Keeping Drugs Out of Schools Act of 2025
- Sponsor
- Sen. Shaheen, Jeanne [D-NH]
- Committees
- Judiciary Committee (primary)
- Last action
- Jan 30, 2025
Bottom line
This bill creates a new grant program to fund collaborations between existing community drug prevention coalitions and local schools to implement tailored youth substance prevention programs.
What it actually does
This bill authorizes the Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy to award grants to eligible entities, specifically Drug-Free Communities funded coalitions, to establish school-community partnerships. These partnerships are tasked with implementing effective drug prevention programs tailored to the specific needs of local schools and their surrounding communities, aiming to prevent and reduce substance use and misuse among youth.
Proponents argue
Supporters would argue that this bill provides crucial, targeted funding to strengthen existing, effective community-based drug prevention efforts by directly linking them with schools. They would emphasize the importance of tailored, local strategies in addressing youth substance use and the value of leveraging established Drug-Free Communities coalitions to maximize impact and efficiency.
Opponents contend
Potential opponents might contend that the authorized grant amount of $75,000 per fiscal year is too modest to make a significant, sustained impact on complex issues of youth substance misuse, or that it creates an additional administrative layer without clear evidence of superior effectiveness compared to existing funding mechanisms. Some might also raise concerns about federal involvement in local school programming.
The bill is short and clearly written, making it accessible for a quick read and understanding of its core purpose and mechanisms.
Section 2(b)
Authorization of Grants for School-Community Partnerships
This provision authorizes the Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy to award initial and renewal grants to eligible entities. These entities are defined as Drug-Free Communities funded coalitions that have a memorandum of understanding with at least one local school to form a school-community partnership. The grants, capped at $75,000 per fiscal year, are intended to fund the implementation of effective drug prevention programs tailored to the specific needs of the student population and surrounding community.
Supporters argue
Supporters argue that this grant program directly supports proven community-based prevention models by integrating them more deeply into school environments, where youth are most accessible. They believe that providing dedicated funding for these partnerships will lead to more effective and sustained efforts to prevent substance use among students by addressing local needs.
Critics contend
Critics might contend that the grant amount of $75,000 per year is relatively small, potentially limiting the scope and impact of the comprehensive prevention programs that can be implemented. They might also argue that existing funding streams should be better utilized or consolidated rather than creating new, smaller grant programs.
Tradeoffs
The bill balances the desire to support local, tailored prevention efforts with the need for broad distribution of funds. The cap on grant amounts ensures many communities can receive support but might limit the ambition or scale of individual projects, requiring careful prioritization of activities.