Communities that Care/Drug Free Communities

In 2006, Capital City Community Centers received a multi-year federal Drug Free Communities grant to decrease youth substance use in North Providence through education and capacity-building.  Entitled “Communities That Care,” this program’s goals are to:

• Decrease 8th and 12th graders’ regular use of alcohol and marijuana by decreasing perception of peer approval, reducing access to alcohol, improving local policy around serving alcohol to minors, and establishing a teen center to provide healthy alternatives.
  
• Increase perception of risk regarding alcohol and marijuana use among youth and adults through education and an effective communications campaign.
  
• Help parents set clear expectations of non use for their children through outreach and their involvement in our Strengthening Families Program.
  
• Enhance Coalition effectiveness through outreach to culturally diverse members of the community and by improving management and coordination between Coalition members and other community stakeholders regarding substance abuse prevention strategies. 

Capital City Community Centers is partnering with the City of North Providence and the North Providence Substance Abuse Prevention Task Force on this project.  The Task Force was established in 1989 after the state legislature mandated the creation of community task forces with the passage of the Rhode Island Substance Abuse Prevention Act (RISAPA). 

This project will analyze and address community readiness issues through working subcommittees of the coalition to include a Key Leader Board, a Prevention Education Work Group, a Communications Work Group, a Parent/Caregiver Outreach Work Group, and a Policy and Procedures Work Group.  These subcommittees will collaborate to create a Community Action Plan, provide planning, implementation and cultural competency training, as well as conduct comprehensive outcome evaluation of results.

For more information on this program, contact program coordinator Jane Hudson at 455-3880 x244 or email jhudson@capcities.org.

Ways to get involved
Tips for talking about drugs with your teenager
More about the Drug Free Communities Program

< back