Santa Barbara’s Fighting Back has been awarded $50,000 to prevent and reduce alcohol use among youths, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration announced
The Sober Truth on Preventing Underage Drinking (STOP) Act grant program is designed to prevent and reduce alcohol use among youths in communities throughout the United States. It was created to strengthen collaboration among communities, the federal government, and state, local and tribal governments; to enhance intergovernmental cooperation and coordination on the issue of alcohol use among youths; to serve as a catalyst for increased citizen participation and greater collaboration among all sectors and organizations of a community that first demonstrates a long-term commitment to reducing alcohol use among youths; and to disseminate to communities timely information regarding state-of-the-art practices and initiatives that have proven to be effective in preventing and reducing alcohol use among youth.
Fighting Back is a community-wide initiative administered by the Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse to reduce the demand for alcohol and other drugs.
Agencies, businesses and concerned individuals from Goleta to Carpinteria have come together to coordinate and provide education, prevention, intervention, treatment and after-care services to South Coast residents.
Jasmine Rara is media and special events coordinator for the Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse.