| The Community Drug Prevention Coalition (CDPC) is
a Barrington area-wide
grassroots community group, initiated by BACOG in 2004. The coalition formed in
response to local officials' concerns about the upward trend in drug use,
following a presentation to the BACOG Board by the Lake County Metropolitan
Enforcement Group.
BACOG and the police chiefs of the BACOG area joined
forces with representatives from area school districts, social service
agencies, concerned parents, Barrington
High School students, law
enforcement, hospitals and local governments to discuss and implement a
pro-active, non-enforcement approach to the problem of drug and alcohol abuse
by youth. The CDPC has engaged the community to create a strategic plan, to
develop programs and activities, and to begin action steps towards its mission
“to reverse the trend of alcohol, tobacco and other drug (ATOD) abuse in our
community through education, prevention and intervention strategies and
encouraging healthy alternatives”. The CDPC officially organized and elected
a board of directors in June 2006.
At its inception in December 2004, the entities
participating in the CDPC reported observations and perceptions of local drug
and alcohol use, and gathered and examined services and programs currently
available in the community. Action areas were identified, and the group
continues to develop strategies for better communication, educational
opportunities, better coordination of schools, law enforcement and social
service agencies, and new activities and opportunities to
impact the problem.
The
coalition has begun engaging parents and the community at large in a number of
activities to begin developing programs and action steps towards its mission
"to reverse the trend of alcohol, tobacco and other drug (ATOD) abuse in
our community through education, prevention and intervention strategies and
encouraging healthy alternatives".
In February 2006, the CDPC
distributed a survey to households with middle- and high-school students in
CUSD 220 and St. Anne’s schools. The survey measured parents’ perceptions
of alcohol, drugs and prescription drug use by area teens and also their
perceptions of other parents’ behaviors. The Institute for Health Systems
Research at the University
of Illinois
conducted the survey. Results will be shared with the community this fall
and will be used to develop communication and educational materials for parents
and teens.
In conjunction with April’s National Alcohol
Awareness Month, the CDPC hosted a Town Hall meeting on underage drinking on
April 2006, held at the Health World Childrens Museum.
BHS students from the newly-formed CDPC Youth Advisory Committee gave
presentations on topics such as the glamorization of alcohol and other drug use
on internet sites, in particular, MySpace.com. They also spoke about the
school athletic code, police enforcement, and the importance of parents being
good role models for their children and friends.
Future projects of the CDPC include a relatively
new program called “social norms marketing”, which helps correct common
misperceptions by parents and youth that others behave more poorly than is
actually the case. By calling attention to the true and higher standard
for behavior, the program helps to correct the overestimation by youth of other
teens’ drug and alcohol use, thus promoting a higher standard or “norm” for
behavior. The CDPC soon will initiate a newspaper column featuring
related topics. If you would like to join the CDPC’s efforts to support
youth and families, please contact the CDPC by calling 847-381-7871 or email BarringtonCDPC@aol.com.
CDPC Vision: To create a caring community free from substance abuse.
CDPC Mission: To
reverse the trend of alcohol, tobacco and other drug (ATOD) abuse in
our community through education, prevention and intervention strategies
and encouraging healthy alternatives.
CDPC Group Role: Coalition to develop strategies and engage the community in helping to achieve the vision. |