Prairie State Wire

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – On September 5, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced $750,000 in federal funding for Illinois communities through the Office of National Drug Control Policy’s (ONDCP) Drug-Free Communities (DFC) Program. This funding will be used by communities to achieve and sustain a reduction in local youth substance use, tackling issues ranging from tobacco prevention to opioid misuse.

“The epidemic of addiction has taken far too many lives,” Duckworth said. “Resolving this crisis requires a comprehensive effort from local organizations and officials at every level of government. I’m proud of the Biden Administration for supporting local prevention programs, and Senator Durbin and I will keep doing everything we can to ensure these programs have the resources and federal funding they need to serve our communities.”

“It is our duty to ensure that every American has the opportunity to grow up in an environment free from the scourge of addiction and substance use,” said Durbin. “The Drug-Free Communities Program equips local organizations with the tools to implement evidence-based strategies to promote healthy lifestyles for children. These funds will allow neighborhoods across Illinois to confront this issue head-on while providing a lifeline to those who need it most.”

Created in 1997, the Drug-Free Communities Program funds community-based coalitions that engage multiple sectors of the community to prevent youth substance use. DFC-funded coalitions employ a variety of environmental strategies to address local substance use problems and involve local communities in finding solutions.

Illinois recipients of the DFC funding include:

• Washington Park Community Partners - $125,000
• Monroe County Coalition for Drug Free Communities - $125,000
• Braidwood Area Healthy Community Coalition - $125,000
• Communities for Positive Youth Development Coalition (Cook and DuPage Counties) - $125,000
• Will County Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition - $125,000
• Boone County Drug Prevention Coalition - $125,000

Original source can be found here.