Press Release


August 31, 2006

Safe and Drug Free Schools Governor's Grant Awards

Contact:
Kim Johnson
Tel. 207-287-6344
Office of Substance Abuse

11 State House Station

Augusta, ME 04333

AUGUSTA, ME – The Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Substance Abuse (OSA) recently awarded five grants totaling approximately $214,000 to school and community organizations under the U.S. Education Department’s Safe and Drug-Free Schools Governor’s Grant program. The grants are designed to fund prevention strategies and programs to reduce substance use and/or violence in youth who are not normally served by State or local educational agencies, or populations that need special services or additional resources. This includes youth in juvenile detention facilities, runaway or homeless youth, pregnant and parenting teenagers and school dropouts.

The funding for these awards comes under the No Child Left Behind Act, Safe and Drug- Free Schools Program, with a small amount from the Fund for Healthy Maine. The Safe and Drug-Free Schools funding has been targeted for elimination by President Bush during federal fiscal year 2007 if Congress does not intervene to restore the funding.

“The main focus of these grants is to reach out to those students who are at-risk or who are potentially at-risk to accelerate improvement in student performance,” said Kimberly Johnson, director of OSA. “With timely intervention, care and support, these programs can help to improve a child’s chances of success in the future.”

The agencies who received the awards include:

Penquis Community Action Program, Inc., Bangor
The “Back on Track” program targets youth who have been expelled or suspended, or are at risk of the same. The focus is on substance use and violence, as well as other delinquent behaviors.

The Community School – Passages Program, Camden
The Passages Program is for pregnant women and/or parenting young mothers and fathers who have dropped out of school and have no other options. They may be involved in substance use and other high-risk behaviors and lack independent living, parenting and coping skills.

AdCare Educational Institute of Maine, Inc., Augusta
This project involves the implementation of the research-based PRIME for Life curriculum with substance abusing youth in three school districts – Auburn, Gardiner and Fairfield.

Maine School Administrative District #68, Dover-Foxcroft
An alternative education program will deliver Project REACH, a middle school intervention and transition program developed by Jobs for Maine’s Graduates, to students who have been identified as struggling with any of several issues including substance use, discipline referral and poor attendance.

Child Health Center, Norway
This school-based intervention strategy for teen girls in the Middle and High Schools of Auburn and Union 29, Poland consists of weekly support group meetings staffed by the school nurse and Parent Place staff, as well as participation in the Big Brothers/Big Sisters mentoring program.

For more information regarding OSA’s Prevention Programs, visit the OSA website at http://www.maineosa.org or call the Information and Resource Center toll free at (800) 499-0027.