Unified Prevention Coalition of Fairfax County

The Strategic Prevention Framework State Incentive Grant, supports the project assessing motor vehicle crashes involving alcohol impaired drivers between the ages of 15 to 24 years old. In 2014, having completed a community assessment that males 18-24 years of age are most at risk for alcohol related accidents, UPC continued the implementation of Phase II of this project implementing strategies to influence environmental change, through May 2016. Strategies to reduce driving while under the influence included advertisements on local bus stop shelters, server-seller training with local restaurants, coasters with taxi information, and support for police sobriety check points. The purpose of these environmental strategies is to help reduce the number of crashes involving alcohol-impaired drivers by 5 percent in the specified age group.

UPC received donations from corporations and individuals which it used to supplement the federal grants it received to carry out it prevention programs. In addition COVANTA donated to UPC's Prescription Drug Take Back Day helping with advertising and information cards for the community. The Youth Council recieved 3 small grants to continue prevention programs and bringing awareness of substance abuse among Fairfax County youth. abuse awareness throughout the county schools. The awarded money was used to conduct monthly Youth Council meetings, implement resilience training in local middle schools and attend the annual YADAPP conference with 8 students for the week long enrichment program against substance abuse. The students learned ways to create awareness against the dangers of drugs and alcohol and develope projects to implement in their schools.

The main mission of UPC is to keep youth safe and drug free. The STOP grant funded opportunities for UPC to continue to reduce underage drinking in our community. One of the UPC's distinguished programs is the The Perils of the College Drinking Culture. This program provides education and awareness to parents and senior high school students preparing to graduate. The program addresses underage drinking, binge drinking and the consequences. The forum presents the film, Haze, followed by discussion with a panel of experts from the community addressing the dangers of underage and binge drinking, the consequences and ways to prevent risky behaviors. Funds were used for this program and to develop capacity building opportunities to market UPC and its prevention mission, including UPC's campaign addressing underage drinking, Parents Who Host, Lose the Most. Funding purchased fact cards for parents and schools on Virginia Laws concerning underage drinking and helpful tips for parents. In addition, these funds were used for UPC Youth Council coordinator who organized high school students and helped develop activities to promote UPC's mission, including visiting Capitol Hill to inform our representatives of their concerns about substance abuse, creating a video promoting awareness about the harmful effects of marijuana, attending the summer youth forum about drug prevention and producing an award winning drug prevention plan to implement in their schools.