, What, When,
Where, and How
does substance use
start and what keeps
it continuing?
Summary & Wrap-up
 Questions
 Next
& Answers
steps in process if we intend to submit an
application in March 2016