Thursday, November 21, 2024
11/21/2024
The One Johns Creek Drug-Free Communities (DFC) Support Program-New program will target youth ages 9-18 in Johns Creek, Georgia. Johns Creek is one of six cities in North Fulton County and ranked as the 10th largest city in Georgia. The 31 square-mile region has a population of 84,310 as of July 1, 2018 (US Census Bureau) and approximately 9,500 students in middle and high school (2019 Fulton County student enrollment data). The race and origin are as follows: White 55%, Black or African American 9.4%, Asian 26.7%, Two or more races 2.8%, and Hispanic or Latino 6.4%. The community is characterized by a thriving economic climate, above-average schools, bumper to bumper traffic, two-earner homes with an above-average median income of $100,000 and a 30 to 45-minute commute to work. There are 3 public high and 3 public middle schools as well as privately funded schools serving the city’s student population. While the description of Johns Creek at first read appears to be an idyllic, indicative of minimal concern the reality is that substance misuse and its devastating impact knows no boundaries and is very much a part of the dynamics that are adversely impacting youth, young adults as well as older adults. With privilege comes disconnection as busy lives, diffused family structures, access to substances and demand for above-average performance equals an environment conducive to risky and self-soothing behaviors that too often lead to substance use/misuse and catastrophic circumstances. Vape shops along with grocery and convenience stores have also flooded the market within the past two years providing paraphernalia and smoke/nicotine products. Alcohol is readily available in many retail formats from grocery stores to multitudes of package stores and most parents keep their liquor cabinets stocked without keeping inventory. Johns Creek, as a part of the “heroin triangle” where heroin overdose is concerning, is an area of significant illegal drug use with intent to distribute based on the socio-economic climate and excess financial resources. The Atlanta-Carolinas HIDTA in cooperation with the Johns Creek and Alpharetta Police have been working to disrupt and dismantle drug trafficking and money laundering organizations through intelligence-driven multi-jurisdictional operations and to improve communication and information sharing among criminal justice, drug prevention, and drug treatment professionals in support of the objectives of the Office of National Drug Control Policy. Although the community is a resourced area with a large variety of substances available, there currently exists no comprehensive and connected substance use prevention system. One Johns Creek is and will continue to work together, avoiding duplication and siloed efforts, while focusing on becoming the voice of prevention in the community responsible for developing consistent, area-wide prevention messaging while building infrastructure and collaboration around the reduction of youth alcohol, nicotine, and prescription drug use. The coalition will continue to emphasize protective factors for youth and minimize the risk factors associated with substance misuse for both youth and adults while promoting a community culture of health and wellness.
HHS’ Tracking Accountability in Government Grants System (TAGGS) website provides access to detailed descriptions of grants, loans, aggregated direct payments and other types of financial assistance awarded by the HHS Operating Divisions (OPDIVs) and the Office of the Secretary Staff Divisions (STAFFDIVs).
