Press Release

September 1, 2010

Maine Receives Underage Drinking Laws Enforcement Grant

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:
Guy Cousins, Director
Office of Substance
207-287-2595 or
John A. Martins, Director
Public and Employee Communications
207-287-5012

AUGUSTA – The Office of Substance Abuse, Department of Health and Human Services, was recently received a $799,545 that targets enforcement of underage drinking laws. The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) awarded the grant.

Funds will be used to assess both state and local underage drinking issues in the first year of the three-year grant. In years two and three, a strategic plan will be developed and followed to address the issues identified by the assessment. An OJJDP-sponsored independent assessment team will support the assessment. The grant period begins October 1.

“Underage drinking is a serious public health issue in the State of Maine” said Guy Cousins, Director of the Office of Substance Abuse, Department of Health and Human Services. “OSA is committed to improving the system by building partnerships to prevent underage drinking statewide and to enforce the current laws.”