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The
Westchester County Office of Drug Prevention and STOP-DWI, is within the Department
of Public Safety. The office works with local schools, governments and
police to develop programs to minimize alcohol- and other drug- related
traffic injuries and fatalities.
The program is funded with money from fines paid by people convicted of
DWI offenses.
It
does this through a variety of means, including education and
enforcement, as well as treatment programs.
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The
county runs
programs in 39 Westchester high schools and 24 middle schools to
reduce alcohol use by teens and prevent its sometimes deadly
consequences.
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Through
the ROADD project (Reduce our Adolescents Drinking, Drugging and
Driving), Student Assistance
Services will continue to provide health educators in area high schools to teach students the hazardous effects of alcohol and
other drugs on their driving and on their lives. This project stresses development of alternatives to drinking and
drugging.
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The
county has teamed up with the publishers of the Archie comic books
to launch a multi-media campaign to get the facts about drinking out
to middle schoolers and high schoolers.
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The
office has helped local school officials set up chapters of Students
Against Destructive Decisions. And the office sponsors a county wide SADD Workshop in the spring and works
closely with the SADD leadership throughout the year.
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The
office runs at least two conferences a year for middle and high
school students, focusing on alternatives to alcohol and other drug
use, leadership training and development of cooperation among schools.
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The
county sponsors an annual DWI poster contest that in 2003 drew 250
entries from
students of all ages. The winning poster is used as the Westchester County STOP-DWI Poster for the
ensuing year.
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The
office works with local police departments on many projects and
helps train local officers.
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Through
the county's Department of Probation, "Victim’s Impact Panels"
for teens are convened to help those arrested for underage drinking
understand the consequences of their actions.
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The
county sponsors special events, such as theater
performances and concerts in schools to promote alcohol, drug and
violence free participation.
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The
office helps fund treatment centers for people with alcohol and drug
problems.
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The
Westchester County Alcohol and Other Drugs College Consortium works
with the county's colleges to devise strategies for reducing alcohol
and drug use on campuses.
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Alcohol- and drug-free
prom and graduation activities will be
stressed in the spring. Also, the county and local police will increase patrol
activities to stop and check limousines throughout the county.
Warnings will be given to catering halls, limo companies and to
schools that police will be out in force
and will prosecute violators in accordance with the law.
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The county will continue to provide middle and high schools with speakers,
"Fatal Vision Goggles," the STOP-DWI van, video tapes and informational
and promotional materials throughout the school year.
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