How Coalitions Make a Difference
Coalitions help bring community members together to address both local and statewide problems. Building bridges between organizations is a critical step in preventing youth substance use and its associated consequences like impaired driving, addiction, graduation rates, teen pregnancy, and sexual assault. If you’re concerned about any of these issues, join up with a local coalition to make a difference.
In Texas, we have a number of coalitions working to prevent youth substance use. The tools provided here will help individuals and organizations connect and leverage resources to enhance prevention efforts. With these tools, we can help increase collaboration to create healthier, safer communities throughout the state.
FACTS ON YOUTH SUBSTANCE USE
In Texas, nearly 1/3 of all alcohol-related fatal crashes involve a driver under the age of 25.
Young people who start drinking before age 15 are six times more likely to develop alcohol dependence or abuse than those who start drinking at age 21 or older.
In Texas, many young people wh o drink have had their first drink by age 13.
Find a Coalition Near You
Part of having a good policy means making sure those who are affected by it are educated about what the policy is, how and when it applies to whom, and the consequences for violating it. Quite simply, a person has to know the policy exists and how they can find it in order to comply with it. The more difficult a policy is to find, the more challenging it is to administer and enforce.
The following map shows if the accessibility of a school’s alcohol policy is: by Easy, Moderate & Difficult. It should be noted that how easy or difficult it is to find a school’s policy does not indicate how strong the policy is itself.
Click on each of the tabs below to learn more about each category and see which schools fall in each one.
