Report Title:

Drug Abuse Prevention; Appropriation

Description:

Appropriates $200,000 for grass roots community-based anti-drug and substance abuse events in Hawaii county.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

2521

TWENTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2006

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 


 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

MAKING AN APPROPRIATION FOR COMMUNITY ANTI-DRUG FUND.

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

SECTION 1. This legislature finds that drug abuse, and particularly the use of crystal methamphetamine, or "ice", is the greatest threat to a community's health and public safety on the island of Hawaii. Although a strategic element in combating drug abuse, the community cannot solely rely on increases in the policing and prosecution of abusers, nor can drug abuse be solved through institutional rehabilitation and education. Grass roots community involvement is a necessary element in combating this plague upon the island of Hawaii. In an effort to stimulate and implement grass roots community involvement in the fight against drug abuse, the county of Hawaii developed the community anti-drug fund and implemented various drug and substance abuse services and programs, such as the healing our island fund, which is based on the community anti-drug fund. The healing our island fund was established two years ago and thus far one hundred thirty community groups have received grants to address drug and other substance abuse services and programs. This program is intended to permit organizations and community associations that are not tax exempt under Internal Revenue Code Section 501(c)(3) to conduct anti-drug activities in their communities with a focus on youth, family, and neighborhood. These grants are limited to requests of no more than $2,000 and are used for grass roots community-based anti-drug and substance abuse events.

These grants are administered by the Hawaii county resource center, a division of the Hawaii county department of research and development agency. All grant requests are scored by a committee of ten to fifteen representatives from county, state, and community members from every district of the island of Hawaii. All grant requests that are not funded are provided assistance by the Hawaii county resource center to improve their applications and increase the likelihood of funding in the future. Applications are reviewed monthly and funding made available the following month. All grantees are required to submit a follow-up report detailing the impact of their program initiative upon their community and the number of participants in anti-drug efforts.

This program has been very well-received in the community for the past two years. Its purpose, to provide support to grass roots and community-based anti-drug efforts, has encouraged a number of communities to collaborate and cooperate in prevention efforts to address substance abuse issues. The county of Hawaii looks forward to continuing this program with continued state legislative support.

SECTION 2. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $200,000, or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2006-2007, for the county of Hawaii community anti-drug fund to be expended to address drug and substance abuse issues.

The sum appropriated shall be expended by the county of Hawaii for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 3. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2006.

INTRODUCED BY:

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