Drug Free Community - (DFC)

On June 27, 1997 the Drug Free Communities Act of 1997 became law. This Act is a catalyst for increased citizen participation in efforts to reduce substance use among youth, and it provides community anti-drug coalitions with much needed funds to carry out their important missions. The White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) directs the Drug Free Communities Support Program in partnership with Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). The program enables the coalitions to strengthen their coordination and prevention efforts, and disseminate information about effective programs. The Drug-Free Communities Support Program is guided by the following two (2) goals:

1. Goal One:
   
   Reduce substance abuse among youth and over time among adults by addressing the factors in Scott, Newton, and Leake, Counties that increase the risk of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs promoting the factors that minimize the risk of substance use.



2. Goal Two:
   
   Establish and strengthen collaboration among local communities-based organizations within Scott, Newton and Leake Counties.

To accomplish our goals and objectives we implement various strategies to effectively reach our targeted audiences. For an example, we have created and marketed an ongoing Substance Abuse Media Campaign which not only covers our targeted areas, but are also viewed across Central Mississippi. Currently, we have over 13 media television campaigns utilizing many young people and anti-drug messages as:

• Say No To Alcohol
• Mothers Against Drunk Driving (State Chapter)
• Talk To Your Kids
• Commitment

MCP’S Drug Free Communities Support Program has incorporate Science-based Prevention Program like, Across Ages, Project Alert, Life Skills and Too Smart to Start into the Faith-based and education communities. We have provided training for each program implemented. In addition, we also sponsor other alternative program such as:

• Mother-Daughter Social
• Students Against Destructive Decisions
• Underage Drinking Campaign
• Town Hall Meetings
• Youth Rally
• Awards Luncheons for Outstanding Drug-Free Youths and Volunteers
• Scholarship Programs
• Tee-Shirt Contest (Promoting Drug-Free Message)
• Essay Contest Test (The Importance of Being Drug-Free)
• Parenting Classes
• Computer Training for Youths & Parents
• ESL for Hispanic Community
• ESL Youth Summer Camps
• Annual ATOD Summer Camps
• Students Working Against Tobacco
• Frontline
• CALL Program (Community Action LifeLine)

MCP has successfully in implementing various prevention activities and services throughout the Scott, Leake, and Newton County area. Our goal since 2001, has been to work towards ensuring that every Middle School would have the opportunity to participate and utilize programs that are research and science-based. A broad-based, grassroots community coalition enhances credibility into the programs and the organization. By including the twelve key stakeholders (law enforcement, school officials, business, faith-based organizations, healthcare professionals, non-profit/community representative, parents, media, sororities/fraternal organizations, State, local, and tribal government) more energy is channeled into empowering communities, altering environmental behaviors, and saving lives.

Statistics have demonstrated that prevention principles - when applied correctly - create effective family, school, and community programs. Prevention programs, like the Drug Free Communities Support Program, maintains the hypothesis of building new and strengthening and increasing existing protective factors and reverse or reduce risk factors in youths and communities. Prevention programs allows for a more targeted audience in specific settings. The following populations have particular types of prevention programs:

• Universal programs are designed for the general audience, such as students in a school.
• Selective programs target groups at risk, or subsets of the general population such as children of drug abusers or poor school achievers.
• Indicated programs are designed for people who are already experimenting with drug.