The Ohio Department of Alcohol and Drug Rehabilitiation Services issued the following news release:

When it comes to protecting families and youth from the dangers of Alcohol, tobacco and other drugs, Ohio is home to some of the most innovative and effective programs in the nation. Last week, the Ohio Department of Alcohol and Drug Addiction Services (ODADAS) honored four of its finest programs and named the 2008 Prevention Mentor of the Year at its annual Ohio Prevention and Education Conference (OPEC).

"Substance abuse can destroy individual dreams, devastate families and paralyze communities," commented ODADAS Director Angela Cornelius Dawson. "When it comes to quality, cost-effective programs that work, Ohio is at the vanguard. I am extremely proud of this year's exemplary award winners as they showcase the best our state has to offer in terms of helping youth and families resist the dangerous allure of Alcohol and other drugs."

This year's Exemplary Prevention Program winners demonstrate a wide variety of effective violence, Alcohol, tobacco and other drug prevention programs. Meanwhile, the Prevention Mentor of the Year Award recognizes an individual for outstanding leadership and commitment to the Department's vision of "an addiction-free Ohio that promotes health, safety and economic opportunity."

For consideration, programs were required to submit an application, including letter of recommendation, from their local Alcohol Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services or Alcohol and Drug Addiction Services (ADAMHS/ADAS) Boards. ODADAS Prevention Services staff visited each program, as well, before selecting this year's winners. Mentor of the Year candidates were nominated by their colleagues.

Ohio's 2008 Exemplary Prevention Program Award Winners include:

Strengthening Families Program (Greene County Juvenile Court): Established in 2003, the Strengthening Families Program serves parents/caregivers and youth between the ages of 5 and 14 who have been identified as being at risk for developing problems with Alcohol, tobacco and other drugs. The program stresses education and family management skills, and has proven to be effective in reducing the onset of adolescent substance abuse and increasing parents' ability to set appropriate limits and show affection to and support of their children.

Care Team Collaborative (Muskingum Behavioral Health): The Mission of the Care Team Collaborative is to mobilize family and community resources and develop systems that create opportunities to build assets and achieve academic success, enabling all youth to become healthy, resilient contributors in the local community. Each Care Team School Community commits to making a comprehensive system of prevention, early intervention and intensive intervention services available to all youth and families.

Youngstown STARS (Neil Kennedy Recovery Clinic): Youngstown STARS is a collaborative effort among the Youngstown City School District, the Youngstown Afterschool Alliance and the Neil Kennedy Recovery Clinic. This unique intergenerational literacy and mentoring program began in 1997 as an initiative out of the Governor's office. The primary focus of the program is to increase the literacy skills of kindergarten - 6th grade students through intensive weekly school-based tutoring and mentoring provided by senior adults, October-May.

Wood County Juvenile Justice Detention Center Program: The Wood County Juvenile Justice Detention Center Program was developed through collaboration with the Juvenile Justice Center, The Wood County Educational Service Center and The Wood County ADAMHS Board. Services are provided by Wood County Education Service Center and are administered to detainees who are at risk for Alcohol, tobacco and other drug use. Prior to the development of this program, prevention education was not available for this population. This program promotes healthy lifestyles by empowering detained youth to identify, utilize and enhance developmental assets in order to build protective factors.

Ohio's 2008 Prevention Mentor of the Year:

Honey Bell-Bey, project director of Adolescent Services for the Cleveland Urban Minority Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Outreach Program (UMADAOP), is a magnet for youth and is renowned for her dedication and ability to engage, mentor, guide and challenge African American youth to achieve their potential. She is highly skilled in the arts/technology of prevention education and is considered an innovator of customized urban youth-oriented prevention education and mentoring supports. Ms. Bell-Bey, an Ohio Certified Prevention Specialist II, has been an inspiration to others in Ohio's prevention field, demonstrates exemplary character and has supported the ODADAS mission of "providing statewide leadership in establishing a high quality addiction, prevention, treatment and recovery services system of care that is effective, accessible, and valued by all Ohioans."