Thursday, March 20, 2003

Municipal Alliances Receive Funding for Substance Abuse Prevention

County Executive Dennis Levinson has announced nearly $240,000 in state funding for community based substance abuse prevention services coordinated through the Atlantic County Alliance for the Prevention of Drug and Alcohol Abuse. The Alliance provides support for 18 individual alliances representing 22 municipalities.

The substance abuse prevention programs administered by the county's municipal alliances are designed to meet specific needs identified within each community. There are currently 164 such programs that include: peer leadership, fetal alcohol syndrome training, Rites of Passage for high risk youth, and before and after school programs.

Funding for these services is provided by the Governor's Council on Alcoholism & Drug Abuse through the collection of fines from individuals convicted of substance abuse offenses. There are over 530 alliances throughout the state.

The Atlantic County Alliance was formed in 1990 and boasts a 95% participation rate. Corbin City is the only municipality that does not participate because it lacks a school and police department where most programs are held.

For more information about the Atlantic County Alliance, please contact Bob Widitz at 645-7000, ext. 4703.

County News