Control States Add Alcohol Education Programs to College Curriculum

July 23, 2014 - PRLog -- Throughout the year, Virginia and Pennsylvania conduct statewide awareness programs to educate students and adults about the dangers of alcohol, underage drinking and drinking and driving.

The Virginia Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control’s College Tour is a statewide initiative where colleges host a one-day conference to bring together student leaders and university staff. The Virginia ABC is also involved in the Virginia College Alcohol Leadership Council. The Council helps students prevent high-risk behaviors through mentoring, education and other strategies.

The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board has been involved with college alcohol programs for more than two decades through its Bureau of Alcohol Education. The PLCB works to create and promote college consortiums around the state to engage members of campus communities in discussions about alcohol-related college issues. The PLCB also publishes literature for parents of first-year college students and a pamphlet that highlights how students with alcohol offenses may be negatively impacted once they graduate from college.

For more information about these programs, see the below Control States College Programs flyer or visit www.nabca.org/page/Storify.

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Control State College Programs

States that follow the control model of alcohol distribution take education seriously as part of their mandate. Many of these states have extensive programs focusing on underage drinking initiatives and other areas of safety and prevention. Programs are promoted through social media to reach stakeholders including students, parents, and teachers. Many of the education initiatives in control states are partially funded by NABCA Education Grants.

One major area of alcohol education is focused on college drinking programs as highlighted by the efforts in Virginia and Pennsylvania.

Virginia

One of the guiding principles of the Virginia Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) is to “promote educational resources that target underage drinking.” This includes programs targeted at college drinking issues.

In the past, Virginia ABC provided grant money to state colleges and universities for prevention promotion under the name Operation Undergrad. For Fiscal Year 2014, the agency provided grants for spring break prevention activities.

The Virginia ABC College Tour is a statewide initiative where colleges and universities host one-day conferences that bring together student leaders and university staff in the hopes of making changes on campus.

Each conference is designed to generate awareness and provide knowledge and skills to students with the intent of curbing underage drinking, impaired driving, and other related issues.

The College Tour has a presence in social media with a Facebook page promoting its upcoming conferences. Virginia ABC plans to implement a grant program for universities in conjunction with the College Tour in 2014.

The Virginia ABC is also involved in the Virginia College Alcohol Leadership Council. This group discusses alcohol, tobacco, and other drug (ATOD) issues on college campuses and hopes to prevent high-risk behaviors through a collaborative effort involving education, mentoring, and other strategies. Financing for the Council comes from donations and grants.

Pennsylvania

The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board (PLCB) through its Bureau of Alcohol Education has worked state colleges and universities for more than two decades. In 2000, the Board received a federal grant to create a statewide initiative to reduce and eliminate underage and dangerous college drinking. Since then, the Bureau of Alcohol Education has been active in many ways.

The PLCB works to create and promote college consortiums around the state to engage members of campus communities in discussions about alcohol-related college issues. In addition, the Bureau of Alcohol Education hosts a free, annual statewide conference for college and university staff to attend and present on college drinking issues and strategies to address those issues.

The PLCB developed a grant program to assist colleges and universities with programs and activities aimed at eliminating or reducing dangerous and underage drinking. This program provides awards of up to $20,000 per year in two-year cycles. Recipients include law enforcement, schools and community groups. The agency also helped the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education receive a $400,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Education for the development and coordination of alcohol-related policies and procedures.

Additionally, the PLCB publishes alcohol education literature that targets college audience, including a guide for parents of first-year college students and a pamphlet titled “Your Degree Doesn’t Matter,” which highlights issues such as trying to get a job with alcohol-related offenses on a college student’s record.

The PLCB continues to look for ways to assist colleges in their efforts to promote responsible consumption for those over 21 years old.Current initiatives include a PLCB Bureau of Alcohol Education training for resident assistants at colleges and universities. This training was developed in response to requests from the collegiate community for more resources to deal with alcohol-related issues on campus. In conjunction with this effort, our Responsible Alcohol Management Program (RAMP) is also in the process of developing RAMP for Campuses to address responsible alcohol practices during campus events and parties.