Press Release |
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PRESS RELEASE: Wednesday, February 4th, 2009 |
| CONTACTS: ONDCP Public Affairs (202) 395-6618 SAMHSA Press Office (240) 276-2130 |
$17 Million in Drug Prevention Grants Available to 130 American Communities
Regional Workshops to Assist Potential Grant Applicants
(Washington, D.C.)—Today, the White House Office of National Drug Control (ONDCP), and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) announced the availability of new, Drug Free Communities (DFC) Support Program funds. ONDCP expects to award approximately $17 million - 130 new grants - to community drug prevention coalitions throughout the United States. The grant awards are subject to the availability of funds. The deadline to submit DFC grantee applications is Friday, March 20, 2009.
The DFC support program is a collaborative Federal program sponsored by ONDCP, and administered in partnership with SAMHSA. The program aims to establish and strengthen communities to prevent, reduce, and eliminate youth substance use and abuse. The DFC program was created in 1997 under the Drug Free Communities Act, and was reauthorized in 2001, and again in 2006. The latest reauthorization extends the DFC program for an additional five years, until 2012.
Ed Jurith, Acting Director of ONDCP stated, “Supporting the Drug Free Communities program is consistent with President Obama's priorities to aid community development and organizing across the Nation. This program will keep young people safe and healthy by giving local leaders the resources they need to strengthen their community and keep children drug-free.”
“Communities nation-wide are working to drive down the rates of drug use,” said SAMHSA Acting Administrator Eric Broderick, D.D.S, M.P.H. “To help ensure their continued success we are pleased to make these new resources available.”
Applications for the Drug Free Communities (DFC) Support Program (No. SP-09-002) are available by calling SAMHSA's Health Information Network at 1-877-SAMHSA7 or by downloading http://www.samhsa.gov/grants/2009/fy2009.aspx or www.grants.gov. Applicants are encouraged to apply online using www.grants.gov.
In order to assist potential Drug Free Communities applicants through the grant process, ONDCP, SAMHSA, and the National Coalition Institute (administered by the Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America “CADCA”) have scheduled regional DFC FY09 application workshops. The workshops are free and open to the public. They will be held from in the following cities: (Applicants do not have to attend a workshop in order to apply for a grant). To register visit https://www.cmpinc.net/dfc/registration.html.
- Friday, February 13th, Washington, DC **
(**This workshop is held in conjunction with the CADCA Forum**) - Thursday, February 19th, Tampa, FL
ONDCP directs the Drug Free Communities Support Program in partnership with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). This anti-drug program provides grants of up to $125,000 per year for five years to community coalitions that mobilize their communities to prevent youth alcohol, tobacco, illicit drug, and inhalant abuse. The grants support coalitions of youth; parents; media; law enforcement; school officials; faith-based and community organizations; fraternal organizations; State, local, and tribal government agencies; healthcare professionals; and other community representatives. The Drug Free Communities Support Program enables the coalitions to strengthen their coordination and prevention efforts, encourage citizen participation in substance abuse reduction efforts, and disseminate information about effective programs. Since 1998, ONDCP has awarded approximately 1,300 Drug Free Communities grants in all 50 states. To learn more about the Drug Free Communities Support Program, or the upcoming grant application deadline, please visit http://www.ondcp.gov/dfc.
