WHAT

The San Diego-Tijuana Border Project is being recognized as a Model Program by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMSHA), Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP). The CSAP Model Program is SAMSHA's highest designation. The title of "Model Program" is reserved for substance abuse prevention programs, which are implemented under scientifically rigorous conditions, demonstrate consistently positive results, and which SAMSHA seeks to have duplicated.

.

At a news conference to be held along the San Diego-Tijuana border, community partners, law enforcement, and other partners from the U.S. and Mexico will be recognized for their joint efforts to reduce the regional underage and binge-drinking epidemic and announce goals to combat underage drinking. A San Diego-Tijuana contingent will  also be at a news conference in Washington, D.C. to accept the CSAP Model Program award for the Border Project.

WHO

San Diego County Supervisor Greg Cox; Captain David Ramirez, SDPD Southern Division; Representative of the City of Tijuana (expected); Professor Orlando Raya, Crime Prevention State Coordinator, Federal Police of Mexico; Jaye Carballo, Advisory, Friday Night Live; Guillermo Rangel Mendoza, Coordinator, Binational Policy Council

WHERE

San Ysidro School District Administration Center

4350 Otay Mesa Road, San Diego

WHEN

Friday, June 7, 2002 at 11:30 am

WHY

Community-based prevention efforts to curb substance abuse problems have led to significant reductions in substance use and abuse. Since the beginning of the Border Project in 1997, there has been a 37% reduction in late night crossers with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) at or above .08, a Binational Policy Council on illicit drugs, pharmaceutical drug problems, and alcohol was created, and there was a reduction of DUI fatalities in the San Diego-Tijuana Border region from 23 in 1999 to 5 in 2000.