Federal money will fund project to expand alcohol abuse
prevention locally
The San Benito County Behavioral Health Department and the San
Benito County Office of Education staffs have worked together to
obtain a federal grant that will fund programs to reduce alcohol
abuse among teenagers.
Federal money will fund project to expand alcohol abuse prevention locally
The San Benito County Behavioral Health Department and the San Benito County Office of Education staffs have worked together to obtain a federal grant that will fund programs to reduce alcohol abuse among teenagers.
The grant has been authorized for three years, from July 1, 2008 through June 20, 2011.
The grant funds a project called Reducing Teen Alcohol Abuse, and will be used to expand alcohol abuse prevention services at San Benito and Anzar High Schools as well as Pinnacles Community School, San Andreas Continuation School and Santa Ana Opportunity School.
The program will work to change youth, family and community perceptions of alcohol consumption and will include three programs: Project Northland/Class Action Program; Leadership and Resiliency Program; and Communities Mobilizing for Change on Alcohol.
In a 2007 San Benito County California Healthy Kids survey, 36 percent of high school students responded that they had used alcohol in the past 30 days.
The responses from non-traditional students (those attending Pinnacles Community School, San Andreas Continuation School and Santa Ana Opportunity School) reported that 69 percent of them had used alcohol in the past 30 days.
The reports of binge drinking were 24 percent at traditional schools and 55 percent at non-traditional schools.
The grant will provide $1.3 million for three years and will focus on reducing binge drinking among school-aged youth and increasing the number of students who understand the harmful effects of alcohol.
