City Receives STOP Grant

Melrose recently received a grant of $48,258 per year for four years as part of the Sober Truth on Preventing Underage Drinking Act (STOP ACT) grant program, according to a city press statement.

Melrose is one of 81 communities nationwide selected to receive this federal grant, which will be used to expand the city's ongoing efforts through the Melrose Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition, according to the statement.

"Our Health Department has done an outstanding job," said Mayor Rob Dolan in the statement, "and this additional funding is testimony to that. We are one of only a handful of communities to be selected to receive these funds, which is a testament to how well our Health Department manages its programs. This is a great benefit to our community."

A portion of the funds will be used to hire an additional staff member to expand many initiatives of the coalition, including work with the Youth Action Team, according to the statement.

The grant also includes funding for informal parent gatherings where small groups of parents can learn about youth substance use issues from a trained clinician, reads the statement. All trainings cover basic substance abuse information, current trends, signs and symptoms of abuse, and resources for parents, reads the statement. The information sessions also provide parents with opportunities to learn how substance use affects youth brain development and the importance of communicating parental expectations around their child’s substance use, the statement continued.

The meetings will take place in parents' homes, according to the statement.

"One person invites eight to (10) friends over, so it's more personal and relaxed," said Jen Kelly, coordinator of the Melrose Substance Abuse Coalition, in the statement. "Hopefully the group feels comfortable enough to ask questions they may not bring up in a larger group setting. One person who attends a session then offers to set up another meeting in their home, inviting 8-10 different people.” 

The grant will also fund a number of other activities, including:

• Reviving the Healthy Alternatives action team to increase positive opportunities for youth activities.
• Offering alcoholic beverage server trainings, which are mandated by local liquor licensing regulations.
• Taking part in the fifth-grade and eighth-grade step-up days.
• Continuing to help fund the pre-prom forum that is offered every year.
• Assisting with mandatory student athlete/parent meetings.
• Offer additional training to school faculty, coaches, and other organizations who work with youth.

The STOP ACT grant program provides funding for community-based coalitions throughout the country to prevent and reduce alcohol use among by individuals ages 12-20, according to the statement. The program strengthens collaboration among communities, as well as federal, state, local and tribal governments, in efforts to instill an active commitment to prevent underage drinking, reads the statement. The grants are awarded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), the statement noted.