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About Rio Grande Safe Communities Coalition/ Contact Us
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About Rio Grande Safe Communities Coalition/ Contact Us
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MISSION STATEMENT
To promote health and safety and to reduce substance abuse, which enhances the quality of life for youth and adults living in the Paso del Norte Region of the Rio Grande.
GOALS
1. To collect, analyze and prioritize injury/illness/fatality data related to traffic crashes and substance abuse
2. To develop a comprehensive regional plan to address education/prevention, intervention, treatment and enforcement
3. To serve as the catalyst, to standardize health and safety public policies, and to change social norms within the three jurisdictions
4. To facilitate and coordinate the implementation of regional programs
5. To evaluate the effectiveness of the Coalition’s initiatives
MEMBERSHIP
The coalition is open to all individuals, agencies and organizations interested in improving the quality of life for all who live, work or play in this tri-state region.
2004 - 2005 Officers
Chair-Person: Naomi Fahrenkrug, South Central New Mexico Prevention Coalition
Vice-Chair: Rob Gallardo, Director, OnRamp Youth Foundation El Paso
Treasurer: Joe Sarrica, R.E.Thomason General Hospital
Secretary: Dra. Maria Teresa Zorrilla, Office of Senator Jeffrey Jones, Chihuahua, Mexico
Past Chair: John Concha, El Paso Fire Department
Office Staff
Marge Bartoletti, Director
Irene Imai-Duran, Office Coordinator - TCADA/CCP Grant
Mary Ellen Hernandez, Youth Services Coordinator
Margie L. Hammond, Office Coordinator - TCADA/State Incentive Grant
COALITION MEETING INFORMATION
The Coalition meets the second Thursday of each month at 1100 N. Stanton St, in the 4th or 6th floor conference room. The meetings are held from 1:30pm to 3:30 pm. Confirm with Irene or Katie by calling (915) 775-2555.
Next meeting is scheduled for Thursday, January 13, 2005.
HISTORY and RECOGNITIONS
August 2004 2003 Exemplary Award for Innovative Programs by the nation’s leading substance abuse and community prevention organizations. RGSCC is one of only five organizations in the U.S. to receive this award.
November 2003 awarded the 2003 Community Champion Award by the Texas Commission on alcohol and drug abuse in recognition for excellent work being done in El Paso, Juarez and Las Cruces communities in substance abuse prevention.
August 2002 Director’s Award for Outstanding Service from the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) in recognition of achievements in preventing drug use among youth in the community in support of the President’s Drug Control Strategy
Recognized as The First Bi-national Safe Communities Coalition in the Country by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
Organized in 1999 through a grant from the Texas Dept of Transportation, the coalition’s first project identified alcohol/ substance abuse as the number one contributing factor in traffic crash-related injuries and fatalities and developed regional plans to reduce traffic crashes and prevent substance abuse.
With funding from the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, the Coalition implemented an initiative based on the idea that the best way to reach, influence and educate young people is through their peers. Its most recent project focuses on the development of a bi-national, regional alcohol and drug data collection/ surveillance system.
TCADA currently funds two grants awarded to RGSCC. The Community Coalition Program (CCP) seeks to support coalition initiation in the region. The State Incentive Grant (SIG) has been awarded for the purpose of replicating the San Diego-Tijuana model program to reduce cross border binge drinking. The local project is titled Operation Bridge.
The agency and coalition have received significant coverage for their efforts in the local print, radio and television media.
CT US
CONTACT US
Rio Grande Safe Communities
6070 Gateway East Blvd. # 509
El Paso, Texas 79905
Phone (915) 775-2555 Fax (915) 775-2559 email: safecommunitiesept@sbcglobal.net
RGSCC programs are currently funded by the Texas Commission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse (TCADA) and the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. R.E. Thomason Hospital (www.thomasoncares.org) is the Rio Grande Safe Communities Coalition's fiscal agent.
Last updated 1/12/05
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