The Office of National Drug Control Policy has awarded a two year mentoring grant to PREVENT!, the substance abuse prevention coalition in Clark County, administered by Educational Service District 112. In partnership with the Evergreen School District, the grant will provide $75,000 annually for two years to serve the communities within the district’s boundaries. Funding will provide training, technical assistance and guidance to a newly formed coalition called Connect Evergreen. The mentoring grant is designed to help Connect Evergreen become eligible to apply for Drug Free Communities Program Funding. The Drug Free Communities Program provides local community coalitions funding to prevent youth substance use, including prescription drugs, marijuana, tobacco and alcohol.

PREVENT!, a current Drug Free Communities (DFC) Grantee serving Clark County, has successfully mentored three other coalitions within the region. All three are now funded and engaging in community prevention strategies to prevent youth substance use. “We know that evidence-based prevention efforts are the most effective way to reduce youth substance use and to support the roughly 90 percent of American youth who do not use drugs,” said Michael Botticelli, Director of National Drug Control Policy. “By bringing together schools, businesses, law enforcement, parent groups, and other members of the community, DFC-funded community coalitions are helping to protect youth from the devastating consequences of non-medical prescription drug use, heroin and other substance use,” he added.

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