Coalition to Prevent Underage Drinking to mentor RVC group

The Long Beach Coalition to Prevent Underage Drinking, a non-profit group that works to curb a problem that members say is rampant in Long Beach, will be extending its reach to Rockville Centre as part of a new mentoring grant.

The group received a $27,500 grant from the New York State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services to mentor the Rockville Centre Youth Council, the coalition’s counterpart in that community. The grant allows established coalitions to assist smaller ones in growing its presence and designing a plan for combating underage drinking in the community. The grant began last month and extends until the end of the year.

“What the state and the federal governments want is to support the coalitions in their own community, because they become agents of change much more grassroots than top down,” said Judi Vining, the executive director of the Long Beach Coalition.

The Rockville Centre Youth Council was formed in 2009 due to concern about drinking and underage drug use. Andrea Connolly, newly installed chair of the Rockville Centre Youth Council, said she “welcomes the opportunity to work with Long Beach, and learn from each other about strategies that work—as well as those that don’t.”

Vining said that Rockville Centre faces similar problems to Long Beach when it comes to underage drinking. She said that both communities are known for their bar environments, which are accessible by public transportation, making them a drinking destination for out-of-towners. She said that Rockville Centre also has problems with house parties and areas where kids are known to gather and drink.

“We’re going to help them find out what the reality is, and help their coalition build its capacity,” Vining said.

She said that the coalition employs a three-step process—assessment, capacity and planning. It will help the Rockville Centre Youth Council gather police and school data and conduct a study in the schools to determine what the most prominent issues facing the community are. Then it will help the organization asses its resources, determine what community leaders need to be involved and develop a plan for how it can combat the issue and influence policy change in their community.

The mentoring grant is designed so that established coalitions can assist younger ones to be able to apply for Drug Free Communities Grants. The Long Beach Coalition received Drug Free Communities grants from 2003 to 2013—the maximum number of years allowed. During that period, the Long Beach Coalition received more than $1 million dollars for substance abuse prevention.

“We have a strong track record as a coalition, we’ve been in business since 2000 and we’ve caused policy changes in the community,” Vining said. “We know how to do it, how to mentor a fledgling coalition.”