DART Prevention Coalition
Taking Aim at Substance Use in Ocean County
Founded in 2009, the DART Prevention Coalition has served Ocean County for 10 years. The Coalition focuses on preventing underage drinking, prescription drug abuse and the illegal use of marijuana and tobacco in Ocean County. DART is comprised of community leaders including law enforcement and government officials, educators, business owners, substance abuse professionals, faith-based leaders, and youth.
Using a data-driven approach, DART continually assesses substance use trends in the county in order to implement community-level strategies that best address the unique needs of Ocean County. Strategies include policy advocacy, training for alcohol retailers, promotion of prescription drug dropboxes, community presentations, technical assistance to emerging local coalitions, and coordination of 15 Youth Prevention Coalitions. The DART Prevention Coalition was recently recognized by Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA) as the 2018 Coalition of the Year. This national award highlights the work of coalitions that achieve successful population level change in their communities.
Resources
If you would like to become a member or learn more about the Coalition, please contact dart@rwjbh.org.
