Drug Free Communities

Through the Drug-Free Communities Program, Congress funds over 700 drug free community coalitions across the country. These coalitions are local solutions to local problems of substance abuse. Ledge Light Health District administrates 2 drug free community programs - the GASP Coalition and a Mentoring Program for Waterford and Norwich as they start their own local coalitions.

GASP-The Groton Adolescent Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition

Our mission: To build a healthy, safe and drug free community by advocating for programs, policy changes, and practices that increase protective factors and decrease risk factor.

In July of 1999, the GASP Coalition was formed to address substance abuse in our community among our youth population (12-18 years of age). The coalition represents a collaboration of several dedicated, local agencies, parents, teens and other interested community members:

Boys & Girls Club
Ledge Light Health District
Child & Family Agency
Mystic Arts Center
Citizen's Task Force on Addictions
Parents
Ella T. Grasso Technical School
Quantitative Services
Groton City & Town Police Departments

School Based Health Center
Groton Human Services
Southeast Mental Health System of Care
Groton Parks & Rec. Department
St. Andrews Presbyterian Church
Groton Public Schools
Students
Groton Public Library
Women's Center of SECT

Members of the GASP Coalition strive to make all youth feel safe by living in a drug free community. This is accomplished by providing a variety of programs for youth to participate in and by taking a look at our community dynamics and making efforts to implement positive policy changes. GASP Programs and Policy Change Initiatives include:

Aviation Career Exploration Camp Smart Moves* Art for All Strengthening Families* Groton Maritime Academy	Tobacco Vending Machine Ordinance Parents Who Host Lose the Most Unite for Youth Social Host Ordinance Violence Is Preventable*
* Scientific research has provided evidence of effectiveness for the above listed prevention programs.

The most recent addition to the GASP Coalition is the Youth Advisory Council. The Youth Advisory Council is very busy with several community substance abuse prevention education campaigns. Initiatives include: Pizza box messages, Sticker Shock Campaign, and Public Service Announcements, which can be viewed on channel 19. The youth advisory council meets monthly and is welcome to youth ages 12-18. For more information contact GASP Coalition Coordinator, Michelle Hamilton.

The GASP Coalition administers a youth survey every two years to measure the prevalence of substance abuse in our community. The 2006 reveals that alcohol is still the drug of choice and that inhalant and misuse of prescription drugs has increased. Much progress has been made at reducing tobacco use and strengthening the coalition. Read the full survey results here:

2006 Groton Youth Survey Report

GASP Mentoring Program

In 2005, the GASP Coalition was awarded additional drug free communities funds to support the GASP Coalition to mentor two additional communities to establish their own drug free community coalition. The two communities chosen to be mentored were the Town of Waterford and the City of Norwich. Within the past year, training, collaboration, and coordination has resulted in both Waterford and Norwich having successfully implemented drug free community coalitions which represent a broad spectrum of community members, parents, agencies, and most importantly, youth within their perspective communities. Currently, both Waterford and Norwich Coalitions are in the process of administering a youth survey to establish baseline substance abuse data. For more information on either the Waterford or Norwich Coalitions contact:

Norwich Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition Coordinator - Ben LoCasto
Waterford WADE Coalition Coordinator - Lori Blinderman

The GASP Coalition and Mentoring Program are funded by the United States
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.