Safe stop program for juneau county wisconsin - the safe stop program will work to reduce underage drinking in 14-19 year olds in all of juneau county, wisconsin

The Department of Health and Human Services Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration awarded $240,000 to Juneau County Health Department on September 30, 2025, under the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Projects of Regional and National Significance program (CFDA 93.243).

The Safe Stop Program reduces underage drinking among 14- to 19-year-olds across Juneau County, Wisconsin through two integrated approaches. To reduce alcohol access, the program increases responsible beverage serving trainings open to the public, expands municipal enforcement of point systems for alcohol license renewals, and supports municipalities in adopting best-practice ordinances governing alcohol sales and services at community events. To address drinking norms among teens, the program engages all five county school districts in a social norms campaign, implements quarterly #WOWTALKS teen cafes, and operates a substance-free athletics program. The program targets five school districts with a combined high school enrollment of 1,135 students and serves all youth ages 14 to 19 in the county.

By September 29, 2029, the program aims to reduce past 30-day alcohol use among Juneau County high school students from 25 percent to 22 percent and increase perception of harm of underage drinking from 57 percent to 62 percent, both measured by the Youth Risk Behavior Survey.

Performance occurs in Mauston, Wisconsin. The award period runs through September 29, 2029.

The program will address underage drinking in two ways: reducing access to alcohol by implementing best practices through retail and community access points, and by addressing norms regarding alcohol use among teens through an increase in positive connectedness with peers, parents, and other adult mentors. To reduce access to alcohol, the program will increase the number of responsible beverage serving trainings open to the public, increase the number of municipalities that enforce a point system for alcohol license renewals, and support municipalities in adopting best practice ordinance around alcohol sales and services at community events. In doing so, by 9/29/2029, the program aims to reduce past 30-day use of alcohol among juneau county high school students from 25% to 22% as measured by the youth risk behavior survey. To address norms regarding alcohol use among teens, the program will work to increase connectedness among students and adults by engaging all school districts in a social norms campaign and implementing quarterly #wowtalks teen cafes as well as the substance free athletics program with local school districts. In doing so, by 9/29/2029, the program aims to increase perception of harm of underage drinking among juneau county high school students from 57% to 62% as measured by the youth risk behavior survey. The safe stop program will serve all 14-19 year olds in juneau county. There are five school districts and those will be the focus of programming. Total high school enrollment at those districts equals 1,135 students. The juneau county population is predominantly white (88%), with minorities representing spanish-speaking (3%), african american (2%), and HO-chunk nation members (CENSUS) and half of students are deemed economically disadvantaged.