Alliance seeking funding to help keep youths safe
BY TOYNETT HALL Staff Writer

HOWELL- In an effort to keep Howell safer and to strengthen the community's preventive planning initiatives against drug and alcohol abuse, the Howell Township Municipal Alliance is applying for federal grant funding through the Governor's Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse (GCADA).

The alliance is competing against 527 other municipal alliances for funding that will allow its directors to continue their efforts. In the past, the alliance has received more than $300,000 through this federal grant funding.

In preparing the alliance's application for grant money allocated for 2009-11, the directors of the Howell alliance are completing a needs assessment evaluation.

Alliance coordinator Ralph Hoffman said, "We are applying for funding that will help us to craft programs that will meet the needs of Howell."

Hoffman said he is hoping to receive about $50,000 or more in funding.

Two of the main criteria considered in the selection process are a municipality's risk factors and protective factors.

According to information provided by the Howell alliance's 2002 needs assessment, risk factors include "any circumstances that may increase youths' likelihood of engaging in risky behaviors," such as economic/social deprivation, family management problems, academic failure and health problems, among other factors.

"Conversely, protective factors are any circumstances that promote healthy youth behaviors and decrease the chance that youths will engage in risky behaviors," such as clear rules and regulations, competent role models, significant relationship with parent/caregiver, and autonomy, according to information provided by the alliance's 2002 needs assessment.

"Howell is highly competent in protective factors. Safe communities usually have a high number of protective factors which are used to offset the risk factors," Hoffman said, adding that the alliance "is committed to keeping Howell safer."

He said even though Howell ranks high in the category of protective factors,

the community still has needs, which gives the alliance a chance to

acquire some funding.

"We want to be proactive and do everything

we can to make our

town even safer than it

already is," Hoffman

said.

The alliance's 2008 needs assessment is expected to be completed by

the middle of March.

According to the New Jersey Department of Treasury's Internet Web site, the GCADA is an independent coordinating, planning, research and review body regarding all aspects of alcoholism and drug abuse.

"The council administers the Statewide Alliance to Prevent Alcoholism and Drug Abuse and establishes guidelines for the grants process to fund local municipal alliances. The Municipal Alliance Committee determines the kind and scope of prevention initiatives that are best suited to their communities," according to the Web site.

"The funding for the alliance program is derived from 19 state-authorized Drug Enforcement Demand Reduction (DEDR) funds. DEDR provides for fines to be levied on convicted drug users and sellers and which now amounts to $9.4 million," according to information provided by state Department of Treasury.