Washington – Senator Evan Bayh announced today that the Drug-Free Community Council of the Healthy Communities Initiative of St. Joseph County has been awarded a $125,000 grant from the Office of National Drug Policy’s Drug-Free Communities Support Program (DFC) to help reduce youth substance abuse.

“We have an obligation to support efforts that will help our children grow up sober, safe and smart,” Senator Bayh said. “The St. Joseph County Drug-Free Community Council has a strong track record of steering Hoosier teens toward healthy choices. Programs like this one play a key role in helping young people realize their full potential in life by avoiding the destructive consequences of drug and alcohol abuse.”

The St. Joseph County Drug-Free Community Council takes a multifaceted approach to reducing youth substance abuse. The DFC grant will enable the Council to engage parents and school communities alike, provide staff for coalition operations, and implement an anti-abuse marketing campaign.

“We are honored to receive this grant to help address drug abuse in our community,” said Beth Baker, director of the Healthy Communities Initiative of St. Joseph County. “The program is particularly innovative because the funds may be used for supporting and promoting collaborative efforts and community partnerships.”

Senator Bayh has been a strong proponent of Senate efforts to curb the proliferation of illegal drugs. He supported reauthorization of the Drug-Free Communities Act in 2001 and 2006 and cosponsored the Combat Meth Act, requiring that pseudoephedrine—a main ingredient in methamphetamines—be sold behind the pharmacy counter and in limited quantities.

The St. Joseph County Drug-Free Community Council was among 199 community organizations nationwide to receive funding under the DFC program this year through a competitive peer review process. Since 1997, the DFC program has distributed more than $560 million in grants to more than 1,000 community anti-drug coalitions.

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