Westport Receives $625K Grant To Combat Underage Alcohol And Cannabis Use

WESTPORT, CT — Positive Directions-The Center for Prevention & Counseling has received a five-year, $625,000 state grant to expand efforts to prevent underage alcohol and cannabis use in Westport.

The grant, awarded by the Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, will provide $125,000 annually to support the Building Resilient Youth and Communities With Prevention initiative.

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Positive Directions will oversee the initiative as the lead agency and fiduciary for the Westport Prevention Coalition.

The program builds on an existing partnership involving Positive Directions, Westport's Human Services and Police departments, the Aspetuck Health District, Westport Public Schools, parents, youth and other community organizations.

"This grant is an exciting opportunity to strengthen prevention efforts in response to a significant community need," Margaret Watt, prevention director at Positive Directions, said in a statement. "When we compared the findings from our 2024 Westport Youth Survey with those of comparable and neighboring communities, Westport seventh-graders had the highest drinking rates of all. This award recognizes WPC's readiness to address this concern by building on our strengths."

The initiative will focus on young people ages 12 to 20, expanding prevention strategies intended to increase awareness, reduce access to alcohol and cannabis, and help youth develop resilience.

"This project capitalizes on the strong partnerships that have developed around youth substance use prevention in Westport," Human Services Director Elaine Daignault said in a statement. "Together, we are building a coordinated approach that will have a lasting impact."

Since 2021, Westport's Human Services Department has provided funding and staff support for local substance use prevention programs.

Those efforts have included establishing a leadership team representing multiple community sectors, launching the Liquor Stickers initiative, conducting public awareness campaigns and environmental scans, and hosting annual legislative forums.

The new grant will fund two positions at Positive Directions: a full-time prevention coordinator and a youth peer advocate.

Funding will also support additional youth leadership opportunities, educational programs for parents and caregivers, community awareness campaigns, substance-free activities for teenagers and efforts to limit youth access to alcohol and cannabis.

"Positive Directions is delighted to bring this new grant to Westport," Executive Director Kim DiBella-Farber said in a statement. "It carries forward our longstanding partnership with the town where we were founded 55 years ago—initially as a local volunteer effort, and now as an innovative statewide nonprofit known for championing mental health and prevention."

First Selectman Kevin Christie said the funding will provide additional resources to address youth substance use in town.

"We know youth substance use is an issue we need to take seriously in Westport, and this grant gives us additional resources to address it," Christie said in a statement. "I'm grateful to Positive Directions, our Human Services and Police Departments, our schools, the Aspetuck Health District, and the many families working together on prevention."

Kevin Godburn, Westport's youth services program director and a member of the coalition's leadership team, emphasized the role of parents and guardians in prevention efforts.

"Parents and guardians are among the most important influences on young people's decisions about substance use. We encourage anyone interested to join us as we dive deeper into building a healthier Westport," Godburn said in a statement.

Positive Directions is beginning implementation of the grant this month, including discussions with parents and caregivers.

The organization also plans to continue providing resources and opportunities through the Westport Prevention Coalition, including efforts responding to recent reports of underage substance use at Compo Beach.