| Mission
The Commission is a broad based anti-drug coalition made up of leaders and concerned citizens from both the public and private sectors of the community. Its mission is “To initiate, encourage and coordinate a comprehensive community-wide effort to combat illegal drugs and their harmful effects on individuals and society; to raise public awareness of the seriousness of the drug and alcohol problem; to help plan and evaluate community anti-drug efforts; and to advocate for needed changes, modifications and additions to the service delivery system as they relate to drug abuse and addiction.”
History
The United Way of Broward County created the Commission on Substance Abuse in November of 1988 during the height of a crack cocaine epidemic that was sweeping south Florida and the nation at large. Today, its primary role is to serve as a coalition-building organization that brokers partnerships between federal, state and local agencies to foster, develop and enhance integrated counter-drug efforts throughout Broward County and to search for innovative and effective ways to address the issue of substance abuse. Since its inception, the Commission has directed over 25-million dollars to community-based programs that fight and treat substance abuse and help prevent youth from using drugs. Through a federal block grant that it coordinates in Broward County, the Commission currently directs funding to and supervises over 20 programs that focus on preventing drug use and preventing violence. Twice honored with invitations to the White House and receptions with the President, the Commission also was recognized in 1996 as “Anti-Drug Coalition of the Year” by Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA).
Funding
The United Way of Broward County provides the majority of the funding for the Commission infrastructure with funding for its service initiatives coming from state and federal grants. The Commission has a Drug Free Communities Support Program Grant from the Office of National Drug Control Policy that is administrated by the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (C-SAP); receives funding from the Florida Department of Children and Families; the State Department of Transportation; and from the US Department of Justice, Edward Byrne Memorial Grant Program. In addition, financial support for certain of the Commission's community events comes from the School Board of Broward County, the Broward Chiefs of Police and from individual police departments.
Board of Governors
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