October 2007

Panel to Help States Measure Progress on Underage Drinking Prevention

To determine how states should report their progress toward reducing underage drinking, EDC and the National Alcohol Beverage Control Association will host a gathering of nationally recognized researchers, prevention experts, and state government leaders at a meeting November 1-2 in Washington, D.C.

Under the recently authorized federal STOP Act, states are required to track their program and policy efforts to reduce underage drinking in communities and on college campuses. The upcoming meeting will produce recommendations regarding what data to collect and how to measure progress. Types of information to be collected include data on underage alcohol consumption at the local and state levels, consequences of use, and current prevention efforts.

“Our gathering of experts from the field creates a needed forum, one that will produce a blueprint for reporting our progress nationally,” said EDC Senior Vice President Cheryl Vince Whitman. “We are pleased to be asked to assist our local, state and federal colleagues as we all strive to reduce underage drinking in this country,” she said.

The National Alcohol Beverage Control Association has advocated for state control of the distribution and sale of alcohol. The Association has key ties to regulatory agencies, state agencies, alcohol industry representatives, and others interested in reducing the consequences related to underage drinking.
Education Development Center’s division of Health and Human Development Programs is home for the Center for College Health and Safety which operates the U.S. Department of Education’s Higher Education Center for Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse and Violence Prevention. EDC is known for its evidence-based research and programs and reputation for collaborating with a variety of partners at all levels to support prevention initiatives.

“Together, our two organizations have the capacity to link diverse colleagues interested in the same outcome,” said EDC’s Beth DeRicco. “We are all focused on the same goal—reducing underage drinking.”

For more information on the STOP Act, or on the November meeting, contact EDC’s Beth DeRicco at BDeRicco@edc.org or NABCA’s Steve Schmidt at sschmidt@nabca.org.

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