Idaho Anti-Drug Coalition Recognized for Innovative Programs
In 2004, Meridian Mayor Tammy de Weerd didn’t like what she saw happening in Idaho’s Treasure Valley, so she created the Meridian Mayor’s Anti-Drug Coalition, a partnership between the city, local businesses, and the police that works to find innovative ways of keeping children drug-free.
“We were seeing increasing levels of drug and alcohol abuse, residential property and domestic crimes, assaults,” she said. “We didn’t want to see that happening in our community.”
The coalition’s efforts have been successful enough that it will be one of six drug-fighting organizations nationwide to receive a 2009 National Exemplary Award for Innovative Substance Abuse Prevention Programs from the National Association of State Alcohol and Drug Abuse Directors.
The Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration awarded Meridian a Drug Free Community Grant of $625,000 three years ago. The money is to be used over five years to fight substance abuse among children and adults, encourage public participation in its programs, determine the need for new initiatives, and assess and report on their effectiveness.
One of the coalition’s initiatives is the “Not My Kid” program, which provides drug-testing kits to parents of middle school students, de Weerd said.
Brenda Murdock, a member of the Meridian Police Department and the coalition’s coordinator, said that in addition to the testing kits, parents receive information on how to read the results. Positive samples can be sent to the manufacturer to determine whether the students have been using drugs long-term.
Another coalition initiative is the Recognize program. The program works with a Nampa-based community development organization that educates coaches working in the Meridian Police Athletic League Football program about how to deliver an anti-drug message.
The players who participate in the program by filling out questionnaires online receive special dog tags that entitle them to receive free treats from businesses.
The coalition also has a program where it conducts drug awareness workshops for workers who are out in public daily, so they can recognize potential illegal drug activity.
