Communities That Care

Posted on April 4, 2008

Student Survey Bill Signed By Governor

Five Town Communities That Care Executive Director Dalene Dutton and Board Chair Peter Russell were on hand for the signing of LD2114 into law by Governor John Baldacci in Augusta on April 3, 2008.  Five Town Communities That Care was one of several agencies and groups that provided testimony before the joint committee on Education and Cultural Affairs in support of this legislation in February.

LD2114 is a resolve requiring "the State, in its biannual survey of students, to use a survey of students in grades 6 to 12 that, at both the state and local level, reliably and validly measures those risk and protective factors shown by research to predict adolescent health and behavior problems, including substance abuse and delinquency."

Senate Minority Leader Carol Weston introduced the bill in response to proposed changes in the Maine Youth Drug and Alcohol Use Survey (MYDAUS), which is used by prevention agencies to determine the types of programs which are likely to have the greatest positive effect on outcomes for Maine youth.  The bill was co-sponsored by Representative David Miramant of Camden, Representative Chris Rector of Thomaston, and Senator Christine Savage of Knox.

For more information on LD2114, or about how Five Town Communities That Care uses MYDAUS data to plan prevention activities, contact Dalene Dutton at (207) 236-9800.

Photo (from left to right): Bill Sponsor and Senate Minority Leader Carol Weston of Waldo; Diane Vatne, Community Coordinator of Greater Old Town Communities That Care; Dalene Dutton, Executive Director of Five Town Communities That Care; Governor John Baldacci, Represenative David Miramant of Camden, Malory Shaughnessy, Coordinator for the Maine Alliance for the Prevention of Substance Abuse; and Representative Chris Rector of Thomaston.