Tackling substance abuse locally.
With support from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP), and the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), Community Organizing for Prevention and Empowerment (C.O.P.E) prevention initiatives (Project C.O.P.E., P-CASA, and PFS) have focused on reducing health disparities and improving health outcomes in the city of Paterson, New Jersey. As a collaborative effort between the Department of Family Science and Human Development (FSHD) in the College of Education and Human Services at Montclair State University (MSU), and numerous stakeholders, we have helped transform the way the community is served. This has been accomplished by fostering collaborations and increasing the capacity among all key sectors (e.g., families, schools, municipal government, law enforcement, social services, local businesses, and faith-based institutions) to develop effective approaches to prevention.
