DAVIESS COUNTY SET TO JOIN KY-ASAP

A local group committed to fighting drug abuse will submit a letter of
intent to Frankfort by Monday for Daviess County to sign on to the Kentucky
Agency for Substance Abuse Policy, a state-mandated policy that gives
communities muscle to assess current prevention services, identify gaps and
make recommendations.

"I've talked to a lot of people, and there are a lot who want to work with
this community," said Roger Stacy, president of Community Solutions for
Substance Abuse, formerly Champions for a Drug Free Owensboro/Daviess County.

Stacy met with representatives from the school systems, prevention
agencies, local government and social service agencies Wednesday at the
Green River Area Development District to gain input on how KY-ASAP will
benefit the community.

While joining the state policy is needed to ensure coordination of
resources, Stacy told the group he wants to continue his group's plans to
meet immediate needs, such as raising awareness of the drug problems in the
area and establishing treatment for youths who abuse drugs.

"We need to move now," he said.

KY-ASAP, created during the 2000 General Assembly, provides a blueprint for
state policy that governs prevention and treatment of substance abuse. The
legislature set aside an initial $5 million to start the program and
required all 120 counties to be on board by December 2003.

Ohio and McLean counties recently formed a board, and Henderson, Union and
Webster are planning to submit letters of intent soon.

Representatives from Daviess County met this summer with Ohio and McLean
county officials to discuss joining that coalition. But the other counties
were concerned about having enough of a voice if the larger Daviess County
were attached to them.

Counties that form singular Ky-ASAP boards will receive $50,000 in start-up
money from the state, but two counties joining forces would receive
$110,000. Three counties would receive $175,000.

Daviess County officials have been talking to representatives of Hancock
County about that county joining its coalition. But with the deadline
looming, that doesn't look likely right now, said Gary Hall, senior
director for the RiverValley Prevention Center. Discussions will continue,
he said, and the county may still join the Daviess County board at a later
date.

It may be beneficial for each county to have its own board, Hall said.
Singular boards will allow communities to focus specifically on their own
needs. But both Hall and Bill Cooper, associate director for social
services at GRADD, acknowledged the need for counties to work together as well.

"So many issues cross county borders," Cooper said. "I just firmly believe
there has to be some coordination between those county lines."

Why is having a comprehensive prevention strategy important? According to
Ky-ASAP:

- -- Substance abuse costs the state $3.9 billion annually.

- -- Tobacco accounts for 39 percent of preventable deaths.

- -- Alcohol accounts for 95 percent of all deaths from cirrhosis of the liver.

- -- On average, half of adolescents in state institutions admit to being
under the influence of drugs or alcohol while committing crimes.