SAMHSA Sponsors Local Town Hall Meetings in Recognition of Alcohol Awareness Month

April is Alcohol Awareness Month, and proactive organizations like the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) are doing their part to recognize its importance by supporting and assembling local underage drinking prevention initiatives.

Underage drinking kills approximately 4,700 youth a year, among many other tragic consequences, and prevention is crucial to reduce the negative impacts it has on families and communities.

This is the fifth year SAMHSA has sponsored national Town Hall Meetings that have proven effective to achieve the following:

• Educating community members about the consequences of underage drinking.
• Empowering communities to make environmental changes to prevent underage drinking.
• Mobilizing communities around underage drinking prevention initiatives at the local, state, and national levels.

More than 2,000 communities across the nation will be hosting these meetings to coincide with Alcohol Awareness Month, and anyone interested is welcome—and encouraged—to attend and join their community in observance of this problem that affects us all.
Hear an important message from Frances M. Harding, Director of SAMHSA’s Center for Substance Abuse Prevention, on why you should attend Town Hall Meetings this month!

For more on the effects of underage drinking, view these infographics compiled by the Interagency Coordinating Committee on the Prevention of Underage Drinking.

Cecilia Bianco is the social and digital communications account coordinator for Prichard Communications. She contributes to the Reclaiming Futures blog regarding topics of juvenile justice reform and substance abuse prevention.