The Drug-Free Communities (DFC) Support Program is the nation’s leading effort to mobilize communities to prevent youth substance use. Get involved in a DFC coalition near you to prevent youth substance use in your community.
2025-2026 Projects
- Sports Trading Cards
- Teens Teach Prevention
- Sign Holding Events
- Cafeteria Activities
- DFC Podcast
The Drug-Free Communities (DFC) Support Program was created in 1997 by the Drug-Free Communities Act. Administered by the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), and managed through a partnership between ONDCP and CDC, the DFC program provides grants to community coalitions to reduce local youth substance use.
The DFC program is aimed at mobilizing community leaders to identify and respond to the drug problems unique to their community and change local community environmental conditions tied to substance use. Community coalitions across the country receive funding up to $125,000 per year to strengthen collaboration among local partners and create an infrastructure that reduces youth substance use.
The DFC program goals are to:
- Establish and strengthen collaboration among communities, public and private non-profit agencies, and Federal, state, local and tribal governments to support the efforts of community coalitions working to prevent and reduce substance use among youth.
- Reduce substance use among youth and, over time, reduce substance use among adults by addressing the factors in a community that increase risk for substance use and promoting factors that minimize risk for substance use.
In coordination with the DFC Support Program, Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA) Local Drug Crisis grants provide funds to 65 communities to enhance DFC efforts by creating sustainable community-level change to prevent and reduce the use of illicit opioids or methamphetamine and the misuse of prescription medications among youth.
See the complete list of DFC coalitions.
CDC. (2024, May 8). Drug-Free Communities (DFC). Overdose Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/overdose-prevention/php/drug-free-communities/index.html
David Chirban
David began working in prevention in 2023, after having taught for Drury University and Columbia College for 11 years.
His loves include being outside, playing sports, and the Bible, along with time spent with his wife, two daughters, one son and extended family.
Prevention is best encapsulated by Benjamin Franklin, when he noted, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” In more common vernacular, this is the old adage: the best way to stop is to never start! This is the heart of prevention, and what David is committed to, as the project coordinator for the Drug-Free Communities.
