Today, the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) announced 340 continuation grants for its Drug-Free Communities (DFC) Support Program. 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.
“In order to create safe and healthy places for the next generation to thrive, it is critical to connect with our communities’ children now and educate them about the dangers of substance use. The Drug-Free Communities, administered across the United States by the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, are proven prevention programs tailored to do just that, meeting the local needs in each community with evidence-based prevention strategies. The Trump Administration will continue expanding the number of community-based coalitions dedicated to the critical mission of stopping substance use among our youth before it starts,” ONDCP Director Jim Carroll said.
“As our Nation continues to combat the ever-changing drug overdose crisis, we know that there is not just one solution, and everyone has a role to play,” said Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Robert R. Redfield, MD. “CDC recognizes the important work of the Drug-Free Communities program and is committed to working together to prevent substance use among youth and support communities.”
The 340 continuation grants announced today represent a Federal investment of approximately $42.5 million in funding directed to community coalitions focused on youth substance use prevention. In the coming months, ONDCP will announce additional continuation DFC grant awards and a new cohort of DFC grant award recipients.
In July, ONDCP released the 2020 Executive Summary and Annual Report for its DFC grant recipients, which continue to yield consistently a reduction in youth substances use rates.
Effective October 1, 2020, the DFC Program’s day-to-day management will be performed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention under an agreement with ONDCP.
