§ 16-21.2-4 - Substance abuse prevention program. - Rhode Island Statutes

SECTION 16-21.2-4

   § 16-21.2-4  Substance abuse preventionprogram. – (a) The department of mental health, retardation, and hospitals shall becharged with the administration of this chapter and shall provide grants toassist in the planning, establishment, and operation of substance abuseprevention programs. Grants under this section shall be made to municipalgovernments or their designated agents according to the following guidelines:

   (1) The maximum grant shall be one hundred twenty-fivethousand dollars ($125,000); provided, however, in the event that availablefunding exceeds $1.6 million in a fiscal year, those surplus funds are to bedivided proportionately among the cities and towns on a per capita basis but inno event shall the city of Providence exceed a maximum grant cap of $175,000.00.

   (2) In order to obtain a grant, the municipality or itsdesignated agent must in the first year:

   (i) Demonstrate the municipality's need for a comprehensivesubstance abuse program in the areas of prevention and education.

   (ii) Demonstrate that the municipality has established byappropriate legislative or executive action, a substance abuse preventioncouncil which shall assist in assessing the needs and resources of thecommunity, developing a three (3) year plan of action addressing the identifiedneeds, the operation and implementation of the overall substance abuseprevention program; coordinating existing services such as law enforcement,prevention, treatment, and education; consisting of representatives of themunicipal government, representatives of the school system, parents, and humanservice providers.

   (iii) Demonstrate the municipality's ability to develop aplan of implementation of a comprehensive three (3) year substance abuseprevention program based on the specific needs of the community to include highrisk populations of adolescents, children of substance abusers, and primaryeducation school aged children.

   (iv) Agree to conduct a survey/questionnaire of the studentpopulation designed to establish the extent of the use and abuse of drugs andalcohol in students throughout the local community's school population.

   (v) Demonstrate that at least twenty percent (20%) of thecost of the proposed program will be contributed either in cash or in-kind bypublic or private resources within the municipality.

   (b) The department of mental health, retardation, andhospitals shall adopt rules and regulations necessary and appropriate to carryout the purposes of this section.