Local coalition receives Drug-Free Community Grant

The Tioga County Allies in Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition has been awarded a Drug-Free Community Grant. They will be receiving $124,000 annually for the next five years to total over $620,000 to fund the coalition’s cause of substance abuse prevention in Tioga County. 

“The Tioga County ASAP Coalition started in 2016 in a room with no people and no internet,” Irene Radigan, coalition chair, said at Monday’s press conference. Since then, Tioga County ASAP has expanded into the community and schools making substance abuse prevention their priority.

The grant is given to organizations to “help form and push forward coalitions in communities where substance abuse prevention has been identified as a priority,” Tioga ASAP Coalition Project Director, Christina Olevano, said.  

The grant money has allowed the coalition to hire a full-time coalition coordinator. Prior to receiving the funding, the coalition was relying on the prevention staff of CASA Trinity and other volunteer work from organizations in the community. 

By having a full-time coordinator, Tioga County ASAP is able to focus on its mission of engaging the community to understand, own and address issues surrounding substance abuse. The funding will also make the coalition able to focus on its 12-month action plan, which outlines issues to be focused on each month. 

The funding comes from the National Drug Control Policy and has oversight by Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). 

While the coalition does not have the clearance to hold the funds itself, the Tioga County Community Services Board has donated administrative time to hold the funds and oversee projects. 

The funds will be devoted to data collection, campaigns, changing social norms, policy development and policy change. The coalition also plans on working with local schools and law enforcement in their substance abuse prevention training. For example, the coalition is planning to have a nationally recognized leadership speaker coming to schools to speak on substance abuse prevention. 

The grant money will also help the coalition’s already established events. Last year, the coalition hosted a number of events without direct funding such as their Do One Thing, Black Balloon, Family Fun Day and an overdose awareness vigil. 

“We’re excited to move into 2019 with this grant because we know the level in which we will be able to engage with the community is that much higher and that much more effective because we are funded,” said Coalition Vice Chair, Pastor Shawn Monclova. 

Before, in order for their events to take off, they would have to wait for donors. Now that they have funding, Monclova is hoping the events will be even larger for the community.