Shannon Ford, the Assistant Director of Prevention, along with other staff, writes some great grant applications. As part of her most recent grant application for money to decrease underage drinking in Genesee and Orleans Counties she gives the following overview.
If you ever wondered whether prevention makes a difference in our area, read Shannon's description of our experience over the last few years:
Genesee/Orleans Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse (GCASA) has administered the Prevention Needs Assessment (PNA) Survey to 6th-12th grade students every two years in Genesee and Orleans Counties.
In Genesee County, the rate for 30-day use of alcohol has decreased from 26.7% in 2004 to 25.6% in 2006. The survey was administered again in October 2008, but results have not been made available to us yet.
Binge drinking rates have decreased from 16.2% in 2004 to 15.5% in 2006. There is a similar decrease for Orleans County.
The rate for 30-day use of alcohol has decreased from 28.9% in 2005 to 21.8% in 2007. Binge drinking rates have decreased from 15.7% in 2005 to 14.1% in 2007.
The data demonstrates the rates are moving in the right direction, however, more work needs to be done to continue a reduction in underage drinking. In addition, this data includes percentages for students in 6th-12th grades. As the grade level increases, so does the percentage of students who are drinking in both counties.
When you see any of our prevention staff or members of our coalitions, let them know that you admire and appreciate their good work which is making a difference.
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