FY 2004 Continuation Drug-Free Communities Support Program

The Sandhills Center acts as the fiscal agent for the Substance Abuse Task Force. The coalition serves Montgomery County, NC, an economically disadvantaged, rural area with a population of approximately 26,822. Since its inception, the Substance Abuse Task Force has recorded a number of significant accomplishments, most notably, establishing a successful Peer Educator program for middle and high school students in the local area. To achieve the two goals of reducing substance abuse among youth and strengthening community antidrug coalitions, the coalition will implement the following strategies: 1) expand the Peer Educator program to allow for growth in proportion to the area's needs and eliminate the current waiting list of students; 2) provide substance abuse counseling to students through a prevention specialist; 3) employ a media campaign to increase the community's awareness of the coalition's successes and prevention strategies; and 4) increase coalition interaction with other community groups and programs.CA/NCF