The Catoosa Alcohol Prevention Initiative may soon lose its snappy acronym when it expands into Walker County, but this is alright with the program’s leaders.
“Our community extends outside the county limits,” said Candy Hullender, a CAPI coordinator. “We are excited about the opportunity to expand our services.”
Created in October 2009 to combat underage drinking, CAPI, jointly funded by the state’s Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities and the county’s taxpayers, operates as part of the local Family Collaborative.
“Catoosa County has one of the state’s highest underage drinking arrest and, for all ages, alcohol-related fatality and accident rates in the state,” Family Collaborative Director Phil Ledbetter said. “We chose to concentrate on reducing underage drinking.”
Hullender and CAP coordinator Colleen Crawford devoted the program’s first year to town hall meetings, statistical analysis and consulting with local officials to assess the situation.