If you have issues viewing or accessing this file contact us at NCJRS.gov. Preventing Alcohol and Other Drug Problems In our Communities: Case Studies and Resources Community Information Exchange en o This publicatIon is part of a research project funded by the -£ • Center for Substance Abuse Prevention 6 r ~~--~~----------~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~-~~~~~~~~~~~~~- This publication was made possible by a Communications Cooperative Agreement with the Division of Communication Programs of the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Community Information Exchange StatT: Writer/Project Manager: Laura E. McGrath Project Planners/Reviewers: Kathy Desmond Steven Seuser Research Assistants: Christopher Johansen Eric Mader Center for Substance Abuse Prevention Staff: Project Officer: Susan Lockhart Staff Collaborator: Debra Burgess Copies of this publication are available for $15 (prepaid) from: Community Information Exchange 1029 Vermont Avenue, N.W., Suite 710 Washington, D.C. 20005 This document is in the public domain, is not copyrighted and may be duplicated and used without prior approval. The Community Information Exchange requests acknowledgement when copying. Preventing Alcohol and Other Drug Problems in our Communities: Case Studies and Resources Community Information Exchange 141103 U.S. Department of Justice National Institute of Justice This document has been reproduced exactly as received from the person or organization originating it. Points of view or opinions stated in this document are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the National Institute of Justice. Permission to reproduce this copyrighted material has been granted by commmity Information Exchange to the National Criminal Justice Reference Service (NCJRS). Further reproduction outside of the NCJRS system requires permission of the copyright owner. This publication is part of a research project funded by the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention Table of Contents Introduction Case Studies Abbottsford Crime and Drug Prevention Project 1 Alternative Activities for Youth 5 Community Responses to Drug Abuse 8 Comprehensive Community Prevention 12 Fighting Backl 16 Great Grandville Avenue Graffitti Cover-Up 19 Operation P.O.P. (Push Out the Pusher) 22 The Circle Keepers 26 Wilmington Cluster Against Substance Abuse 29 Youthworks 33 Funders 36 Technical Assistance Providers 57 Publications 67 About the Community Information Exchange Introduction This publication is part of a project of the Community Information Exchange to identify alcohol and other drug problem prevention strategies that have been tried and tested by community-based organizations. This project was funded by a Communications Cooperative Agreement with the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP, formerly the Office for Substance Abuse Prevention, aSAP) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. An advisory panel was convened in Spring 1992 to assist in clarifying the conceptual framework and identifying promising programs. Prior to it, the Exchange consulted several dozen persons with expertise in the dual fields of community-based development and alcohol and other drug problem prevention. The advisory panel also helped identify examples of effective community prevention programs, the best technical assistance providers, key funders, and practical written materials for the target audience -- grassroots community organizations that wish to address the alcohol and other drug problems in their communities. The Exchange staff then interviewed and wrote case studies of ten innovative programs that could be considered by other groups. Each case study was reviewed and verified by the group described. Under Project Manager Laura McGrath's guidance, staff also researched information on the most helpful funders, technical assistance providers and written materials. The Community Information Exchange published an Alert report on this project, "Community Development Strategies to Prevent Alcohol and Other Drug Problems." The report drew upon the suggestions of the Advisory Panel, other interviews, case studies and other research contained in this publication. This companion publication presents the complete case studies, the full listing of all technical assistance providers and funders, and abstracts of written materials developed for this project. Some were synthesized in the Alert and all were added to the Exchange's computerized databases. The format in this publication is that of the databases. The case studies present the project, its setting, development, funding and lessons learned. We encourage readers to contact the resource groups directly. The Exchange also drew upon the expertise of the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention staff and other CSAP communications grantees, who shared their experiences designing and producing prevention materials for their targeted audiences at three meetings convened by CSAP during the course of the project. The Alert was carefully reviewed by members of the advisory panel, CSAP staff, and representatives of the National Association of Neighborhoods. We acknowledge, with appreciation, their valuable contributions to this project. November, 1992 MODEL PROJECT CASE STUDIES TITLE OF PROJECI': Abbottsford Crime and Drug Prevention Project LOCATION OF PROJECT: Philadelphia, PA NEED ADDRESSED: ALCOHOL AND OTHER DRUG PROBLEM PREVENTION; CRIME PREVENTION; HUMAN SERVICES, LACK OF; YOUTH AT HIGH RISK DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS: HUMAN SERVICES; PUBUC HOUSING; RESIDENT MANAGEMENT ABSTRAcr: The Abbottsford Tenant Management Corporation manages 700 units of public housing in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Corporation and its predecessor, the Abbottsford Tenant Council, developed and implemented a comprehensive community development strategy aimed at ridding the Abbottsford community of illicit drugs and crime and making positive changes to ensure that these problems did not return. Activities to decrease the use and selling of drugs in the community include marches, resident patrols, coordination with police, and tenant crime prevention programs. As part of an overall community development strategy, the Tenant Council received training and became one 9f five tenant management corporations in the country. The Philadelphia Housing Authority made physical improvements to housing units, streets and lighting. An array of social services, including a health center and day care center, also are provided within the community. The Tenant Council received funds from several Philadelphia foundations to initiate this effort; additional support has come from the U.S. Departments of Housing and Urban Development and Health and Human Services, and Urban Woman, Inc. ORGANIZATION NAME: Abbottsford Tenant Management Corporation ADDRESS: 3210 McMichael Street CITY: Philadelphia STATE: PA ZIP: 19129 TELEPHONE: 215/848-6911 CONTACI' PERSON: Dorothy Harrell, President TYPE OF PROJECI': ALCOHOL AND OTHER DRUG PROBLEM PREVENTION; HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES; ORGANIZING SIZE OF PROJECI': public housing community TARGET POPULATION: low income residents % MINORITY POPULATION: Black 81-100% COMMUNITY CHARACTERISTICS: DETERIORATING PROPERTIES; HIGH CRIME; LOW INCOME; PUBUC HOUSING; SOCIAL SERVICES, LACK OF; URBAN CATEGORY: 8 REPORT. COMMUNITY DESCRIPTION The Abbottsford Housing Development in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, contains 700 units of public housing. Bounded by light industrial parks and a major freeway, the Abbottsford community is isolated from surrounding middle- and upper-class neighborhoods. Dorothy Harrell, President of Abbottsford Tenant Management Corporation, describes Abbottsford as "a little city of our own." Approximately 3500 people live in Abbottsford. A majority of the residents are African American; the remainder are White or Hispanic. By the mid-1980s, the Abbottsford community was experiencing a serious crime and drug problem in addition to problems with deteriorating housing units and a lack of needed social and health services. By the end of the decade, illicit drugs had taken a firm hold in the community, taking advantage of the isolated atmosphere and the low priority set for Abbottsford by local law enforcement agencies. 1 SPONSORING QRGANIZATION The Abbottsford Tenant Management Corporation began operation as the first tenant management organization in the state of Pennsylvania in May, 1991. With a $5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Abbottsford Tenant Management Corporation, with trained tenants as staff, manage the 700 unit Abbottsford Housing Development. They became one of only five such organizations in the country. Prior to becoming a tenant management corporation, the Abbottsford Tenant Council, made up of tenant volunteers, planned and carried out the anti-crime and anti-drug strategies in the community. The Council also developed a comprehensive economic and community development strategy for Abbottsford. PRomer DEVEWPMENT PROCESS AND DESCRIPTION In the mid-1980s, Resources for Human Development, a non-profit social services organization in Philadelphia, began outreach work in the Abbottsford community to enroll community children in a new Head Start program. It soon became cle,u to the outreach staff, however, that the community was facing a host of problems, including a high incidence of crime, youth prostitution, violence, and the use of crack cocaine by residents. Acting on their concern, the staff from Resources