Maui to Receive $1.46M for Underage Drinking Prevention Program

The County of Maui has been awarded nearly $1.5 million in federal funding to implement an underage drinking prevention program. The funding is for one year with an opportunity to extend for an additional year.

The funding from the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) will go through the State of Hawaii’s Department of Health and be administered by the County’s Department of Housing and Human Concerns.

“We went through a competitive grant process to receive this money and I’m pleased that we have been awarded nearly $1.5 million in federal money,” said Mayor Tavares. “Reducing and preventing underage drinking is important to our communities. Teens and pre-teens often face peer pressure to drink and this funding will bring needed support and services to our youth,” said Tavares.

Through a competitive grant process among the four counties, the Department of Health’s Alcohol and Drug Abuse Division (ADAD) awarded $1,464,732.20 to the County of Maui.

Over the past two years, the County of Maui has convened meetings with a committee of providers and other interested parties such as schools, ADAD and the Epidemiological Team at the Center on Family -University of Hawaii at Manoa to discuss the problem of underage drinking in the County.

As a result of the grant award, the Department of Housing and Human Concerns will be issuing a Request for Proposals (RFP) to solicit proposals from service providers across the county.  The County will be able to only fund proposals that are based on nationally recognized evidence-based programs.  Prospective grantees may check the internet site:  http://www.nrepp.samhsa.gov for further information. In addition to utilizing evidence-based programs, proposals must include strategies for cultural competence and sustainability past the two years of the grant.

(Courtesy Information:  County of Maui)