June 4, 2008 – Press Release The Commonwealth of Massachusetts Department of Public Health has awarded the Greater Lawrence Community Action Council, Inc. a $300,000 three year grant ($100,000 per year) for the purpose of Youth Substance Abuse Prevention Services to be administered through the Lawrence/Methuen Community Coalition Program.

Thirty one (31) grants were awarded in Massachusetts. $2.7 million was available.

The proposed Substance Abuse Prevention initiative Families & Youth in Action (FYA) will employ evidence-based environmental approaches focused on preventing underage drinking and substance abuse through a multi-component strategy that includes policy change, enforcement activities, and educational media campaigns for adults and youth to change social norms related to youth use/abuse of alcohol/drugs, and strengthened collaborations. The two major goals of FYA are: 1) to improve and expand the capacity of the Lawrence/Methuen Community Coalition (L/MCC) and its Substance Abuse Prevention Committee in order to provide youth-focused environmental substance abuse prevention activities, and 2) to reduce substance abuse among youth by addressing the factors in the community that increase the risk of substance abuse and by promoting the factors that minimize the risk of substance abuse.

• Increasing the capacity of L/MCC members and FYA partners through training on coalition development, strategic planning and environmental approaches;
• Advocating for changes to local policies regarding access to alcohol;
• Expanding Lawrence Police Department enforcement activities;
• Conducting education & media campaigns to decrease social acceptance of youth alcohol use and provision of alcohol to minors;
• Implementing a ‘Responsible Beverage Service’ training program;
• Strengthening and expanding collaborations within the community that support the implementation of evidence-based environmental strategies to reduce underage drinking and youth substance abuse.

The program will be combined with a grant award of an $80,000 grant from the Commonwealth of Mass Office of the Attorney General to the City of Lawrence Police