Mission

To coordinate community efforts to reduce countywide risk factors for addiction, thereby preventing and decreasing substance use in a comprehensive and long-term manner that primarily impacts the youth in the community.

History

Founded in 2006, the Alliance for Substance Addiction Prevention (ASAP) has been a large and successful prevention coalition in Pasco County, enjoying strong representation from all sectors of the community for almost a decade. Before the coalition’s inception, reports from local law enforcement, treatment providers and the school district indicated significant increases in illegal substance abuse among youth. This galvanized the community members to form ASAP after determining no single group or agency possessed the resources to substantially impact a change in this trend. Since the beginning, ASAP has evolved to meet the needs of a rapidly growing county, becoming the coordinating body for prevention services and continuing the work of the coalition’s mission. To learn about what ASAP is currently focused on, please explore our Initiatives. Functions and Successes

Functions and Successes

As a coalition, ASAP conducts evidence-based and data driven environmental strategies to help create sustainable drug use behavior change at the community level. Although ASAP as a whole focuses on policy adoption, changing consequences, social norming, enhancing or restricting access, and altering physical design, a few of ASAP’s provider members implement evidence based curriculum and other such services to prevent drug abuse within the community. We happily promote these partners to all community members seeking their services. Their information can be found on our Resources page.

As a result of the hard work of regular volunteer members, ASAP has achieved great success. In addition to implementing social marketing and prevention media campaigns, the coalition has implemented a local ordinance restricting the sale of synthetic marijuana, had a moratorium on pill mills, and obtained the recognition of the state attorney general on successful substance exposed newborn program initiatives. To help us continue working towards our mission, click here to join ASAP. We look forward to working with new community partners and achieving even greater successes in the future!