The Williams County Health Department and the ECHO (Educating Communities on Healthy Opportunities) Coalition were awarded a five-year federal Drug-Free Communities (DFC) Support Grant that will begin on September 30th.
The grant was awarded by the White House’s Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) and will provide $125,000 to the coaltion each year through 2026.
The ECHO Coaltion is one of two coalitions s to receive this funding within the state of Ohio. The new grant will empower the ECHO Coaltion to better serve Williams County.
The purpose of the Drug-Free Communities Grant is to better equip communities with the resources and training needed to address substance abuse. The ECHO Coalition will work to meet the following goals of the DFC support program:
1. Establish and strengthen collaboration to support the efforts of community coalitions working to prevent and reduce substance use among youth.
2. Reduce substance use among youth, and over time, reduce substance abuse among adults by addressing factors that increase the risk and promoting the factors that minimize the risk of substance abuse.
The ECHO Coalition promotes healthy lifestyles free from substance use among youth and adults in Williams County. Founded by diverse local partners in 2017, the coaltion strives to create healthier communities through substance abuse education, awareness, and prevention.
Using these funds, ECHO will build on the successful foundation developed by the coalition. Partners from the community will engage in a data-based assessment and planning process.
The data collected will be used to promote prevention resources within the county and ensure evidence-based prevention will be available for all youth in Williams County.
For more information about the Drug Free Communities Grant or Williams County’s ECHO Coalition, contact:
Bethany Coutz
ECHO Coalition Coordinator
Phone: (419) 485-3141 ext. 126
E-mail: bethany.coutz@williamscountyhealth.org