WAR AGAINST DRUGS CAN BE WON, CITY'S ANTI-DRUG DIRECTOR SAYS

NEW HAVEN - 7,000 to 11,000 New Haveners are addicted to alcohol or illicit
drugs, tThe city's war against substance abuse "is a war we can win," says
a determined Marzella Tyson, the new project director of New Haven Fighting
Back, the city's anti-drug initiative.

National and state studies estimate that 7,000 to 11,000 New Haveners are
addicted to alcohol or illicit drugs.

However, several city officials say Tyson, who has been project director
for about three months, has brought enthusiasm to the jobthat has been
nothing short of contagious.

Prior to joining Fighting Back, the Arkansas native was the director of the
city Health Department's Pediatric Immunization Project. In the last five
years under her leadership, the pediatric immunization rate rose from 50 to
90 percent.

Tyson said her contact with client families attracted her to the Fighting
Back initiative.

"Sometimes one of the barriers to immunizations was drug abuse," she said.
"We still seem to be having difficulty addressing the drug problem in New
Haven. I wanted to know why and do something about it if I could. When I
saw family members and the affect it has on children, it really hit my heart."

Tyson oversees programs such as Families FIRST, which aims to increase
access to treatment and job training for people living in public housing
and is co-sponsored by the Housing Authority; the Faith Initiative, which
links spiritual leaders and congregation members with those in recovery;
and the Male Involvement efforts to keep fathers and non-custodial
caregivers active in their families.

She will also help spearhead research efforts by the Community Epidemiology
Work Group, which Tyson said will collect data on substance abuse in the city.

"This group's major goal is to develop a community report so people will
know where we stand on alcohol and drug assessments," Tyson said.

Her supervisor, Alma Ayala, human resources administrator, said Tyson has
strong research and networking skills.

"Part of what I've seen so far is what made her a great candidate in the
first place, her energy and her knowledge," Ayala said. "Colleagues and
residents trust her and feel they can talk to her . . Marzella's a driver.
She tends to pull others in instead of doing things alone."

Tyson said Ayala, the Rev. Bonita Grubbs, co-chairwoman of Fighting Back's
Steering Committee, and Sergio Rodriguez, the city's substance abuse
coordinator, have been instrumental in helping her get acclamated to the job.

Rodriguez, who was interim director of Fighting Back, said he shared the
history of Fighting Back's inception five years ago and its subsequent
successes and pitfalls with Tyson.

"That was so she could move beyond that and not go through it again,"
Rodriguez said. "I bring a wealth of experience to the relationship and
Marzella brings creativity and energy and optimism that things can move
forward and things can work. We both believe the community plays a
significant role and it's a nice thing both of us want to move in the same
direction."

Checked-by: Mike Gogulski