Providing technical assistance to local substance abuse initiatives
Problem Synopsis: With substance abuse on the rise in the 1980s, coalitions of concerned citizens formed across the country. RWJF’s Fighting Back national program, and the federal Community Partnership Demonstration Grant, provided some support for their efforts. However, community groups unaffiliated with these initiatives lacked a central source of assistance, and operated in isolation from one another.
Synopsis of the Work: Based at Boston University, Join Together was a national resource center for local substance abuse initiatives, and promoted public policies that enhance the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of substance abuse, including drugs, alcohol, and tobacco. In 2011 the Partnership for a Drug-Free America (doing business as the Partnership at Drugfree.org) integrated Join Together publications into a new interactive portal and began adding features and commentary.