Florida Governor Charlie Crist | Florida Office of Drug Control Prevention

Prevention

Drug Free Communities
Statewide Office of Suicide Prevention
Youth Alcohol Abuse Prevention
Changing Alcohol Norms
Alcohol Abuse Prevention Coalitions
Florida Prevention System
Florida Prevention Framework
Florida Anti-Drug Coalitions
Women Under the Influence Initiative
Prevention Links

Prevention Overview

The Florida Drug Control Strategy in 1999 defined prevention as the linchpin to bringing down drug abuse in Florida. Florida institutionalized its prevention approach with the publication of the Florida Prevention System, a science-based approach to formulating and directing substance abuse prevention efforts throughout the state. This system delineates the risk and protective factors that can be affected to decrease the incidence of substance abuse and recognizes the six crucial areas that can be influenced to prevention the use of substances: the individual, the family, peers, schools, communities, and society as a whole. The core principals for all state-level prevention efforts in Florida include: collaboration of key stakeholders and agencies; support community anti-drug coalitions, braiding of funding resources from multiple sources, and the use of the SAMHSA Strategic Prevention Framework model whose steps include:

Profiling community needs, resources, and readiness;
Mobilizing community resources and building capacity;
Developing strategic plans;
Supporting evidence-based prevention; and
Monitoring local activity performance.

Drug Free Communities

Please see Drug Free Communities for more information.

Contact Information for Drug-Free Communities Grant
Email: DrugFreeCommunities@fdle.state.fl.us
Mainline Phone: (850) 487-8440
Fax: (850) 922-9936

Mailing address:
Drug-Free Communities Project
Suite 2105, The Capitol
Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0001

Financial Information:
Gwen Clark, Director of Finance
Phone: (850) 922-4323
Email: GwendolynClark@fdle.state.fl.us

Programmatic Information:
Michelle Reddinger, Director Prevention Programming Technical Assistance
P: (850) 922-6910
Email: Michelle.Reddinger@myflorida.com

Statewide Office of Suicide Prevention

Youth Alcohol Abuse Prevention

Florida has led the nation in leading its children away from substance abuse. For decades, alcohol has been the most widespread substance of abuse by youth. We believe youth alcohol norms can be changed. Florida has a holistic approach to reducing underage drinking with the prevention community, treatment and law enforcement agencies partnering together to protect Florida’s youth from alcohol abuse. The multi-agency collaboration represents unified leadership in promoting model programs and initiatives that are aggressively aimed at curtailing and progressively eliminating alcohol use by underage youth. We know that to reduce underage drinking, adults alone cannot do it, youth must play a major role in developing and implementing an initiative they believe in.

Efforts to lower youth alcohol use is happening all across Florida in elementary, middle, high schools and colleges. Coalitions and partnerships on the local level have been a major influence in all prevention efforts. Neighborhoods, communities, and campuses are encouraged to develop programs that offer a consistent and non-conflicted message that underage drinking is unhealthy, risky and outside-accepted standard of behavior. Supporting local efforts with a statewide media campaign, seeking to create the society-wide ethic that we will support youth alcohol abuse.

CAN White Paper

The Changing Alcohol Norms (CAN) Whitepaper is a policy paper developed to strategically guide state efforts on reducing underage drinking. The Changing Alcohol Norms Workgroup that was established in June 2003 has focused on public information efforts, education, law enforcement, collaboration, legislation, and treatment to develop a comprehensive strategy to reduce underage drinking.
Changing Alcohol Norms White Paper

Alcohol Abuse Prevention Coalitions

A primary focus of Florida’s Initiative to Lower Youth Drinking is to empower communities to make efforts to reduce underage alcohol use. For this reason, alcohol-specific prevention coalitions have been created in twenty-eight (28) counties in Florida. Each of the 28 counties was selected based on high incidences of underage alcohol use as identified by the Florida Youth Substance Abuse Survey. Each coalition is charged with collaborating with local law enforcement, community leaders, and educators to reduce underage drinking sales, marketing, and use within the county.
Alcohol Prevention Coalitions

Florida Prevention System

The Florida Prevention System is a comprehensive approach for directing policy, establishing a solid resource base, sustaining collaborative partnerships, and developing a system for utilizing and evaluating a science-based approach to prevention throughout the state of Florida. For a PDF copy of the Florida Prevention System please click the link below.
Florida Prevention System

Florida Prevention Framework (FPF)

The Florida Prevention Framework (FPF) is a planning process Florida uses to ensure that its prevention decisions are data driven, research based and community focused.

The tool builds on existing infrastructure to develop integrated state and community-level strategic prevention plans. The state supports both levels with assistance in epidemiology, community readiness, resource assessment, strategic planning and organizational development, resources for evidence-based strategies, and a web-based performance data system that assists with outcome evaluation.
SPA Overview

Florida Community Anti-Drug Coalitions

Florida Community Anti-Drug Coalitions are local groups of individuals dedicated to reducing substance abuse in their community. Below is a link to a statewide listing of coalitions and their contact information (pdf file).
Coalition Directory

Women Under the Influence Initiative

The Women Under the Influence Initiative began after Joseph A. Califano, Jr., President of Columbia University’s National Center for Addiction and Substance Abuse, introduced the book Women Under the Influence which was the “…result of more than a decade of research… and represents the most penetrating and comprehensive examination ever undertaken of substance abuse among American women of all ages.” (Women Under the Influence introduction by Joseph A. Califano, Jr).
Learn more Women Under the Influence – Florida’s Blueprint pdf

The Gender Specific Substance Abuse Workgroup was created to examine comprehensive services provided to women in Florida. This group meets quarterly, has created a blueprint for other states to follow, and is in the process of implementing recommendation for Florida on how to improve services for women under the influence.

One of the recommendations was to educate the public on research relating to women and substance use. The workgroup created a brochure for each age group and disseminated these statewide. Please contact the Florida Alcohol and Drug Abuse Association at (850) 878-2196 if you would like to receive printed brochures.

Overcoming Substance Abuse
For Older Women pdf
For Girls and Women pdf
For Girls Ages 4-18 pdf

Prevention Links

This section details some of the more popular substance abuse prevention links. Each link provides valuable information and resources. The links are broken down into 3 categories: General Prevention; Alcohol Abuse Prevention; and Suicide Prevention.

General Prevention

Florida Alcohol and Drug Abuse Association – Advancing addiction treatment, prevention and research through public policy leadership, communications, professional development and quality member services

Florida Department of Children and Families – (Substance Abuse Section) – Dedicated to the development of a comprehensive system of prevention, emergency/detoxification, and treatment services for individuals and families at risk of or affected by substance abuse; to promote their safety, well-being, and self-sufficiency

Prevention in Florida – Information on violence and substance abuse prevention

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration – SAMHSA’s mission is to build resilience and facilitate recovery for people with or at risk for substance abuse and mental illness

National Institute on Drug Abuse – NIDA’s mission is to lead the Nation in bringing the power of science to bear on drug abuse and addiction.

Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America – CADCA’s mission is to build and strengthen the capacity of community coalitions to create safe, healthy and drug-free communities.

Alcohol Abuse Prevention

Department of Business and Professional Regulation – to ensure that professions and businesses provide quality services for the health, safety and welfare of citizens and visitors in the great state of Florida

Florida Division of Alcoholic, Beverages and Tobacco – The Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco is responsible for licensing the alcoholic beverage and tobacco industries, for collection and auditing of taxes and fees paid by the licensees, and for enforcing the laws and regulations of the alcoholic beverage and tobacco industries

The FACE Project – A national nonprofit focused on resources, training and action on alcohol issues

Florida Highway Patrol

Alcohol and the Adolescent Brain, Dr. Aaron White – a resource for information about alcohol and it’s impact on the adolescent brain

Suicide Prevention

Columbia University Teen Screen Program – A national mental health and suicide risk screening program for youth

Suicide Prevention Coalition – A grassroots non-profit organization established October 2002 to work with all groups, organizations and state agencies to reduce the incidence of suicide in Florida. This web site provides information and links for some of the following:

Crisis Centers
Suicide Survivor Support Groups
Activities throughout the state and nation
Resources and links
Suicide statistics and more
Warning signs, Risk Factors and What to do
Media education and resources
Governmental contacts
History of suicide prevention