December Premier: How Park and Recreation Departments Can Work With Drug-Free Community Coalitions to Help Reduce Youth Substance Use in Their Communities

While the rates of youth substance use have decreased over the last decade, new and emerging substances continue to put youth at risk.  The Drug Free Communities (DFC) Support Program, funded by the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) and managed by CDC, funds community coalitions to prevent youth substance use. The theory behind the DFC Program is that each respective community can mobilize its leaders to identify and respond to the drug problems unique to their area with a small amount of federal funding combined with a local match of resources and volunteer support. 

Local park and recreation departments are a natural partner for DFC coalitions because of their facilities and programming that positively impact youth and the surrounding community. This online learning session will help learners start thinking about how a collaboration like this could be beneficial in their own community. 

Learning Objectives:

1. At the end of the session, learners will be able to identify trends in youth substance use. 

2. At the end of the session, learners will be able to describe the basics of the DFC program, how to apply, and how to find a coalition in their area. 

3. At the end of the session, learners will be able to highlight ways park and rec departments can partner with a DFC coalition. 

This talk is available for 1 year from release date!