SAFE Glen Cove Coalition Still Working to Prevent Youth Substance Use

Formed in 2003, the SAFE Glen Cove Coalition was established to change societal norms about alcohol and substance abuse through a community-wide approach. It addresses polices about alcohol and substance abuse and fosters consistent standards for behavior and the need for prevention. The Coalition’s chart of work is guided by school and community needs assessment data. Th Coalition has administered the Bach Harrison Prevention Needs Assessment (PNA) Survey every two years in English and Spanish to students in 6th, 8th, 10th and 12th grades to identify youth alcohol and substance use trends and risk and protective factors. This information, combined with annual Policing/EMS/Hospital data, permits the Coalition to comprehensively address Glen Cove’s new and emerging drug trends and use in youth and adults. The Coalition is a former Federal Drug-Free Communities Support Grant recipient chosen to effectively deal with substance abuse issues in the Glen Cove Community.

This year marks the 25th anniversary of the DFC program. Since its inception, the DFC program has been a central component of the nation’s youth substance use prevention strategy. The program has grown from $10 million in 1998 to over $110 million in 2023, a testament to its support.

Led by the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the DFC program provides funding and support to community coalitions to prevent and reduce youth substance use. The DFC program goals are to: Establish and strengthen collaboration among communities, public and private non-profit agencies, and Federal, state, local, and tribal governments to support community coalitions working to prevent and reduce youth substance use; Reduce substance use among youth and, over time, reduce substance use among adults by addressing the factors in a community that increase risk for substance use and promoting factors that minimize risk for substance use.

The mission of the SAFE Glen Cove Coalition is to eliminate alcohol and substance abuse in the Glen Cove community. It is composed of 12 community sectors: youth, parents, business community, media, school, Youth serving organizations, law enforcement, Government based organizations, civic, volunteers, health care professionals specializing in substance abuse treatment and prevention. Working together, the coalition’s involvement has led to long-term change as programs and strategies are integrated into services and activities of all participating local organizations and institutions.

The Coalition partners with the Tobacco Action Coalition of Long Island to implement sustainable environmental strategies and prevention education and facilitates prevention education activities with the Long Island Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence and the Long Island Prevention Resource Center.

The Coalition serves all youth who are at risk of becoming substance abusers, their parents and the Glen Cove community at large. Sustainable coalition leadership, the ongoing implementation of environmental strategies and the support and collaboration within the 12 sectors and other community-based agencies reduces the abuse of alcohol and substance abuse among youth and adults and creates a safe environment for residents of Glen Cove. The Coalition is uniquely situated to leverage historical knowledge and the unique needs and assets of the community to address youth substance use by utilizing comprehensive prevention planning with an emphasis on community level change.

To learn more about the SAFE Glen Cove Coalition please follow www.facebook.com/safeglencove or visit www.safeglencove.org.