LaPorte County Drug Free Partnership

GRANT ALLOCATIONS FROM THE LAPORTE COUNTY

COMMUNITY DRUG FREE FUND FOR 2011.

JUSTICE - 4 grants

Teen Court, LaPorte: $5,178 To support program impacting 30 juvenile offenders annually and 100 teen volunteers ages 11-18. First time offenders are sentenced to the Teen Court where they go through a similar process as in adult court only with their peers who serve as the prosecutor, defense attorney and jury. The jury sets the sentence. Rearrests for juveniles who participate in Teen Court are less than 8%.

Teen Court, Michigan City: $6,898 This program mirrors the LaPorte Court but impacts 50 offenders and utilizes 115 teen volunteers

LaPorte Metro Operations Drug Task Force: $10,000 for drug buy money. This department must have the funds to work with Confidential Informants in undercover operations in order to gather evidence to make drug arrests in the county and decrease drug dealing in neighborhoods. These disposable funds are difficult to procure from regular sources and grants.

Community Corrections Treatment Program $5,500 To purchase Drug Test Kits for those entering the correctional facility and for random testing as they receive treatment services.

Michigan City Police Dept.: $2,720: To finance attendance for two officers at the International Association of Chiefs of Police 17^th annual Impaired Driving Conference, plus purchase of two Portable Breath Test machines.

TREATMENT - 6 grants

Moral Reconations Therapy Program: $5,000 Funds for curriculum materials and salary to implement treatment-oriented program for 60 incarcerated women in the jail.

Superior Court 1 Reentry Program: $7,725 To subsidize intensive outpatient treatment services to individuals who are indigent, uninsured, underinsured.

Samaritan Center Family Drug & Alcohol Group $11,021 To subsidize adolescent and parent group therapy sessions for families referred by the court for underage drinking or drug possession.

Open Door Adolescent Health Center Treatment: $3,750 Helps underwrite in-school treatment / intervention services to Michigan City High School students. This will be accomplished through individual and group counseling sessions.

Dunes House $2,800 To purchase equipment and create a video library for educational programming for residents at the halfway house.

PREVENTION - 8 grant categories

Boys and Girls Club; SMART MOVES: $8,663 For staff salary and training to implement the evidence-based SMART MOVES program which helps young people develop skills necessary to resist alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs.

Juvenile Service Center: $4,938.97 To purchase drug and alcohol education materials including 10 DVDs and accompanying workbooks, plus incentives.

Open Door Adolescent Health Center Treatment: $11,250 To offer in-school prevention services to Michigan City High School students. 175 students will receive information and education on binge drinking and its consequences.

New Prairie Middle School: $2,324 Support of a middle school mentoring program, including ATOD prevention outreach presentations to younger students.

SP Red Ribbon:$1,000 To fund 10 $100 grants to schools and agencies for creative efforts to raise awareness for Red Ribbon week and activities each fall.

Youth Activities: $560 For programs and activities focused for LaPorte County Youth to address alcohol and drug issues.

Training: $560 Scholarship support for coalition members to attend continuing education workshops targeting alcohol, tobacco, and other drug efforts.

Marketing: $1,000 For coalition building and public education, including educational brochures.

LCC Administration and Organization: $30,296 Funds are for Coordinator contract salary, office expenses, audit costs, liability insurance, and mileage.

DRUG FREE COMMUNITIES GRANT AWARDED

The DFC grant is under the Office of National Drug Control Policy. Congress authorized these grants in 1997, with the thought that “local problems need local solutions.” Currently, more than 700 drug-free community coalitions receive this funding. The local Drug Free Partnership was the only new designee to receive this award in 2010 for Indiana, which encompasses 15 grantees overall.

With the data gathered from the 2009 Strategic Prevention Framework grant, we were able to successfully make the case in this competitive grant cycle to bring funding to our county. As we achieve our outcome goals, the grant will bring $125,000 annually for at least five years – with potential continuation for up to 10 years.

The focus of the DFC grant is to make lasting “environmental changes” in communities. Thus the funds focus on building capacity of the partnership, as well as providing some money to offer special projects. We are currently proposing to offer intensive “Strengthening Families” sessions, and to promote targeted youth education and marketing campaigns. We also will support efforts of the state Excise Police to provide alcohol server training and retail sale compliance checks, and TRIAD to continue its important prescription pill collections.
Policy changes are another long-term focus under the grant. This type of effort is exemplified by the County Commissioners’ recent decision to affect a sales ban on mock marijuana products.
While Sandy Gleim is handling the Program Director oversight, a coordinator also has been hired to work on the intensive day-to-day outreach. Micki Webb comes to us after several years of handling large state and federal grant processes. She previously worked for Michigan City Area Schools in areas such as the Alternative High School, Title I, and Eastport Early Learning Center.
We will work closely with our dedicated coalition to achieve our goals, and look forward to really making a difference in our county. Community support is crucial to such efforts, and we encourage anyone who would like to be involved to contact us at 219-326-6260.