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Alcohol Use and Abuse

Countywide Initiative to Reduce Underage Drinking (CIRUD)

The Unified Prevention Coalition of Fairfax County (UPC) convened the first meeting of its Countywide Initiative to Reduce Underage Drinking (CIRUD) in August 2006, bringing together school-community coalitions, community organizations, and county agencies to address the epidemic of underage drinking. Today approximately 50 organizations support the UPC and its Countywide Initiative.

Parents Who Host, Lose the Most Don't be a party to teenage drinking page is a public education campaign in its fifth year seeks to educate parents about Virginia underage drinking laws and facts associated with teen drinking.

Other CIRUD Accomplishments and Ongoing Projects

  • Legislative Advocacy for Parent Education: Successful networking, educating, and lobbying to formally add a 90-minute parent/teen session to the adolescent driver education curriculum in Northern Virginia. HB 1782 passed by the Virginia General Assembly on 2/28/09. The parent component, effective as of the 2010-2011 school year, emphasizes parental responsibilities and legal restrictions relative to Virginia juvenile driving requirements, including underage consumption of alcohol.
  • CIRUD was awarded the 2009 WRAPPY Youth Leadership Award by the Washington Regional Alcohol Program (WRAP) for legislative success.
  • Increased Awareness for Parents of Seniors: Since 2008, letters co-signed by the BOS Chairman, FCPD Chief, and School Board Chair and fact sheets have been mailed annually to approximately 13,000 parents of high school seniors addressing underage drinking issues pertinent to young adults entering the work force, military, or college. View letter and fact sheet.
  • Forums on the "Perils of the College Drinking Culture," co-sponsored with the Fairfax County Police Department and other local organizations, feature a film entitled, HAZE, and audience discussion with key experts from law enforcement, judicial, medical, college and community sectors.  Over 1000 parents and teens  participated in these successful forums in 2010 and 2011.
  • Community Awareness Through Collaboration: Since 2008, over 100 large color maps titled "Injury and Fatal Crashes Involving Teenage Drivers" and created by FCPD were printed and distributed by CIRUD in sponsorship with Farmers Insurance Group to all FCPS driver education teachers and police district stations.
  • Education/Awareness: Created a local "Parent-Teen Resource Guide" released in June 2010 to help family members and students know where to turn for confidential assistance when a loved one is suspected of alcohol or other drug use.
  • Education/Awareness: Participated in Walk Like MADD, Celebrate Fairfax, Substance Abuse Awareness Week, Fairfax County Government Lunch and Learn program, FCPS Elementary Counselors In-Service, Paul VI Catholic School, Fairfax Hospital Pediatric Rounds, Town Hall Meetings on Underage Drinking, conferences, and health fairs with displays of brochures and presentations addressing underage drinking.
  • Collaboration with School-Community Coalitions: Worked together in distributing information to parents supporting safe Prom, Halloween, and graduation celebrations and supporting parent presentations.

For Additional Information:

Additional Resources:

  • The Fairfax-Falls Church Community Services Board (CSB) partners with individuals, families, and the community to empower and support Fairfax-Falls Church residents with or at risk of developmental delay, intellectual disabilities, mental illness, and alcohol or drug abuse or dependency. Important CSB Phone Numbers:
    • 24-Hour CSB Emergency Services: Phone: 703-573-5679, TTY: 703-207-7737
    • Fairfax Detoxification Center: Phone: 703-502-7000, TTY: 703-538-5292CSB
    • Entry and Referral Services: Phone: 703-383-8500, TTY: 711
  • Rethinking Drinking - NIAAA
  • The Partnership at Drugfree.org Launches 1-855-DRUGFREE Bilingual (English/Spanish), Toll-Free Helpline for Parents of Kids Who are Using Drugs or Drinking

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The Unified Prevention Coalition (UPC) and this website are partially funded with a Drug Free Communities Support Program federal grant administered by the Office of National Drug Control Policy and SAMHSA.
The UPC is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization with 50 partners and members from the community.