Oakton-Based Drug Prevention Coalition Closing

OAKTON, VA—An Oakton-based organization that has been working to curb substance abuse among young adults and youth is closing. The Unified Prevention Coalition of Fairfax County announced it would suspend services at the end of October after learning it would not receive a federal grant.

The Board of Directors voted to end the organization after not receiving the Drug Free Community grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. The grant would have provided $125,000 per year for up to four years.

Much of the funding for its work came from federal grants. Fairfax County Public Schools had transferred the Drug Free Community grant to help establish Unified Prevention Coalition of Fairfax County. It also received a four-year Sober Truth on Preventing Underage Drinking (STOP) grant, as well as the state Strategic Prevention Framework-State Incentive Grant (SPF-SIG) and the Fairfax County Consolidated Community Funding Pool (CCFP) grant.

The organization ran educational programs, campaigns and a high school Youth Council. Its campaigns informed young residents of underage alcohol sales laws, the perils of drinking and driving, as well as substance abuse.

The closure comes as the opioid epidemic continues to plague Fairfax County, the state and areas across the U.S. In 2016, Virginia had 1,420 drug-related deaths, nearly 400 more than the previous year, according to a new Virginia Department of Health Report.

The organization said in a statement announcing the closure:

We sincerely thank all of our community partners, local businesses, and dedicated individuals who worked so diligently to make UPC a success over the last six years. It is our hope that UPC’s signature programs, campaigns, and Youth Council might be able to continue under the auspices of other organizations in our county in support of the health and well being of our youth and young adults.

The Unified Prevention Coalition of Fairfax County was based in 2970 Chain Bridge Rd, Oakton.

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