Resources

Additional Information:Alliance Coordinators/County A/D Directors

MISSION STATEMENT

The Governor's Council on Alcohol and Drug Abuse (GCADA) was created to coordinate statewide services involving alcoholism and drug abuse. It also is the funding source for the Municipal Alliance Program.

ALLIANCE TO PREVENT ALCOHOLISM AND DRUG ABUSE

Successful prevention efforts require both local and broad-based support. Support must be local because the community is best situated to determine its needs and help its own citizens. It must be broad-based because so many resources are needed.

The Alliance to Prevent Alcoholism and Drug Abuse (Alliance Program) is a statewide grassroots movement to coordinate prevention efforts on the local level. The Council is an umbrella organization, providing technical assistance, information, training and funding. The goal of the Alliance program is to develop alcoholism and drug abuse prevention and public awareness programs and networks in every municipality in the state.

Municipal Alliance Committee

The heart of each community's alliance prevention effort is its Municipal Alliance Committee (MAC). This committee brings together representatives from governmental bodies, the educational system, the health care community, law enforcement and the community at large. The MAC determines the kind and scope of prevention programs that are best suited for its community.

Growing from the Grassroots

Alliance Programs are linked to the county system for planning alcoholism and drug abuse services. Each county maintains a Local Advisory Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse (LACADA) to determine the alcoholism and drug abuse services which it needs. The LACADA develops a county plan that addresses these goals. The MAC presents its prevention proposal to its County Alliance Steering Subcommittee (CASS), a subcommittee of the LACADA. The CASS reviews the proposals submitted by the municipalities in the county and develops a County Alliance Plan. This plan is coupled with the county's comprehensive alcoholism and drug abuse services plan, and is then submitted to the county Freeholders and the state Division of Addiction Services. The County Alliance Plan, as a single entity, is submitted to the Council. The Request for Proposal (RFP) Committee reviews County Alliance Plans to ensure they meet the programmatic and fiscal criteria developed by the Council.

The state and county governments provide professional staff to guide the volunteer LACADAs and MACs through the planning process. Each county has a coordinator who facilitates its LACADA planning work. An Alliance Coordinator (reporting to the County Coordinator) guides the MAC prevention efforts through the CASS. The County Alliance efforts are coordinated by a State Alliance Coordinator and monitored by staff of the Council. The Council's staff also provides technical assistance. This system integrates prevention planning at the municipal, county and state levels.

The Alliances are also encouraged to collaborate with Human Service Advisory Councils and County Interagency Coordinating Councils to identify resource needs for youths coming from high-risk environments.

Funding Alliance Programs

Plans which are approved by the Council are supported by Drug Enforcement Demand Reduction (DEDR) funds (mandatory fines imposed on drug offenders). This money is dispersed by the Council. It is funneled through county treasuries to the municipalities.

According to P.L. 1 989, Ch. 51, the monies awarded to the counties through the DEDR funds must be matched by the municipalities which receive them. The matching funds must be a minimum of 25% and 75% in-kind services. Each Alliance is to submit a plan detailing its strategy for raising the match. The intent is for the community to assume a personal commitment to the prevention of alcoholism and drug abuse.

Programs

As of June 1998, 576 of New Jersey's 566 municipalities (91%) are participating in the Alliance Program. The Council staff has documented 3,1 93 individual programs that are currently approved and being implemented. The enabling legislation has clearly defined the areas of programming to be developed by the Municipal Alliances. These areas of programming are: (1) coordinating Alliance efforts by including representatives of the schools, police, business and other community organizations; (2) cooperating with local school districts through Substance Awareness Coordinators (SACS) and/or other personnel to facilitate alcoholism and drug abuse programs in grades Kindergarten through 1 2; (3) supporting outreach efforts for parents in the community; and (4) developing community awareness programs, i.e., youth-related activities, AIDS and Fetal Alcohol/Drug Effects education, senior citizen participation in intergenerational recreation media campaigns and community-based celebrations.

Governor's Alliance Summit

On October 16, 1997, over 800 members of local municipal alliances will shared their successes and challenges at the Governor's Alliance Summit. The Summit is organized and hosted by the Governor's Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse. Participants may attend workshops and professional exhibits concerning alcoholism and drug abuse. The 1998 Summit is scheduled for Friday, October 16th.