Collins, King Announce More than $2 Million to Support Drug-Free Communities

Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King announced that the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) has awarded a total of $2,125,000 in grant funding to 17 Maine health coalitions and local governments to prevent youth substance abuse and foster drug-free communities in Maine.

“Last year, drug overdoses claimed the life of 354 Mainers, nearly one person each day.  We must take an all-hands-on-deck approach to stop this epidemic and support those who are struggling with substance use disorders,” said Senators Collins and King in a joint statement.  “This important funding will help Maine health coalitions and communities strengthen their efforts to prevent and reduce substance abuse through programs that promote a healthy lifestyle and community involvement.”

The funding will be allocated as follows:

·         River Valley Health Communities Coalition will receive $125,000 to serve Rumford and the Greater River Valley Region. 

·         Gardiner Area Substance Use Prevention Coalition will receive $125,000 to serve Gardiner, Pittston, Randolph, and West Gardiner. 

·         Bangor Public Health Advisory Board Substance Abuse Prevention Task Force will receive $125,000 to serve the City of Bangor.

·         Healthy Acadia will receive $125,000 to serve the Downeast Acadia region.

·         Somerset Public Health will receive $125,000 to serve Somerset County.

·         Drug Free Aroostook will receive $125,000 to serve Aroostook County.

·         Healthy Community Coalition will receive $125,000 to serve Franklin County.

·         Healthy Sebasticook Valley Coalition will receive $125,000 to serve the Sebasticook Valley region.

·         Choose To Be Healthy Coalition will receive $125,000 to serve Southern York County.

·         Project Alliance will receive $125,000 to serve Northern York County.

·         ACCESS Health will receive $125,000 to serve Sagadahoc County, as well as Brunswick and Harpswell.

·         Be the Influence Coalition will receive $125,000 to serve Windham and Raymond.

·         Sanford Strong Coalition will receive $125,000 to serve the greater Sanford community.

·         SoPo Unite: All Ages, All In will receive $125,000 to serve South Portland.

·         Casco Bay Create Awareness Now Coalition will receive $125,000 to serve Cumberland, Falmouth, Freeport, Gray, New Gloucester, North Yarmouth, Pownal, and Yarmouth.

·         Healthy Lincoln County Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition will receive $125,000 to serve Lincoln County.

·         Mid-Maine Substance Use Prevention Coalition will receive $125,000 to serve Waterville, Winslow, Fairfield, Albion, Benton, Rome, Oakland, Rome, Sidney, Belgrade, Vassalboro, China, and Unity Township.

This funding was awarded through the ONDCP’s Drug-Free Communities (DFC) Support Program.  Created by the Drug-Free Communities Act of 1997, DFC spearheads efforts to mobilize communities to prevent youth substance abuse. The program provides grants to community coalitions to strengthen the infrastructure among local partners to create and sustain a reduction in local youth substance use.