The mission of the Bedford County Drug & Alcohol Prevention Partnership is to plan and implement strategies to prevent and
The Bedford County Drug and Alcohol Prevention Partnership (BCDAPP) formed in 2003 as a result of a State Incentive Grant award. The coalition was reenergized in 2006 with the award of a SPF-SIG grant. In 2009, as a result of a Drug Free Communities Grant award, the BCDAPP
was reborn as a viable force in the mission to prevent underage drinking in Bedford County. Over the past three years, the BCDAPP has grown tremendously to include a strong core of committed members from 12 community sectors. Although not meeting standard grant requirements for a rural county, many characterize life in Bedford County as “rural” with a population of 49,762 in the 2010 census. The county ranked as 43rd in population in the state, despite having the 10th largest land area—with the 2010 estimate of persons per square mile at 49.2, as compared with the PA statistic of 283.9 persons/square mile. This data presents evidence of our need for specific activities in outlying townships and rural communities across the larger target of Bedford County. The majority of Bedford County residents are White (98%), with a very small population of African Americans (.5%), American Indian and Alaska Natives (.2%), and Asians (.2%); however, racial diversity is slowly increasing. The median age of the population is 39.5. Of the population, 10,748 are children under the age of eighteen with 4,232 of these children enrolled in grades six through twelve throughout the five school districts and one charter school. Census data and grant requirements, Bedford County is economically disadvantaged, with 13.5% of its residents living in a household below the poverty level—higher than the statewide number of 12.4%. Furthermore, only 10% of people 25 and over had a bachelor’s degree and only 78% have a high school diploma. Since 2009, we have provided underage drinking prevention information to county schools and community groups. We collaborate with individuals, businesses, and organizations to conduct community-wide events for underage drinking prevention awareness. We present information to youth and parents; provide trainings for law enforcement, school, and health care and emergency services professionals; and provide support in the form of technical assistance to other agencies and organizations. In our mission to create community-level change, we promote the concept that “Underage Drinking is Everybody’s Issue.”
