CLARK COUNTY —
A town hall meeting Thursday will highlight the problem of underage drinking in Clark County.
It will be one of more than 1,700 town hall events across the country this year in recognition of Alcohol Awareness Month in April, according to the Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration.
“We are trying to look at what underage drinking looks like here in our community,” said Mary Watkins, coordinator for the Grassroots Prevention Coalition of Clark County.
Jeffersonville High School DARE Officer Jason Jackson, Clark County Superior Court No. 1 Judge Vicki Carmichael, a probation officer and Glenn Gibson, with Life Improvement Counseling Center, are expected to make up a panel for the event.
A local youth group will perform a musical demonstration. A research team from Indiana University will present evidence and statistics recorded within the last year concerning underage drinking.
The event will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. at Community Action of Southern Indiana, at 1613 E. Eighth St. Organizers hope to attract 200 to 300 people. Watkins said the event targets youth, but also is for their parents.
“I think parents provide an environment where youth can get the alcohol, or they allow them to have it or even have parties,” she said.
Watkins said that youth alcohol and marijuana usage is higher in Southern Indiana than the national average.
“The two big problems in this area that have been identified are [those two],” she said.
Watkins said the coalition plans a 2011 survey to update data on alcohol usage in the area. The coalition, which is in its sixth year, was inactive last year but has been revived and is collaborating with other organizations in the community. It has five years remaining of a federal Drug Free Communities grant.
“We hope to become a very valuable vehicle or tool in this area,” Watkins said.
The coalition seeks to prevent and reduce underage drinking, tobacco use and substance abuse. The town hall meeting is the first big Grassroots Prevention Coalition event since restarting, but Watkins said organizers hope to have three events like it each year.
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STATISTICS ABOUT UNDERAGE DRINKING
• 10.1 million youth ages 12-20 are current alcohol drinkers.
• 17.4 percent of underage youth engaged in binge drinking during the past month.
• 16.7 percent of youth age 18 to 20 have driven under the influence of alcohol in the past year.
— Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration
