Founded in 1981, DREAM has been a pioneer in grassroots substance abuse prevention efforts at the local level and catapulted into providing innovative prevention materials and training at the state and national levels. Listed below are DREAM’s Core Competencies, Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drug Prevention Memberships, Grants Management Experiences, Product Development Descriptions, and National Recognition and Awards.

Core Competencies

• Training and Technical Assistance
• Fiscal Agent
• Youth Leadership
• Project/Grants Management
• Curriculum/Program Development
• Product Development
• Grant-writing and Review
• Conference/Special Event Planning
• Publishing and Creative Design
• Extensive knowledge-base and training on evidence-based substance abuse prevention programs
• Networking and relationship-building locally and nationally

Memberships

• Mississippi Center for Nonprofits
• Mississippi Association of Addiction Professionals
• Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA)
• Metro Jackson, Rankin and Madison County Chambers of Commerce

Grants and Project Management Experience

Over our thirty-year history, DREAM has managed multi-million dollar state and federal grant programs and contracts, served as fiscal agent for several programs, coordinated conferences and special events, and t DREAM’s current budget is $1.7 million dollars and past budgets have reached $3.5 million. DREAM is primarily funded through grants, product sales and fees for services such as training, keynote speeches, and project management.

Current  Programs

(2010-Present)

• Mississippi Department of Public Safety Planning/Office of Justice Programs Compliance Monitoring Grant

DREAM’s serves as fiscal agent for the Juvenile Assistance Grant (JAG), which provides regional compliance monitors to monitor juvenile detention facilities to ensure their compliance with federal juvenile delinquency compliance laws.

(1984-Present)

• Mississippi Department of Mental Health, (MDMH) Bureau of Alcohol and Drug Abuse (BADA)
  Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant (SAPT)

The Mississippi Department of Mental Health has funded DREAM since 1984 to provide the following activities: coordinating the National Red Ribbon Week statewide drug awareness campaign; hosting and maintaining the Regional Alcohol and Drug Abuse Resource Center (RADAR); delivering substance abuse prevention workshops and technical assistance to community mental health centers, community-based nonprofit organizations, and other professionals; coordinating the Executive Prevention Council (EPC); and administering the SURE Tool data collection system.

(2008-Present)

• Mississippi Department of Mental Health(MDMH), Bureau of Alcohol and Drug Abuse (BADA) Mississippi Underage Drinking Coalition of Madison and Rankin Counties—Strategic Prevention Framework State Incentive Grant (SPF SIG)

BADA provided funding to DREAM and the National Council on Alcoholism of Central Mississippi to implement a strategic framework to prevent and/or reduce underage drinking.

(2007-Present)

• Mississippi Department of Mental Health (MDMH) Bureau of Alcohol and Drug Abuse (BADA)
  Statewide Underage Drinking Prevention Coordinator

DREAM provides statewide underage drinking prevention coordination by assisting BADA SIG funded program in implementing evidence-based underage drinking prevention programs and practices.

(2008-Present)

• Mississippi Department of Mental Health (MDMH), Bureau of Alcohol and Drug Abuse
  Central Mississippi Regional Master Trainer

DREAM hosts and serves as fiscal agent for one of BADA’s three Regional Master Trainers for the Strategic Prevention Framework State Incentive Grant (SPF SIG). The Central Mississippi Regional Master Trainer provides training and technical assistance to SFP SIG grantees as they implement underage drinking prevention programs and practices.

(2007-Present)

• Mississippi Department of Health, Office of Tobacco Control
  Mississippi Tobacco-Free Coalition of Rankin, Scott and Simpson Counties (MTFCRSS)

DREAM serves as the fiscal agent for the MTFCRSS provides tobacco prevention education, advocacy and policy support to communities in an effort to reduce tobacco use.

(2009-Present)

• Central Mississippi Planning and Development District (CMPDD)
  Hinds County Senior Transition Program

DREAM works with approximately 325 seniors in Jackson Public Schools and Hinds County School District helping them prepare for life after high school. DREAM recruits volunteer business leaders who conduct workshops on various work readiness topics, college prepatory information, and military information to assist students in exploring options after high school. Students go on a tour of the Mississippi WIN Job Center to learn about their resources.

(2010)

• Operation Shoestring

DREAM partnered with Operation Shoestring to assist them in working with 11^th grade students at Lanier High School who are involved in an academic enrichment program. DREAM conducts workshops on life and work readiness skills as students prepare for summer employment.

(2010)

• Stewpot

DREAM provides character education to pre-K – through 3^rd grade students for Stewpot’s Summer Enrichment Program. DREAM provides materials and trainers to work with the youth.

These youth are from the inner-city Jackson area and children of individuals in the homeless shelter at Stewpot.

Past Grant Programs and Contracts

(February, 2010)

• Mississippi Department of Public Safety Planning, Office of Justice Programs

Served as fiscal agent and assisted in coordinating the 35^th annual Juvenile Justice Symposium

(April 2009)

• Mississippi Health Advocacy Program (MHAP)

DREAM coordinated focus groups in four counties to determine the feasibility of bringing the Nurse Family Partnership (NFP) to Mississippi. The NFP program

(2007-2008)

• Mississippi Department of Employment Security (MDES)

DREAM conducted Mystery Shopping of the thirty-five (35) Mississippi WIN Job Centers to determine the level of their customer service performance and condition of the centers.

(2005-2008)

• U.S. Department of Education

Rankin County Schools Against Substance Use (RSASU

DREAM partnered with the Rankin County and Pearl Public School Districts to implement a random student drug-testing program for 6^th through 11^th grade students.

(2004-2007)

• U.S. Department of Education

Transitions Mentoring

DREAM partnered with Northwest Rankin Middle School to implement a school-based mentoring program for 6^th through 8^th grade students.

(2004-2007)

• U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
  Compassion Capital Fund (CCF)

DREAM served as an Intermediary Organization and partnered with the Mississippi Center for Nonprofits to implement this program which provided capacity-building training and sub-grants to faith and community-based organizations. CCF was a product of the George W. Bush administration.

(2006-2008)

• Mississippi Department of Health (MSDH)
  Empowering Communities for a Healthy Mississippi Conference

DREAM coordinated this conference on behalf of MSDH, which provided workshops on current health trends and information to approximately 300 Mississippi health care professionals and educators.

(2001-2003)

• Mississippi Department of Mental Health (MDMH), Division of Alcohol and Drug Abuse (DADA)
  State Incentive Grant (SIG)

DREAM developed the federal grant application on behalf of the Mississippi Department of Mental Health (MDMH) and the State of Mississippi to become one of 34 states participating in the State Incentive Grant Program administered by the Department of Health and Human Services’ Center for Substance Abuse Prevention. Over a three-year period, the state will receive nine million dollars with 85% of the funds going directly to community-based organizations to implement research-based prevention programs. Upon grant award, DMH contracted with DREAM to manage day-to-day operations for the State Incentive Grant program. DREAM developed the Request for Proposal (RFP) for the sub grant process, conducted regional bidder’s conferences, and organized the grant review panel. In addition, DREAM conducts bi-annual technical assistance conferences, monitors the programmatic activities for the 25 community-based organizations awarded grants, and coordinates quarterly advisory council meetings.

(2002-2005)

• National Archive of Youth Social and Attitudinal Data (NAYSAD)  

Through a partnership with the University of Mississippi’s Public Policy and Research Center, DREAM received funding through the U.S. Department of Education to administer DREAM’s Internet –based student survey—Smart Track in schools across the country. The surveys included a set of core questions that measure attitudes toward alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use.

(2004-2007)

• Partnership for a Healthy Madison and Yazoo Counties Community Youth Partnership (CYP)  

DREAM served as fiscal agent for this partnership under the auspices of the Partnership for a Healthy Mississippi (PHM). PHM was organized after Mississippi secured a settlement from tobacco companies. DREAM was responsible for fiscal management and ensured that the project met its programmatic goals.

(1997-2002)

• U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP)
  Southeast Center for the Application of Prevention Technologies (SECAPT)

DREAM received $1.5 million each year for six years to serve as one of six (6) centers funded nationwide as cooperative agreements through the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP). DREAM served the southeast region which, included nine (9) states, the District of Columbia and two U.S. territories in implementing research-based prevention programs and strategies and improving their prevention infrastructure. (Alabama, Tennessee, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Mississippi, Washington, DC, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Virginia, Kentucky, Florida).

(1996-2001)

• U.S. Department of Education
  Region XIV Comprehensive Center

DREAM served for five years as a sub-contractor and as the lead prevention resource for the Region XIV Comprehensive Center, a center funded by the U.S. Department of Education serving Florida, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands with Educational Testing Service (ETS) as the lead contractor.

(1997-1998)

• Partnership for a Healthy Mississippi Fiscal Monitor

Served as fiscal agent for the tobacco partnership organized under Mississippi’s tobacco settlement funds.  Monitored local community-based partnerships to ensure fiscal and programmatic compliance.

(1985-1988)

• Mississippi Department of Public Safety, Office of Highway Safety

DREAM coordinated student assistance programs, statewide prevention campaigns for youth such as Project Graduation, Operation Prom, and conducted substance abuse prevention workshops for Head Start, school districts and other community-based organizations.

(1988-1994)

• Mississippi Department of Education

DREAM received funding to coordinate several statewide substance abuse prevention conferences that attracted approximately 800 people including safe and drug free schools coordinators, teachers, counselors, community leaders, law enforcement and other professionals from around the country.

Product Development

DREAM has developed products that are marketed nationally.  More details about these products are available at www.dreaminc.org

• Smart Choices Drug Education Curricula*
• GEMSTONES Personality Inventory (Available in Spanish)
• Drugless Douglass Tales Big Books Character Education Series (Available in Spanish)*
• Smart Trackä Online Student Survey
•  Tricks of the Trade Trainer’s Guide    
• Substance Abuse Prevention Media Literacy Poster Series
• SURE Tool Data Collection Instrument

*Smart Choices is currently being evaluated to move up the scale to evidence-based status.

* A partnership with Deposit Guaranty Bank, which involved distributing these books to schools statewide, earned the bank the coveted Golden Coin Award.

National Recognition and Service (Past and Present)

• Advisory Committee to National Parenting is Prevention
• Parents Advisory Council on Youth Drug Abuse, Office of National Drug Control Policy
• Advisory Council, National Drug Policy for Governor George W. Bush
• Established Substance Abuse Prevention Certification for the State of Mississippi and provide training on required certification courses
• Sponsor and coordinator of eight (8) national prevention conferences
• Host and facilitator of U.S. Department of Health and Human Service's Secretary's Initiative Summit for 12 (twelve) southeastern states and jurisdictions
• Member, Mississippi State Department of Education's Goals 2000 Team
• Presented alcohol, tobacco, and other drug (ATOD) prevention briefing to President George Bush, Washington, DC
• Offered prevention testimony before U.S. Congress, Washington, DC
• Board of Directors—Prevention, Intervention, Treatment Coalition of America (PITCH), Washington, DC
• Citizens Advisory Committee—U.S. Senate Drug Enforcement Caucus, Washington, DC
• Advisory Board—National Families in Action, Atlanta, GA
• Advisory Council—Southwest Regional Center for Drug-Free Schools and Communities,
• University of Oklahoma
• Delegate—Southwest Regional Center for Drug-Free Schools and Communities Think Tank on Prevention, Baltimore, MD
• Expert Panelist—nationally televised video conference on Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities legislation, Washington, DC
• Member—National Prevention Network, Washington, DC
• Member and Former Director—National Federation of Parents for Drug-Free Youth, St. Louis, MO
• Member—Committees of Correspondence, Boston, MA
• Member—American Council for Drug Education, Washington, DC
• Chair and founder, Mississippi Executive Prevention Committee (EPC), Jackson, MS
• Advisory Council—Bureau of Alcohol and Drug Abuse, Mississippi Department of Mental Health, Jackson, MS
• Advisory Council—Bessie Speed Wellness Center for Drug Education, University of Mississippi, Oxford, MS
• Grants Review Team—Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, DC; Texas Commission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse
• Presenter and Consultant—White House Conference for a Drug-Free America, Jacksonville, FL
• Co-Chair and Secretary—Southeastern Conference of Alcohol and Drug Programs Prevention and Training Network, Jackson, MS
• Member—Governor's Substance Abuse Policy Council, Jackson, MS
• Delegate—The National Attorney General's Summit on Law Enforcement Responses to Violent Crime, Washington, DC
• Presenter—Pride International Conference, Atlanta, GA
• Presenter—National Federation of Parents for a Drug-Free America Conference, Washington, DC
• Presenter—Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America Conference, Washington, DC
• Consultant—U.S. Congress Office of Technology Assessment

Awards

DREAM has received numerous awards, commendations, and recognitions for such activities as service delivery and campaign organization. The following list represents some of those noteworthy awards:

• Department of Health and Human Services—Outstanding Community Health Promotion Award for consistent and quality prevention programming
• Jackson Advertising Club—Bronze Award for outstanding drug prevention public service announcements
• Jackson Takes a Stand Community Coalition(JTAS)—Partner of the Year award for outstanding training  in public housing communities and for consistent support of the coalition’s goals
• Southwest Regional Center for Drug Free Schools and Communities—Outstanding Service Delivery Award for training schools and community-based organizations on effective prevention strategies
• National Red Ribbon—Award of Excellence for creativity and outreach for a statewide drug awareness campaign

DREAM staff holds numerous additional board memberships and have assumed other community, state, regional, and national leadership roles.  DREAM’s trainers are sought after nationally and present at numerous alcohol and drug studies schools, conferences, community workshops, and schools on a variety subjects ranging from substance abuse prevention basics, teambuilding, program sustainability, coalition-building, youth involvement and others. Other DREAM staff have completed grant-writing certifications and served as grant reviewers for numerous state and federal grant program applications.