FY 2004 Continuation Drug Free Communities Support Program

The Bellefaire JCB is the fiscal agent for the Social Advocates for Youth (SAY) Coalition. The SAY Coalition serves Cuyahoga County, OH, a suburban community with a population of approximately 217,000. The goals of the SAY Coalition are to reduce substance abuse, violence, and other risk factors in youth and to strengthen collaboration among eight school districts (Cleveland Heights-University Heights, Shaker Heights, Beachwood, Orange, Chagrin Falls, South Euclid-Lyndhurst, Mayfield, and Solon).
To achieve these goals, the coalition will implement the following strategies:
1) increase the perception of the harmful effects of tobacco, alcohol, and other drugs through targeted youth and parent outreach and education including a coalition newsletter and information provided in local schools;
2) sponsor training and information events including parenting groups, a youth forum, and the City Club Forum on Diversity;
3) decrease the number of youth involved in the illegal use of alcohol or other drugs;
4) decrease the number of students in the eight high schools encompassed in the SAY Coalition whose first use of alcohol or other drugs occurred before age 13;
5) increase by 5 percent the number of students who indicate that their parents talk to them about alcohol and other drugs; and
6)recruit and strengthen the community coalition.
CA/NCF