Congressman Pete Visclosky

Representing the 1st District of Indiana

Visclosky Secures $1 Million to Fund Anti-Drug Efforts in Northwest Indiana

Jun 20, 2006
Press Release

Washington, D.C. – Congressman Pete Visclosky today announced that Northwest Indiana’s Drug Demand Reduction Program is slated to receive $1 million in funding as part of the House Defense Appropriations bill.  The Drug Demand Reduction Program is run by the Indiana National Guard, and will provide anti-drug programming for area students in Northwest Indiana.

“In order to create the best quality of life possible in Northwest Indiana, our children and our communities must be safe from drugs,” said Visclosky. “The Drug Demand Reduction Program will offer after-school programming that gives area youth positive alternatives, and it will make a difference in the future of Northwest Indiana.

The Indiana National Guard is one of ten states selected to conduct a new anti-drug pilot program called, “Stay on Track.”  The Stay on Track Program is an interactive curriculum for students, parents, teachers and National Guardsmen designed to provide Drug Education to students in sixth through eighth grade.  Each student will have 27 hours of interactive drug education after completing the three year Stay on Track program.  Already, over 25 elementary and middle schools and 7,000 students are signed up for this program in the 1st U.S District for the next school year. Part of the funding secured by Visclosky will go toward Stay on Track programming activities in Northwest Indiana.

“These are our communities, these are our kids, and the Indiana National Guard is delighted to be part of such a great team dedicated to combating illegal drug use,” said Lt. Col. Joseph Luckett, who overseas the Drug Demand Reduction Program. “Our thanks go out to Congressman Visclosky for his commitment to anti-drug efforts in Northwest Indiana.”

The Drug Demand Reduction Program has received $7.5 million to date. Additionally, last week Visclosky announced the Lake County High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) was slated to receive $3 million to help combat drug and gang-related crime as part of a separate House Appropriations Bill.