April 8, 1999 Phone: (800) 487-4890

ONDCP Contact: Bob Weiner

Phone: (202) 395-6618
 

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), in collaboration with the National Association of State Alcohol and Drug Abuse Directors and the National Prevention Network, and the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), is recognizing eight community-based programs for their outstanding work in substance abuse prevention.

Exemplary Substance Abuse Prevention Program Awards will be presented to programs in Arizona, Illinois, Kansas, Louisiana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Pennsylvania. The ceremony marks the 10th year of these awards.

Barry R. McCaffrey, Director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, joined SAMHSA Administrator Nelba Chavez, Ph.D., and Karol L. Kumpfer, Ph.D., Director of SAMHSA's Center for Substance Abuse Prevention, in honoring the award-winning programs.

"This nation's first line of defense against destructive substance abuse continues to be prevention initiatives at the community level--parents, teachers, coaches, religious leaders, health professionals, business leaders and law enforcement working as a coalition to make these kinds of exemplary programs an integral part of the community and its neighborhoods," said Barry R. McCaffrey, Director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy. "The programs we are recognizing today, as well as many others across the nation, make an important difference in keeping our young people safe and drug-free."

"Creative ways to prevent substance abuse are found in communities across America," said SAMHSA Administrator Nelba Chavez, Ph.D. "We are celebrating the success of these programs to reward the hard work of dedicated citizens and to hold out hope to others that prevention programs can and do make a difference."

"This year's recipients have developed effective approaches for planning, implementing, and evaluating prevention efforts that respond to the specific needs of their communities," said Dr. Kumpfer. "We hope that they will serve as models to help other communities develop their own successful programs."

Recipients of Exemplary Substance Abuse Prevention Program Awards for 1998 include:

Cultural Enhancement Through Storytelling--Tucson, Arizona: A substance abuse prevention program on the Tohono O'odham Indian Reservation near Tucson, Arizona, designed to create a strong cultural identity as a protective factor against substance abuse.

Adolescent Substance Abuse Prevention--Chicago, Illinois: A school-based program designed and implemented by medical students at the University of Chicago's Pritzker School of Medicine to educate fifth-to-eighth graders through science why they should resist drugs.

Preparing for the Drug-Free Years at Topeka Correctional Facilities--Topeka, Kansas: An inmate training program based on the rationale that mothers and fathers of inmates still have an important parenting role to play. The Shawnee Regional Prevention and Recovery Services and the Kansas National Guard provide training and support to a group of Topeka Correctional Facility inmates to conduct weekly parent training sessions.

One Great River--Shreveport, Louisiana: A health promotion program focused on preventing use of tobacco, alcohol, and illicit drugs among 14 to 17-year-olds from diverse cultural backgrounds through collaboration with urban and rural youth organizations for training youth, their parents and key volunteer role models.

The Albuquerque Partnership--Bernalillo County, New Mexico: A community-based program focused on developing a plan of action for a health community in each of ten neighborhoods, including collaboration on educational initiatives with middle and high school students to sponsor special projects for Hispanic students in math, engineering, and science.

Positive Choices for Academic Success-- Las Vegas, Nevada: A comprehensive educational, prevocational, and life skills development program to encourage academic success and promote a gang- and drug-free lifestyle among junior and senior high school students.

Enhancing Emotional Competence: "Dealing With Feelings"-- Oklahoma City, Oklahoma: A prevention program aimed at developing coping skills in fourth-graders at high risk for emotional disorders, substance abuse and violence.

Across Ages: An Intergenerational Approach to Prevention--Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: A classroom-based prevention program targeting primarily African American middle school students, ages 10 to 13, who are at high risk for substance abuse.

SAMHSA, an agency in the Department of Health and Human Services, is the Federal Government's lead agency for improving the quality and availability of substance abuse prevention, addiction treatment, and mental health services in the United States. The Center for Substance Abuse Prevention is a component of SAMHSA. More information on the awards can be found on SAMHSA's National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information website at www.health.org. News media requests for information on SAMHSA's substance abuse and mental health programs should be directed to Media Services at 1-800-487-4890.