Gwinnett Mobilizing for Change on Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drugs

Gwinnett Mobilizing for Change in ATOD (alcohol, tobacco and other drugs) is an environmental strategies initiative, with multiple strategies and services. This initiative follows the evidence based model Communities Mobilizing for Change in Alcohol. Its services cannot be described in a schedule format, such as a program that provides services Monday through Friday, from 3:00 to 6:00. The prevention services that are provided include: a coalition addressing underage ATOD use prevention; public awareness campaigns focusing on underage drinking (with particular emphasis on social hosting) and underage tobacco use; alcohol vendor training; Enforcement of Underage Drinking Laws compliance checks; youth action teams that provide peer-focused environmental strategies targeting middle and high school age youth; a youth advisory board; and participation in local, regional and statewide coalitions addressing underage drinking and tobacco use.

GUIDE is an active member of the Gwinnett Coalition for Health and Human Services. Ari Russell is on the Coalition’s Board of Directors. The Coalition conducts regular comprehensive needs assessments, is charged with coordinating services in Gwinnett for children and families, brings stakeholders to the table to address local needs and concerns and acts as a catalyst for change. All of GUIDE's initiatives are based on results of the Coalition's needs assessments and related benchmarks and are included in the Coalition's three-year plan. The Coalition has been a Drug Free Communities grantee since 2007. It also received a STOP Act grant (Sober Truth on Preventing Underage Drinking Act, passed Dec. 2006) that began in October, 2009. GUIDE is the lead agency for several of the initiatives funded by these grants because they compliment the Gwinnett Mobilizing initiative.