CARIBOU – Aroostook Mental Health Center has been awarded a $50,000 grant by the Department of Justice to fund activities to enforce Maine underage-drinking laws and to reduce underage drinking.

AMHC’s underage drinking project serves the Caribou-Presque Isle area with coalitions of area young people, parents, educators, law enforcement officials, Bureau of Liquor enforcement agents and members of the local Aroostook County District Attorney’s Office.

“The primary goal of this effort is to reduce underage drinking by aggressively enforcing the laws and the reduction of retail and social access to alcohol by minors,” said Susan A. Duff, AMHC prevention specialist who will administer the project.

“This project will empower youth as leaders on the issue of underage drinking; it will help them to identify barriers to improve state law enforcement; and to develop a state plan for attacking the problem,” said Duff. “It will take everyone’s hard work to change local community norms that encourage underage drinking.”

For more information and to join the coalition, contact Duff at 498-6431, Ext. 148.