By Dustin Faber
news@waldronnews.com
Melissa Gasaway is optimistic about year three.
The Scott county Health and Education Coalition coordinator hopes the third year, which began July 1, is as successful as year two when it comes to preventing underage drinking.
How successful was year two? Gasaway said that Waldron was the first city in Arkansas to pass a social host ordinance, which provides criminal liability for a social host (parent or property owner) who knowingly serves alcohol to persons under the age of 21.
The state followed suit, signing a bill, Act 976 or 2009, into law in April that also holds people liable if they serve alcohol to underage persons. Waldron police chief David Millard testified before the House, citing availability as one of the reasons how underage drinking takes place.
"We were on of the top-five counties in Arkansas for underage drinking, but we're dropping out of that."
At Tuesday's 6 p.m. meeting at the Rich Mountain College campus, Gasaway said that the group would talk about different initiatives to involve teens.
"Hopefully youth will show up to give their opinion on that," Gasaway said, also mentioning that different community events would be talked about as well.
Gasaway said that Project Northland, a multilevel intervention program for grades 6 through 9, would be implemented again this year. The National Registry of Evidence-based Programs and Practices said that students who participated in Project Northland were less likely to drink alcohol that other students.
The SCHEC receives $150,000 each year to use to reduce underage drinking in Scott County.