Partnerships For Success Targets Teen Drinking

Partnerships For Success, a grant-funded program operated through the Fulton County Family and Children First Council, has targeted teen drinking as its first priority.

Brenda Oyer, grant coordinator, said Family and Children First drew information from a 2005 Fulton County health assessment to determine that underage consumption of alcohol was the first PFS target.

Figures from the assessment showed:

•44% of 17- and 18-year-olds in Fulton County had consumed at least one alcoholic drink within the past 30 days.

•35% of 17- and 18-year-olds had engaged in binge drinking within the past 30 days. Binge drinking is defined as five or more alcoholic drinks at a time, or in one setting.

•About 66% of those youth who drink are binge drinking monthly.

•Of the youth who drink, 15% report drinking on at least 10 days during a month.

Gearing Up

To combat the teen drinking problem, Oyer said PFS will put on Parents Who Host Lose The Most, which Oyer described as a "multi-faceted public awareness campaign." It is designed to educate parents about the legal consequences and health and safety risks of serving alcohol to teens.

Oyer said she will work with the Archbold High School prom planning committee to distribute surveys to the parents of high school juniors and seniors, sampling their attitudes toward underage drinking, and knowl- edge of laws against hosting parties where alcohol is served to youth.

The campaign will include promotional materials in restaurants, radio advertisements produced by county high school students, and other promotions.

Further, Oyer said a $3,000 grant will go to law enforcement to pay for overtime for additional patrols, looking for underage drinking parties.

There will also be compliance checks on stores that sell alcoholic beverages.

"We're gearing up to do something in mid-March or early April," Oyer said.

Grant

Fulton County received a $160,000, two-year grant for the Partnerships For Success. The money is to be used to prevent and respond to youth problem behaviors.

PFS is working with a wide variety of groups and organizations, including school, law enforcement, and churches, to achieve positive outcomes from young people and their families.