+Positive Youth Development Workgroup Compliance Check Strategy Featured as Success Story
The Alcohol Policy Resource Center has featured the Workgroup for Positive Youth Development (+PYD) in their Prevention First! Publication. The workgroup is led by Prevention Service Manager Kelly O’Connor and included members of the Oak Park and River Forest Police Departments. +PYD was featured in the February newsletter from the Alcohol Policy Resource Center for the Compliance Checks program as an evidence-based strategy to reduce underage drinking. By implementing alcohol compliance checks as well as other strategies, Oak Park and River Forest communities have seen a 20% decrease in the Retail Access Rate of Alcohol by minors since 2012. In addition, since 2018, law enforcement has checked 118 retailers with a 98% pass rate of these establishments. The full story and contact information can be found here.
Kelly O’Connor, Prevention Services Manager for Oak Park Township, stated, “One of the greatest successes in conducting compliance checks is working together with local law enforcement. The collaborative partnership we have created sends a positive and powerful prevention message to our community. Having youth and adult volunteers work alongside the coalition has helped demonstrate that addressing underage drinking takes everyone to get involved!”
Recent accomplishments of the coalition and +PYD include the following:
- Responsible Beverage Service and Liquor Compliance Checks
- Communication Campaigns for both Adults and Youth
- Youth Prevention Education in schools
+PYD also provides education and information through other alcohol and drug prevention initiatives including: National Prescription Take Back Day and Red Ribbon Week, an annual drug prevention awareness program. The Workgroup for Positive Youth Development is comprised of parents, educators, law enforcement officials, local governmental agencies, and other community organizations.
By applying the Strategic Prevention Framework, +PYD is able to provide data and evidence-based strategies to support policy makers, providers, parents, and youth in addressing the environmental factors that can lead to higher rates of substance use among youth.
Please click here to download the press release.
+Positive Youth Development (+PYD) is funded by a Drug-Free Communities grant from the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) and managed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The Alcohol Policy Resource Center (APRC) at Prevention First provides training, education, resources, and tools on evidence-based alcohol policy strategies to municipalities, local officials, law enforcement, and community coalitions focused on underage drinking in communities throughout Illinois. Their mission is to help communities reduce underage drinking and alcohol misuse. Their goal is to reduce alcohol use among those who are 12-25 years old in communities throughout Illinois.
To learn more about +PYD or to get involved, please visit https://oakparktownship.org/pyd.
Effective February 19, 2021