READY is Arlington’s coalition to Reduce and Eliminate Alcohol and Drug use by Youth.
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We are a group of community members, school and county staff, committed to identifying the risk factors teens in Arlington face related to underage drinking, marijuana and other substance use, and help them make healthier choices.
Join Us!
Get involved with Arlington’s READY Coalition: spread the word, attend a meeting, like us at READY on Facebook, host a parent chat, or contact Readycoalition@gmail.com
Who We Are
As members of the Arlington community, we provide information to increase understanding about the risks associated with underage alcohol and drug use.
We work to help youth and the adults in their lives to recognize that underage alcohol and drug use is risky and will not help them achieve their goals.
How We Do It
We work with Arlington Public Schools, community organizations, teen groups, faith groups, and local businesses
to develop ways to help youth in Arlington make choices that don’t include alcohol or drugs.
Our Mission
The Arlington READY Coalition provides an on-going community-wide forum that identifies strategies to keep teens drug- and alcohol-free.
Past Events:
Mission Possible
Arlington’s READY Coalition to reduce teen alcohol and drug use, the Arlington Partnership for Children, Youth and Families, and the Arlington Department of Human Services – Child and Family Services invites you to learn to more about:
- Signs of youth substance use – what to be aware of and look for
- Tips to talk to middle schoolers about substance use, ways to help them stay safe
- Arlington’s Second Chance substance abuse education and intervention program
Marijuana Town Hall: What’s the Big Deal
What’s the Big Deal? Actually quite a bit. Come hear our panel discuss marijuana risks for youth and some concerns from different perspectives. Included on the panel is an ER doctor from INOVA Fairfax, a scientist from the National Institute on Drug Abuse, an Arlington County Police Officer who works in our schools and a young man with extensive experience with marijuana use in Northern Virginia.
This forum provides a dialogue about a subject that is typically underrepresented in our community. It will explore some of the dangerous consequences of teenage marijuana use.
Marijuana Harmless? Think Again
How do parents, teens and community members know the truth about today’s marijuana? Hear personal stories and local professionals presenting on the impact marijuana can have on the developing teen brain, academics, mental wellness and more.
High school students, young adults, parents and adults who work with youth attended this informational forum.
HAZE: The Movie
An award-winning film to educate parents and students about the dangers of alcohol and binge drinking. The film contains graphic images but is a must-see for all parents, their college-bound kids, and anyone who is concerned about the dangers of underage and high-risk drinking.
We are put together a distinguished panel that will include a college student, medical professional, police officer, Commonwealth attorney, and family therapist to provide their first-hand insights into the dangers and life-altering consequences of making risky choices with alcohol and drugs. A question and answer session followed the panel discussion, giving audience members an opportunity to further tap into the panel’s expertise.
The documentary Haze tells Gordie’s story within the greater context of alcohol abuse and hazing on campus. The program will spark in-depth conversations about alcohol, “rites of passage,” and traditions. It will motivate audience members to intervene before an alcohol emergency occurs.
History of the Arlington READY Coalition
We are committed to identifying the risk factors teens in Arlington face related to underage drinking, marijuana and other substance abuse, and help them make healthier choices. APCYF started the READY Coalition in response to the rising level of the binge drinking and marijuana use of Arlington youth as reported on student surveys. In 2017, one-fifth of Arlington high school seniors report having used marijuana one or more times in the past 30 days, and 27% reported that they engaged in binge drinking in the past month*. The binge drinking numbers have been decreasing .
The READY Coalition’s primary goal is to create an infrastructure in Arlington that can respond to current and future drug and alcohol issues that arise in the community. READY Coalition is a project of APCYF, formerly funded through a Drug Free Communities Grant and a Virginia Strategic Prevention Framework State Incentive Grant.
*https://arlingtonva.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/41/2018/08/2017ArlingtonHSSummary.pdf