Substance Abuse & Violence Prevention
Community Partnership's roots lie in violence prevention and efforts to reduce the abuse of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs. These problems have evolved over decades, and we recognize that changes in attitudes and behaviors do not happen quickly. Yet, our local and regional programming has made a difference!
We understand that substance abuse and violence - whether it be family, gangs, or youth - can negatively affect one's life in many ways, including:
- hindering the ability to succeed in school
- delaying the development of the social and emotional skills needed to foster healthy relationships
- changing one's physical and mental health
- hindering the ability to obtain and keep employment
- preventing one from being able to parent effectively
Community Partnership, designated by the Missouri Division of Alcohol and Drug Abuse as the Support Center for Southwest Missouri, places a strong emphasis on initiatives that help reduce violence and drug abuse. Partnership staff facilitate task forces on underage drinking, family violence, methamphetamine and drug endangered children, gangs and youth violence, and child abuse. The Partnership also sponsors a youth-led coalition called cityELEMENTS for high school and college students.
Training and facilitation of school-based prevention programming is available throughout Southwest Missouri – please call or email Sylvia Persky at (417) 888-2020 for more information.
Click HERE to access our 2008 Report Card on Substance Use and Abuse in Springfield-Greene County Missouri