The SUDS Coalition, a cooperative effort of the Stratford Police Department and the Stratford Youth and Family Advisory Board, is a youth-adult partnership working to reduce underage drinking by raising community awareness of the problems associated with underage drinking and limiting youth access to alcohol. The SUDS Coalition brings together community leaders, school officials, police officers, parents and youth to send a clear, consistent message across the community that underage drinking is inappropriate, unacceptable and harmful.  After 10 years, the SUDS Coalition is merging with the Stratford Youth and Family Advisory Board as an official subcommittee.

Recognizing that traditional approaches aimed at helping youth resist involvement with alcohol were not enough, the Stratford Youth and Family Advisory Board teamed up with the Stratford Police Department to launch a community-wide initiative known as Stopping Underage Drinking in Stratford (SUDS) in 1998. In 1999, when funding became available from the Connecticut Office of Policy and Management to combat underage drinking, the Stratford Police Department under the leadership of Lieutenant Joseph LoSchiavo spearheaded the SUDS project. In 2001, a second grant was awarded with Lieutenant Kenneth Bakalar taking the lead; and in 2004, a third grant to Stratford Community Services continued the local nitiative. In addition the resources from the Connecticut Office of Policy and Management that provided initial support and momentum in reducing underage drinking, Stratford was also awarded a three-year Strategic Prevention Framework - State Incentive Grant through the Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services in 2006 to complete an underage drinking community assessment, support enforcement activities, and begin to engage youth and parents in the effort.

Community Activities

SUDS activities are based on the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) model program, Communities Mobilizing for Change on Alcohol (CMCA). CMCA, based on theory and research, limits youth access to alcohol, reduces underage drinking and promotes positive youth development.

Enforcement of Laws and Policies and Retail Availability

Stepped-up enforcement by the Stratford Police Department of existing laws has been key to success of SUDS activities. Officers conducted compliance checks of liquor outlets including bars and cafés using underage operatives. The outlets that sold to the underage operatives were referred to the State Liquor Commission. Officers also conducted surveillance of liquor outlets as well as visiting them to distribute signage and materials. Extra patrols were assigned for enforcement at known outdoor drinking locations. The Stratford Police Department and the Stratford Recreation Department also worked closely to enforce the municipal ordinance banning alcohol in public parks.

Peer and Parent Involvement

Young people and parents have active roles as partners and resources to the project. Currently, they are increasing community awareness about the dangers of underage drinking and liability issues associated with hosting parties where alcohol is present.  Please click here for more information about Connecticut's Social Host Law.  For more information, contact Denique Weidema at Stratford Community Services at 385-4095 or DWeidema@townofstratford.com. Citizens with information about parties or other gatherings involving underage drinking or have questions about municipal ordinances and state statutes regarding alcohol, contact the Stratford Police Department at 385-4100.

Accomplishments

The SUDS Coalition was awarded the 2006 Outstanding Community Coalition Award by the Connecticut Coalition to Stop Underage Drinking at their tenth annual meeting.

Enforcement

• Training for all police officers
• Pocket cards and visor cards for police cruisers with liquor statutes and ordinances
• SMART  and TIPS workshops offered to local merchants and servers
• Compliance checks and surveillance of liquor outlets including bars and restaurants
• Investigation of underage drinking situations
• Ordinance prohibiting an open container passed by Town Council

Youth Involvement & Parent Leadership

• Youth plan and conduct their own activities, such as MADD's Sticker Shock and community activities
• Youth attend regional and statewide conferences/summits as presenters and participants
• Youth hosted and faciliated Take It Back Community Briefing to encourage community awareness
• Youth leaders introduced MADD’s Fake ID, Game On, The Hard Truth presentations at elementary, middle schools and high schools
• Inside Out youth actors include alcohol awareness in shows for students and parents
• Parents participate in People Empowering People (PEP) and work to increase parent involvement

Community Awareness

• Numerous articles in newspapers
• Ads in newspapers and school publications
• Numerous articles in PTA and school newsletters
• Presentations made to numerous parent and community groups 

Stratford Data
Stratford has collected data on underage drinking since the mid 1980s. Alcohol use measures have declined since 1998, reflecting Stratford’s and Connecticut’s major initiatives on underage drinking, as well as national trends. The following compares data from the 1998 Profile of Youth to the 2005 Profile of Youth prepared by Search Institute from a sample of Stratford students in grades 7 to 12:

Reports attending one or more parties in the last year “where other kids your ages were drinking.”

1998: 62%
2005: 44%
Decrease: 18%

Used alcohol once or more in the last 30 days.

1998: 44%
2005: 29%
Decrease: 15%

Got drunk once or more in the last two weeks

1998: 24%
2005: 15%
Decrease: 9%

Drove after drinking once or more in the last 12 months

1998: 11%
2005: 9%
Decrease: 2%

Rode (once or more in the last 12 months) with a driver who had been drinking

1998: 41%
2005: 32%
Decrease: 9%

Has used alcohol three or more times in the last 30 days or got drunk once or more in the last two weeks

1998: 28%
2005: 18%
Decrease: 10%

In addition, the Stratford Police Department has conducted nearly 20 compliance checks alcohol outlets resulting in over 41 referrals to the State Liquor Commission. During the first round of compliance checks in 1999, 70% of the outlets checked sold to underage operatives. As compliance checks continued, the rate dropped substantially. By June 2003, only 17% of the outlets checked sold alcohol to minors.

For information about Connecticut data and initiatives, contact The Governor's Prevention Partnership. 

For information about national data and initiatives, contact United States Department of Health and Human Services Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).

Online Documents
You can download these documents and print them on your local printer. Many of these documents are .pdf (Portable Document Format) files requiring the use of the free Adobe Acrobat Reader © Click here for more information.

• Party Guidelines help parents keep their children safe when they host or attend parties.
• Tips for Parents offers pointers to prevent underage drinking.
• Parents Who Host Lose the Most. Don’t be a party to teenage drinking. It’s against the law.

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