Tampa Alcohol Coalition Accomplishments 2005

Tampa Alcohol Coalition Accomplishments 2004- 2006

 Tampa Alcohol Coalition has over 100 members including law enforcement, schools, universities, beer distributors, government, courts, MADD, prevention and treatment agencies, media, parents, clergy, and students. TAC promotes educational and environmental methods to reduce underage and other high-risk drinking, and impaired driving. Monthly announcements and alcohol prevention updates are sent by e-mail to TAC members.  TAC advocated for an amendment to a county ordinance that prevents any new bottle clubs from opening in Hillsborough County, in collaboration with Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. The ordinance was passed in November 2005.  TAC produces a regularly updated Hillsborough County Alcohol Facts sheet that includes DUI arrests and alcohol-related crashes, injuries and fatalities.  Participated in the Ybor City visioning process and contributed ideas on ways to reduce underage drinking, binge drinking and impaired driving in Ybor City.  Advocated for and helped pass a youth curfew ordinance in Ybor City in 2004.  Participated in a workgroup initiated in Dec 2005 with City of Tampa, UT, USF and HCC to discuss alcohol-related problems and underage drinking. Recommended new ordinances to restrict drink specials and change bar entrance age to 21. The Tampa City Attorney issued an opinion supporting the need for an ordinance to restrict drink specials in September 2006.  Participated in a statewide “Drink Specials” restriction advocacy group in collaboration with the American Medical Association.  Presentations at TAC meetings included these topics: alcohol crash data and maps, DUI simulator, reducing DUI, alcohol-related trauma and drug impaired driving, alcohol and drug indicators, DUI court, Fake ID, drug court, Juvenile diversion programs, and state alcohol legislation.  Provided funds for students to attend the State Prevention Conference and Power Camp in 2005.  Trained youth leaders on environmental alcohol prevention, advocacy, building media skills and Sticker Shock in 2005 and 2006. Conducted a youth campaign in April 2006 in which signs informing adults of legal penalties for providing alcohol to minors were posted in convenience stores  Conducted an alcohol survey using SurveyUSA to gather adult’s opinions on underage drinking, impaired driving and alcohol policies in 2004 -2006 and produced report and PowerPoint presentation on survey results.  Supported educational programs in the school and universities including underage drinking prevention, alcohol-free alternative activities and safe driving.  University of Tampa conducted a successful impaired driving prevention program targeting college students and funded by NHTSA, 2004 - 2005.  USF Advanced Marketing Class initiative- A team of 6 USF marketing students developed a PR/ Marketing plan for TAC in the Fall 2005. Two of the students served as consultants for TAC to implement the plan and develop a TAC web site.  USF marketing students conducted research and focus groups for TAC on underage drinking and impaired driving. The students got an article published about their research in the USF Oracle, focusing on the “least drunk driver” phenomenon.  TAC supports sobriety checkpoints and saturations, and “Teen Angel”, in collaboration with HCSO Don’t Drink and Drive in Hillsborough County.  Supported consistent enforcement of underage drinking laws and compliance checks.  Held trainings for law enforcement and TAC members on responsible vendor service, fake IDs, alcohol laws and policies, alcohol and the teen brain (Dr. Aaron White, July 2006), and GIS mapping.  TAC participates in health fairs for students and parents in schools and universities and community health fairs.  Participated in statewide initiatives to reduce underage drinking and impaired driving through the Florida Office of Drug Control (Changing Alcohol Norms), Florida Higher Education Alliance for Substance Abuse Prevention (coalition of universities) and the Florida Alcohol and Drug Abuse Association.  Participated in statewide coalition alcohol policy advocacy group. The group supports: keg registration, restricting drink specials, increasing penalties for open house parties and 21 entrance age for bars, 2005- 2006. The group plans to start a statewide alcohol policy website.  Media promotions for underage drinking and impaired driving prevention included: Keys to be Drug Free (WFLA, tbo.com and Tampa Tribune), a WFLA Daytime show segment and WEDU roundtable discussion on underage drinking.  March 2006 Underage Drinking Town Hall meeting was televised on WEDU in Tampa and on PBS stations around the state.  TAC protested against a nationally syndicated radio show called Drunk Bitch Friday (DBF) that featured women getting drunk. DBF was taken of the air in Tampa in October 2005 and the nationally broadcast show was discontinued in January 2006.  TAC was mentioned in several news articles in 2006 and the TAC website was included in a Bay News 9 web article about underage drinking.  Participated on the Community Traffic Safety Team and promoted “Recipes for Road” alcohol-free drink recipe booklets produced by CTST in Dec. 2005 and 2006.  Started a data collection group for ONDCP 25 Cities and contracted with USF researchers to gather local alcohol and other drug indicators. The report was completed in June 2006 and presented at a state SEWG meeting. The alcohol indicator report will be an on-going project.  TAC collaborates with Hillsborough MADD and conducts joint projects.  TAC is mentoring a coalition in Pinellas county- Livefree.  USF researcher Kathleen Moore and an intern conducted community leader interviews and research on DUI policy and programs in Hillsborough County. A PowerPoint and summary of the research was presented to TAC in July 2006 and at the Orlando Statewide Prevention Conference.  Participated in a statewide group of EUDL funded alcohol coalitions that promote enforcement of underage drinking laws and environmental alcohol policy.  Distributors JJ Taylor and Pepin conduct educational campaigns including: brochures for parents that are distributed in area schools, college drinking brochures for the universities, and TIPS responsible vendor training. J.J. Taylor offers a designated driver program at the Ford Amphitheater. Pepin offers designated driver programs at Raymond James Stadium, and offers safe rides including Alert Cab and Tow to Go. They also sponsor a bus that shuttles USF students to and from bars in Ybor.  TAC helped stop irresponsible drink promotional ads- including an “all-you-can- drink beer” tailgating special ad sponsored by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.  TAC member agencies applied for Byrne grant funding to prevent and reduce underage drinking, DUIs, and alcohol-related crashes in Hillsborough County. Three impaired driving prevention grant proposals were generated to address drunken driving concerns and funding was allocated for all three. The programs include HCSO- increased sobriety checkpoints and saturations, and a new BAT unit; SAO- a dedicated DUI prosecutor, and Tampa Crossroads- a treatment program for multiple DUI offenders. These programs were initiated in 2004. Updates on the progress and results of these initiatives were presented at TAC meetings (2006).  Mendez Foundation provides instructors and the curriculum "Too Good for Drugs" in middle schools and some high schools, including units on underage drinking. This year Mendez added a lesson on media literacy and critiquing the Super Bowl beer ads. Mendez created "Celebrate Safe" newsletters that are distributed to parents.  TAC provides alcohol prevention resources for community agencies, PTAs and other groups.  Several law enforcement departments, including HCSO, TPD, TTPD and Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco, work together to reduce underage drinking by participation in TAC, collaboration and increased enforcement. TAC members accompanied and observed ABT agents and TPD officers enforcing underage drinking laws.  TAC provided technical assistance to a neighborhood group who successfully opposed the expansion of The Greenery Pub, a bar near the USF college campus.  DABT agents started a program ICARE that traces the source of alcohol to impaired underage drivers that cause alcohol-related crashes that result in injury or death in 2006  TAC new website: www.tampatac.com initiated in April 2006.  HCSO conducts Last Drink Surveys of those arrested for DUI and recommends Responsible Vendor training and other strategies to reduce intoxicated drivers to the bars that served DUI drivers. Last Drink data is sent to DABT for investigation if impaired drivers are underage.  Co-chair Ellen Snelling presented “Strategies to Prevent Underage Drinking at High Risk Events- Prom and Graduation” on a UDETC webcast in April 2006  Co-chairs Ellen Snelling and Sue Carrigan are presenters at the national leadership conference (UDETC) in Baltimore August 26, 2006 and at the Florida Statewide Prevention Conference in Orlando in September 22, 2006 “Coalition Strategies to Reduce Youth Access to Alcohol”  TAC presentation at the Community Traffic Safety Team on October 25, 2006.  Partner Hillsborough County Sheriff’s office received “OJJDP Law Enforcement Partner of the Year Award” in August 2006 for their work to enforce underage drinking laws and their collaboration with TAC  Alcohol-related crashes, injuries and fatalities all decreased from 2004 to 2005. Fatalities decreased from 75 in 2004 to 59 in 2005 (21% decrease). TAC collaborated with community and law enforcement partners to help lower these statistics.  Participated in the Great American Teach In on November 15, 2006. Presentations about impaired driving and underage drinking given at Stewart Middle School- 4 classes, approx. 120 students. Lt. Keith Hamilton, DABT, spoke to 150 students at gateway Christian Academy and 230 students at Jennings Middle School.  Supported MADD Dash for SADD race on November 18 at Al Lopez park. This race is sponsored by Jesuit High School SADD club and raises money for SADD and Hillsborough MADD.  Placed an underage drinking PSA in the CTST 2006 Recipes for the Road alcohol-free drinks publication.  In 2006 participated in student alcohol awareness events: May 11 and August 15 Wharton HS, October 5th at Hillsborough HS, Dec 1 at Chamberlain HS  Underage Drinking Prevention Billboards placed in the community September- October 2006