Garwood Municipal Alliance
First Meeting:
Monday, September 16th at 7 pm
Garwood Borough Hall
403 South Avenue, Garwood
Patricia Vazquez, Municipal Alliance Coordinator
Phone: (908) 789-0710 ext. 102
Fax: (908) 789-7978
Mail: 403 South Avenue, Garwood, NJ 07027
Email: p-vazquez@garwood.org
About the Municipal Alliance Program
In 1989, by an act of the New Jersey Legislature (P.L. 1989, Chapter 51), Governor’s Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse (GCADA) was established as an independent planning and coordinating body covering state, county and local efforts regarding alcoholism, tobacco and other drug abuse. The GCADA Council has three core functions: policy and planning; public awareness and education; and, the administration of the Alliance to Prevent Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Program.
The Garwood Municipal Alliance promotes the mental, social and physical health of its community members by fostering an environment that is free of misuse and abuse of alcohol, marijuana, vaping and other illicit drugs. Activities include:
- Coordinating efforts among schools, law enforcement, business groups and other community organizations to promote education and awareness and prevent alcohol and drug abuse
- Cooperating with the Garwood School District to provide:
- Comprehensive and effective programs combating alcoholism and drug abuse among students’ appropriate interventions for students abusing alcohol and drugs
- Education, support, and outreach efforts for parents in Garwood
- Working with local government to develop and enforce local ordinances reducing alcohol consumption and preventing the sale of tobacco/vaping or other illicit products to minors
The Garwood Municipal Alliance is part of the Governor’s Council on Alcohol and Drug Abuse (GCADA) and provides financial support for community youth activities, clubs and programs offered through the Garwood School district, such as the DARE Program.
Municipal Alliance Committee
The governing body of each municipality may appoint a Municipal Alliance Committee (MAC), which identifies substance use disorder prevention and education needs in the community. Membership includes representatives of schools, courts, law enforcement, religious and social service organizations, parents, businesses, recovering persons, and concerned citizens.
The Garwood Municipal Alliance Committee will help to combat alcoholism and drug abuse by:
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Empowering residents concerned about substance abuse to provide prevention programs in their community.
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Conducting a Strategic Plan of the community's substance use disorder prevention resources and needs.
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Developing and submitting a Municipal Alliance Plan for the expenditure of funds derived from fines of drug offenders for the implementation of substance use prevention activities for community members of all ages.
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Coordinating prevention projects within the municipality to avoid fragmentation and duplication.
Funding for the Municipal Alliance
Funding for the Municipal Alliance Program comes from the Drug Enforcement Demand Reduction (DEDR) Fund for the purpose of being returned to communities and used for local substance abuse prevention activities. County funding is distributed based on a formula that primarily focuses on population. Local funding is distributed based on formula, programmatic and fiscal compliance.
For further information on the Garwood Municipal Alliance Program, please contact Patricia Vazquez, Garwood Municipal Alliance Coordinator, at (908) 789-0710 ext. 102 or p-vazquez@garwood.org.
Resources
Click here for list of Treatment Centers and Informational Websites