Rio Arriba County Substance, Treatment, Outreach and Prevention Program
Mission Statement
To promote alternatives to alcohol and drug misuse and abuse by developing community relationships through coordinating, planning and collaborative efforts. Our vision is to focus on the overall emphasis of the reduction of alcohol and drug related DWI issues.
Program Overview
The Rio Arriba County Substance Treatment Outreach Prevention Program administers programs and services that are designed to reduce the number of alcohol related fatalities throughout Rio Arriba County. We accomplish this mission utilizing funding from the State of New Mexico Department of Finance and Administration, local distribution funds as well as CYFD, Department of Health, Youth Conservation Corps, Partnerships for Success - SAMHSA Grant and Community DWI funds.
With Rio Arriba County Commission recommendations as well as the County DWI Planning Council, Joint Task Force and our RAYSP Board that serve as a planning and advisory body, funding is utilized strategically to provide an array of educational programs and intervening services to the residents of the Rio Arriba County.
Program Components
- Prevention
- Enforcement - Joint Task Force
- Screening of DWI offenders/IDA
- Compliance Monitoring/Tracking of DWI offenders
- Coordination/Planning and Evaluation
- Public Information and Education
- Treatment for DWI offenders (Intensive Outpatient Services/After Care)
- SMART Recovery
- Detoxification Incarceration Treatment
- Juvenile Community Corrections (Working with adjudicated delinquent youth)
- Intensive Community Monitoring
- Life Skills: Botvin and Positive Action
- Gender Specific Curriculum Groups - Boys Council and Girls Circle
- Youth Conservation Corps
- Mentorship Summer Program
The components listed above include a separate grant of $200,000 from the Local DWI Grant Program specifically allocated for the operation of an Intensive Outpatient Treatment Program. Opportunities for DWI offenders serving mandated jail sentences include individual and group therapeutic sessions focusing on addiction, anger, grief, DWI awareness and prevention as well as gender specific mental health support. The IOT works closely with Magistrate, Municipal, District Family and Tribal Courts in receiving referrals for treatment to steer clients towards their sobriety and other social service programs that can provide further aftercare assistance.
Rio Arriba County DWI Prevention Specialists continue to actively provide prevention services within all five public school districts as well as several other private schools, academies, charter schools and the local college. Services consist of information dissemination, educational presentations and group discussions.
Rio Arriba County DWI Prevention Specialists continue to actively provide collaborative support to many of the community based events throughout the year within the entire County for example the Victim Impact Panel, Providing Active Parenting of Teens, Red Ribbon, Hands Across Cultures, which consists of disseminating information on DWI Laws/Penalties, underage drinking material and underage awareness to youth and families. They also provide audio equipment, perform presentations and engage in group discussions.
Every year DWI Prevention Specialists, along with volunteer members of the DWI Planning Council/Joint Task Force, meet with counselors at all five school districts: Mesa Vista HS, Espanola Valley HS, McCurdy HS, Escalante HS, Coronado HS and Dulce Independent HS, this allows Prevention Specialists to facilitate Boys Council, Girls Circle, Red Ribbon Week Presentations, Bullying Presentations. Prevention also is instrumental in hosting the annual 6-PAC Conference (6th graders promoting alternative choices) indoor/outdoor conference - centered on the Prevention of Underage Drinking.
RAC STOP is also instrumental within the Joint Task Force to conduct DWI Checkpoints, Direct Patrols, Shoulder Tap, Minor Compliance, Sticker Shock Operations, and Alcohol Merchant Education.
RAC STOP would like to Thank all Grant Funders.
For further information or requesting presentations please contact us between 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.
Vision Project
Vision Project in the works completion coming soon to RAC STOP! - Louise Sanchez, RAC STOP Director
Thanks to the following:
- All new/former Youth Conservation Corps Crew Members
- Richard Martinez, Former Senator
- Youth Conservation Corps former supervisor Javin Coriz
- Rio Arriba County Manager and Deputy County Manager
- Board of County Commissioners
- Rio Arriba County Roads Department
- Human Resource Department
- Public Works/Fleet Department
"We appreciate the Board of County Commissioners, County Managers, DWI Planning Council/Joint Task Force, RAYSP BOARD, Concha Montano Evaluator and Tina Ruiz as the RAC STOP advisory committee in helping us make a difference in the County, RAC STOP Staff, Concha Montano Evaluator, Tina Ruiz and Diego Lopez, Steven Lovato, Hands Across Cultures' Staff you continue to be successful with implementing the scope of work required from each of the grants, working hard and staying dedicated to the youth, families, and communities within Rio Arriba County."
Louise Sanchez
RAC STOP Director