FY 2004 Continuation Drug-Free Communities Support Program

The Rogers Development Foundation is the fiscal agent for Drug Free RogersLowell. Drug Free RogersLowell serves Benton County, Arkansas. The coalition targets the towns of Rogers and Lowell with a combined population of 70,000. The goals of the program are to reduce youth substance abuse and, over time, among adults by addressing the factors in Rogers and Lowell that increase the risk of substance abuse; and, 2) grow the capacity of the coalition to effect positive and healthy change in Benton County by strengthening the collaboration among communities, governments, and private non-profit agencies. To achieve these goals, the coalition will implement the following strategies:

1) utilize the Community That Care Youth Behavioral Survey to determine the extent of youth drug use in the area;
2) partner with Big Brothers, Big Sisters of Northwest Arkansas (BBBS) to develop mentoring programs in the school district;
3) partner with local business to review protocols regarding the sale of products that are illegal for youth to purchase and the distribution of products that may be used for making illegal drugs;
4) support clerk/server training and compliance checks;
5) increase outreach efforts to the Hispanic community;
6) support YouthCan art program in the alternative high schools;
7) expand the activities and visibility of the Methamphetamine Task Force; and,
8) recruit new members to further strengthen the coalition. CA/NCF