[Archived] Alexandria’s Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition Seeks Community Opinions

Alexandria’s Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition Seeks Community Opinions About Youth Substance Abuse in Alexandria
Online surveys available for parents, youth and five other community sectors

The Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition of Alexandria invites youth (in grades 6 -12) and adults who live in the City of Alexandria, or work with Alexandria youth, to complete a short online survey that asks for perceptions and opinions about youth substance abuse in the community. Incentives are provided for youth participants, and adult survey participants will have access to recent statistics on youth substance abuse in Alexandria.

Community members are asked to complete one of the following seven surveys, which are available at alexandriava.gov/sapcasurvey and can be completed in about 10 to 15 minutes.

• Youth survey: For young people,grades 6-12, who live in the City.
• Parent survey: For parents of school-age children (grades K-12) who live in the City.
• Business survey: For owners and managers of businesses, nonprofits and associations in the City.
• Law enforcement survey: For employees of the Alexandria Police Department and Sheriff’s office.
• Youth service provider survey: For youth service providers (including teachers and school staff) who work in the City.
• Faith community survey: For faith community leaders and/or coordinators of youth programming for faith communities in the City of Alexandria.
• Community survey: For any adult who lives in the City who doesn’t fit in one of the other categories.

The online survey research is part of a comprehensive community assessment that the Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition of Alexandria (SAPCA) is conducting in collaboration with George Mason University to determine the extent of youth substance abuse in the City, including use and abuse of alcohol, tobacco and illicit drugs. Survey results will inform SAPCA’s future efforts to address youth substance abuse in Alexandria. The deadline for completing a survey is Thursday, July 31.

SAPCA is an alliance of parents, youth, schools, City departments, nonprofits, businesses, policymakers and law enforcement whose mission is to engage diverse sectors of the community in collaborative, cross-cultural and comprehensive substance abuse prevention activities that result in a reduction of underage substance use and abuse in the City of Alexandria. SAPCA was created in 2007 as part of the Partnership for a Healthier Alexandria (www.alexhealth.org/partnership). Mayor William D. Euille is SAPCA’s honorary chair. SAPCA is a member of the Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA).

For more information, contact Allen Lomax at 703.578.3054 or e-mail aclomax@aol.com, or contact Mary-Jane Atwater at 703.683.4213 or e-mail matwater@aol.com.