Searhc drug free communities - recognizing that each community faces unique issues relating to substance abuse, searhc aims to bring diverse sectors together through the DFC initiative to address…

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention awarded Southeast Alaska Regional Health Consortium $125,000 on July 1, 2026, under the Drug-Free Communities Support Program (CFDA 93.276) to establish and strengthen a substance abuse prevention coalition serving Southeast Alaska.

SEARHC will convene diverse community sectors through the Drug-Free Communities initiative to address local substance abuse challenges and implement the seven strategies for community change. The coalition will enhance community skills, provide education and information, reduce access to tobacco and alcohol, and address consequences associated with substance use. Activities include increasing protective factors through youth engagement in outreach and targeting risk factors such as substance availability to build sustainable community-level improvements and decrease youth tobacco and alcohol use.

The award period runs from July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2031. Place of performance is Alaska. The program requires community coalitions to demonstrate at least six months of prior collaboration on substance abuse reduction initiatives, maintain nonprofit or government status, document substantial community volunteer effort, and provide 100 to 150 percent cash or in-kind match. Recipients must participate in program evaluation and submit annual Federal Financial Reports and performance reports.

SEARHC is a nonprofit, Native-administered health consortium established in 1975 to serve Tlingit, Haida, Tsimshian, and other Alaska Native and rural communities across Southeast Alaska, operating facilities including a regional hospital in Sitka, a medical center in Wrangell, and eleven village clinics accessible primarily by boat or plane.

Searhc drug free communities - recognizing that each community faces unique issues relating to substance abuse, searhc aims to bring diverse sectors together through the DFC initiative to address local challenges and develop customized, measurable solutions. Through the implementation of the seven strategies for community change, this coalition will enhance community skills, provide education and information, reduce access to tobacco and alcohol, and address the consequences associated with substance use. Engaging community members in prevention efforts ensures meaningful and effective solutions. By increasing protective factors such as engaging youth in outreach and targeting risk factors like substance availability, this coalition will be equipped to create lasting change. Ultimately, our goal is to build sustainable community-level improvements and decrease youth tobacco and alcohol use through collaborative, community-driven strategies.