Cheyenne, OK – Last week, the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) announced that the Trump Administration is awarding $125,000 to Oklahoma State University, in corporation with the Creek County Substance Abuse Prevention Partnership, through the Drug-Free Communities (DFC) Support Program to help prevent youth substance abuse.

“As Oklahoma continues to combat the drug epidemic in our country, I applaud the recent Drug-Free Communities grant announcement, helping prevent youth substance abuse in communities we call home. Through the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy and the CDC, Oklahoma State University will collaborate with the Creek County Substance Abuse Prevention Partnership to bolster local efforts to combat drug use,” said Congressman Lucas (OK-03).

Lucas continued, “Strengthening community partnerships is critical in battling and preventing youth substance abuse. In order for our communities to remain healthy, we must connect with and educate our children on these dangers. Moving forward, we all have a role to play in preventing substance abuse, and I will continue to support our communities and fight to prevent the use of these harmful drugs in Oklahoma’s youth.”

The DFC Program provides grants to community coalitions to strengthen the infrastructure among local partners to create and sustain a reduction in local youth substance use. Recognizing that local problems need local solutions, DFC-funded coalitions engage multiple sectors of the community and employ a variety of environmental strategies to address local substance use problems.

“CDC is committed to strengthening local capacity to develop innovative, community-based programs that save lives,” says Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Robert R. Redfield, M.D. “Our partnership with the ONDCP and with community coalitions is critical to our Nation’s efforts to prevent substance use among youth.”

The Creek County Substance Abuse Partnership Project will utilize evidence-based strategies to reduce underage drinking and reduce the misuse of prescription drugs among youth under the age of 18 in Creek County, Oklahoma, while building coalition and community capacity to prevent the onset and to reduce the progression of substance abuse.

To achieve the two stated DFC goals – Increasing community collaboration and reducing your substance – the partnership’s proposed action plan is comprised of evidence-based strategies to address both social and retail access. These include: Social Host Liability Laws, Alcohol Compliance Checks, Responsible Beverage Service and Sales Training, Media Outlets, Policy Development, Safe use of RX drugs (Prescribing Guidelines), Safe Storage of RX drugs (Lock boxes) , Safe Disposal of RX drugs (Medication Disposal Kits, Drug Drop Kiosk/Boxes) and the promotion of the Oklahoma Prescription Monitoring Program.

For more information on the DFC Program visit the CDC’s website. 

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