Since its formation in 2001, the Coalition – funded by various sources, including the Drug Free Communities Support Program and the Nevada State Bureau of Alcohol and Drug Abuse – has aspired to provide the Churchill community with grants, technical assistance, and prevention programs to help local youth.

The Coalition's Prevention Plan outlines existing and needed programs in the community, and its environmental strategies programs address substance abuse and youth tobacco and alcohol use.

"We want to develop a thriving community through cooperative prevention efforts. Our goal is to bring people together to speak a common language about the problems in the community and how we can improve the lives of youth by reducing at-risk behavior factors," said John McCormick, director of the Coalition.

When grant monies become available, the Coalition requests proposals from its members, which are evaluated by Coalition board, staff, and other community agencies. Community members can access resources at the Coalition’s office, such as a grant research library and free access to the Regional Alcohol and Drug Awareness Resource network.

As part of its partnership-oriented strategy, the Coalition administers a grant to pay for a prevention specialist to work in the Juvenile Probation Office, one of its primary prevention and treatment partners.

The Coalition has also worked with Students Working Against Tobacco and the Churchill County School District to hand out information packets in retail stores and sponsor a tobacco awareness carnival at elementary schools.

For more information on the Churchill Community Coalition, visit www.churchillcoalition.com.