Engage Douglas County Awarded Federal Grant for Youth Substance Use Prevention

Engage Douglas County has been selected as a recipient of a $625,000 federal grant from the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) under the Drug-Free Communities (DFC) Support Program. This grant program, managed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), represents an opportunity to strengthen ongoing efforts in preventing youth substance use in our community.

ONDCP’s DFC program is the nation’s leading effort to mobilize communities to prevent and reduce substance use among youth. The DFC program provides federal grants to community coalitions to identify and respond to the issues unique to their community and change community conditions tied to youth substance use. With this grant, Engage Douglas County will be able to continue building a safe, healthy, and drug-free community.

“Primary prevention is one of the most effective investments we can make to protect America's youth and strengthen our communities. Through the DFC Program, we are empowering local coalitions to stop youth drug use before it starts by supporting evidence-based prevention strategies that address each community's unique needs. Together, we are helping communities make drug-free living the social norm - not the exception - and building a healthier, safer and stronger America for the next generation,” said Helen Hernandez, DFC & CARA Senior Policy Analyst. “Through the DFC program, CDC is empowering community coalitions to implement local solutions to unique, local conditions, with the common goal of preventing youth substance use,” added Grant Baldwin, Director of the Division of Overdose Prevention at CDC.

Engage Douglas County is grateful for the support of and partnership with ONDCP and CDC. We are proud to share this mission and effort to prevent youth substance use and protect the well-being of our community. Furthermore, this grant will allow us to better collaborate with all of our partners. By focusing our collective expertise and resources on this critical issue, we will ensure a positive impact on our youth and community.

More information about the DFC program can be found here.