The Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) has awarded a total of $296,800 to nine nonprofit groups in Appalachia for alcohol and other drug prevention projects. Grantees came from Kentucky, Ohio, West Virginia, New York, and Tennessee.

ARC is better known as an economic- and infrastructure-development organization. But as ARC co-chair Anne B. Pope noted, “We are committed not only to understanding the economic development problems facing the region; we are also committed to doing something about them. Those problems include substance abuse, which can sap the quality of the region’s labor force.

“These grants are an important step in assisting communities in improving their intervention and service programs dealing with illegal drugs and prescription drug abuse,” Pope said.

Grantees included:

• The Charleston Area Medical Center Health Education and Research Institute (West Virginia), to drug use and addiction during pregnancy and at time of delivery.
• Morgan Behavioral Health Choices (Ohio), to prevent early use of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs by children and adolescents.
• The People Encouraging People Coalition (Kentucky), to provide skills and crafts training for at-risk and addicted youth.
• The Coalition on Appalachian Substance Abuse Policy (Tennessee), to create a regional clearinghouse of information on sub stance use health issues in Appalachia.
• The Kentucky Administrative Office of the Courts, to train new drug and alcohol addiction counselors.
• Kentucky River Community Care, to educate healthcare providers on prescription drug diversion and abuse.
• The Kentucky River Foothills Development Council, to help reduce substance abuse through coordination of community education and mini-grants.
• The Steuben County Department of Community Services (New York), to overcome service gaps in addiction assessment and treatment for incarcerated individuals.
• The Rowan County UNITE Coalition (Kentucky), to implement three community substance prevention and education programs.