City of Alexandria, Virginia
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MEMORANDUM
DATE: FEBRUARY 20, 2019
TO: THE HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL
FROM: MARK B. JINKS, CITY MANAGER /s/
DOCKET TITLE:
TITLE
Consideration of a Grant Application to the Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration, Center for Substance Abuse Prevention Carried Out by the Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition of Alexandria.
BODY
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ISSUE: Consideration of a grant application to the Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), Center for Substance Abuse Prevention, to support underage drinking prevention activities of the Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition of Alexandria (SAPCA).
RECOMMENDATIONS: That City Council:
1) Approve the submission of an application to SAMHSA for funding in the amount of $50,000 to be used to support underage drinking prevention initiatives for Alexandria youth; and
2) Authorize the City Manager to execute all necessary documents that may be required.
BACKGROUND: SAMHSA’s Sober Truth on Preventing Underage Drinking Act (STOP Act) will fund up to $50,000 per year for programs from June 30, 2019 through June 30, 2023, that address community norms regarding alcohol use by youth, reduce opportunities for underage drinking by limiting youth access to alcohol, create changes in underage drinking enforcement efforts, address penalties for underage use, and/or reduce the prevalence of negative consequences associated with underage drinking. SAPCA proposes to use the funding for initiatives that fall into these categories.
The Department of Community and Human Services received funding ($125,000 annually) from 2008 to September 2018 from the Office of National Drug Control Policy’s Drug Free Communities Grant Program for substance abuse prevention community-wide activities. Funding from SAMHSA would allow SAPCA to continue and build on these activities.
DISCUSSION: The grant application requests $50,000 in non-personnel costs to carry out community-wide prevention strategies for underage drinking prevention and social providing/social hosting prevention. These strategies include providing information and support, building skills, reducing barriers and enhancing access, changing consequences, changing physical design and advocating for policy changes. Specific activities will include Project Sticker Shock, Alcohol Awareness Month Activities, Parents Who Host Lose the Most, Titan Takeover, a three-day Youth Leadership Conference, and opportunities for youth to attend regional and national conference, in addition to other initiatives.
Project Sticker Shock is a youth-led initiative designed to educate adults who might purchase alcohol legally and provide it to minors. Teams of youth and adults place warning stickers on multi-packs of beer and other alcohol products in Alexandria stores. In April, Alcohol Awareness Month, youth design and implement prevention activities, which are conducted at their respective schools. They quiz their peers on their alcohol knowledge and award prizes to those who participate in activities. Parents Who Host Lose the Most: Don’t Be a Party to Teenage Drinking campaign educates parents about the health and safety risks of providing alcohol to teenagers and increases awareness of and compliance with underage drinking laws. The campaign targets celebratory times for youth, such as homecoming, holidays, prom, and graduation. SAPCA and the Alexandria Campaign on Adolescent Pregnancy host teen nights, called Titan Takeovers, open to all Alexandria teens that include dinner, games, a DJ, a photo booth and gift card raffles throughout the night. The Alexandria Youth Leadership Conference is a free opportunity for rising ninth through twelfth grade students who live in Alexandria to participate in team building activities, hear from guest speakers and attend workshops about leadership, public speaking and becoming a community change maker. SAPCA supports youth to attend various regional and national conferences as opportunities arise, such as the Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America Conference. The conference includes a youth track where youth work together to keep their communities safe, healthy and drug-free.
FISCAL IMPACT: The funding request in this grant application totals $50,000. There is no match requirement. These funds will be used for non-personnel related expenses such as purchases of supplies and printing materials to support the substance abuse prevention activities, registration. Staff will seek alternative private and foundation funding to support these activities in subsequent years.
ATTACHMENTS: None.
STAFF:
Debra R. Collins, Deputy City Manager
Kate Garvey, Director, Department of Community and Human Services (DCHS)
Morgan Routt, Director, Office of Management and Budget
Stacey D. Hardy-Chandler, Director, Center for Children and Families, DCHS
Raphael Obenwa, Fiscal Officer III, DCHS
Noraine Buttar, Youth Development Team Leader, DCHS