When does the typical Madison youth have his or her first drink? Reliable survey data says just under 13 ½ years old.

The Madison Alcohol and Drug Education (MADE) coalition is working to reduce the rates of alcohol use among this community's young people and it announced last week that it will receive a $320,000, five-year grant to help achieve that goal.

"This is a highly competitive grant. Connecticut is just one of four states to receive funds under this program. Madison is one of only 20 community coalitions statewide to receive funds," said Laurie Ruderfer, project coordinator for MADE.

"What makes this grant so important," she continued, "is the fact that it directs a laser beam on underage drinking. It is looking specifically at youth ages 12 to 17 in the community and then college-age students 18 to 20."

Known as the Connecticut Partnerships for Success Initiative, the grant program expects to achieve a targeted decrease in alcohol consumption among young people. The coalitions receiving the grant funds are expected to "use prevention approaches that will produce measurable reductions in alcohol consumption patterns and their negative consequences."

Rudefer explained, "We will be expected to achieve quantifiable results. We will be working to move the needle. The best part is that we will be using the same core measures that MADE is using as a part of our earlier federal grant. These grants complement one another."

MADE is presently in the second year of a five-year cycle under the federal Drug Free Communities Act. Madison and MADE are receiving $125,000 annually under this program.

What are the four specific performance targets that will measure success? Ruderefer said the first is the age of onset-when a young person experiences his or her first drink.

"We also look at the 30-day use rate," she said. "Then we need to increase youth understanding of the risks. Last, there needs to be a perception of parental disapproval."

To determine success, the MADE coalition will survey the town's young people every two years. Several years ago, students in grades 7 through 12 were surveyed to determine drug and alcohol use, frequency, and patterns, if any. The data collected from that first survey was used as the basis for the successful Drug Free Communities grant. In turn, a portion of those grant funds was used to administer a second survey.

In October, with the cooperation of the schools, the coalition surveyed 1,800 students in grades 7 through 12. MADE will release the results of that survey next month. It will become the benchmark by which this community can measure its progress.

In Connecticut, the latest grant is administered by the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services. The department expects MADE and the other 19 coalitions to document and achieve a reduction in alcohol use rates for 12 to 20 year olds "through implementation of evidence-based strategies."

Ruderefer explained, "This grant gives Madison the funding to make a difference in a variety of ways, however, we need the entire community to work with us. We will be looking to business groups, faith-based groups, law enforcement, schools, parents, civic organizations, town government, youth service organizations-we need everybody. We need a change in culture and to do that we need to build capacity and build coalitions. We need everybody at the table."