CRANSTON – CCAP’s Cranston Substance Abuse Prevention Task Force will continue operations for another five years thanks to a $625,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, which it will use primarily for alcohol abuse prevention.
The grant will help the task force establish a Drug-Free Communities Support Program.
Members of the task force include representatives of the city, the school district, the police department and other key community service providers, concerned citizens and local leaders. Dana Deverna, coordinator of the task force within the nonprofit Comprehensive Community Action Program, said the task force will devote part of its effort to preventing e-cigarette use and opioid abuse.
Deverna said part of the funding, which will be split into five annual $125,000 payments, will pay for a half-time grant coordinator, Katelyn Bianco, who will administer intervention efforts, including outreach at the city’s high schools.
“We’re hoping to tie it in to the health classes,” Deverna said.
An evaluator, who will work about five hours a month to monitor how the program is performing using federal guidelines for prevention programs, will also be part of the effort. Neither will be full-time, Deverna said, to maximize the funding the organization can spend on prevention.
Since the Drug-Free Communities Support Program was established nationally in 1997, more than 2,000 prevention coalitions across the United States have been formed. The philosophy behind the program is that local drug problems require local solutions. Analysis of established coalitions shows that youth substance abuse is significantly lower where DFC funds have been invested, CCAP reports.
Some of the funding will also pay for billboard ads and post cards to reach young people outside of the schools, Deverna said. Some of the advertising will be focused on parents. For instance, Deverna said, on education about e-cigarette use, what the devices look like and what they smell like.
The program will also coordinate with the local Students Against Drunk Driving chapter at Cranston West High School.
“We’re hoping to work to get the youth involved as much as possible,” Deverna said.
CCAP, a private, nonprofit community action agency, began helping the people of Cranston in 1965. The nonprofit has since expanded to provide numerous programs and services throughout the state of Rhode Island. The agency employs more than 350, with an operating budget of more than $33 million. Last year CCAP helped more than 40,000 Rhode Islanders.
Rob Borkowski is a PBN staff writer. Email him at Borkowski@PBN.com.
