Columbia, SC – LRADAC, in collaboration with Lexington County School District One, received a competitive federal grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration (SAMHSA) to focus on the prevention of prescription drug use and misuse among middle and high school students.
This three-year $150,000 grant will provide additional funding for the Lexington One Community Coalition Task Force (LOCC) to convene community organizations to address this issue through education and community awareness.
The grant, which required an existing community coalition to be working in the area of prevention, is an extension of earlier funding from SAMHSA to address alcohol and drug issues in the community. Additionally, only areas with rates of abuse of opioids or methamphetamines higher than the national average were considered.
“There is no doubt that the existence of a community coalition to address this issue was a big factor to get this funding,” said Dr. Pam Imm, a community psychologist who lives in Lexington and co-chairs the coalition.
The partnership with LRADAC will ensure that evidence-based prevention strategies will be a priority. Strategies include increasing awareness about the negative consequences of opioid and prescription drug misuse and abuse in Lexington School District One, as well as, strategies to reduce the availability and appeal of these substances.
For more information about LOCC, please contact Kaytee Watson at (803) 726-9457.
