$50,000 grant set to help two local departments prevent drug abuse (WEAU) — A new grant is helping two local departments work together to prevent drug abuse.
The Eau Claire City-County Health Department got the $50,000 grant from the Wisconsin Department of Health Services.
The strategic prevention grant is going to help the Eau Claire-City County Health Department and the Eau Claire Police Department fight drug abuse, specifically prescription drug abuse.
Liekse Giese with the Eau Claire City-County Health Department says Eau Claire was selected to apply for this grant.
They looked at the data for counties around the state and Eau Claire was one of 14 communities selected as a place that could use some extra work,” said Eau Claire City-County Health Department Director Lieske Giese.
As part of the grant, Eau Claire PD will get $5,000 to pay for two officers to attend Drug Recognition Expert (DRE) training to spot people who are drugged driving.
“We do survey high school students in Eau Claire County every couple years, and the survey this year did show that one in five high school kids do say they have access to prescription drugs,” said Giese.
