Our Mission

Larchmont-Mamaroneck RADAR (LM RADAR) is a community coalition committed to reducing the use of alcohol, drugs and other harmful substances by youth in our community.  LM RADAR facilitates changing societal norms through the use of multiple research-based strategies to help our youth make healthy choices and avoid substance abuse.

LM RADAR is a New York not-for-profit corporation. 

RADAR's philosophy grew out of the basic findings of the Committee on Developing a Strategy to Reduce and Prevent Underage Drinking, a committee formed by the Institute of Medicine and The National Research Council in response to a congressional request in 2002.

Reducing substance use/abuse is a collective responsibility that is best addressed at the community level by changing the environment and community norms within which our youth make choices about tobacco, drinking, and drugs.   The whole community must be engaged and feel ownership of the substance use problem. By working together toward a shared vision with a specific action plan we can bring about long-term change. 

LM RADAR, directly and through efforts coordinated with local partners, has been very active in a number of initiatives aimed at addressing many aspects of the challenges we face locally regarding alcohol and substance abuse by our youth.

Very importantly, we are working to grow and enhance participation in and effectiveness of RADAR as a community coalition.   Working as a community we can make a difference!  Thank you very much for your interest in learning about RADAR.

Sincerely,

Janet Buchbinder

Coordinator and President- Larchmont Mamaroneck RADAR, Inc. 

Recent Accomplishments

The 2008-09 school year marks the third year that Larchmont-Mamaroneck RADAR is funded by the five year Drug Free Communities (DFC) Federal Grant that was awarded in 2006. The grant provides funding for two goals: one, to build the capacity and ensure the sustainability of the Coalition; and, two, to reduce underage drinking and drug use in the community. The amount of the grant is approximately $93,000, renewable for five years, for a total of $465,000. Under the grant, the Larchmont-Mamaroneck Community Counseling Center ("LMCC") serves as the fiscal agent and Robbie Seidman of the LMCC serves as Project Director of the grant. Ms. Buchbinder serves as the grant coordinator and president of RADAR.

This is an update on our activities and initiatives supporting these goals.

Capacity Building and Sustainability

In 2008, RADAR developed by-laws and a well-defined structure to support the operation of the Coalition.

We have a Board of Directors, officers and importantly a strong and broad-community based advisory board.

We are currently working on building the operating committees of the Coalition. Through this website, RADAR will be able to develop an even stronger partnership with the community.

In April 2008, RADAR, with the help of the Mamaroneck Schools, administered the CTC Teen Survey and the Pride Parent Survey. Results of the surveys will be shared with the community in March 2009.

Reducing Underage Drinking and Drug Use

RADAR serves as a catalyst, convener, and facilitator for community-wide drug and alcohol prevention efforts including: community awareness; public policy/enforcement; education; alternative activities; and treatment/services. Below are some of the Coalition's recent activities in these areas:

Community Awareness and Solution Building

On February 26, 2009 RADAR hosted a Community Forum attended by over 80 leaders of  our community.  Leaders from the Mamaroneck School District, local goverments, faith, civic and business leaders and parents all worked to identity key risk factors and conditions giving rise to use of alcohol and drugs by youth in our community.  The group creatively developed ideas for many activities to address some of he top risk factors.  Click here to learn more.

On May 21, 2008 RADAR sponsored the community's first Youth Dialogue Day. Approximately 60 community leaders gathered at Larchmont Avenue Church to listen to a panel of Mamaroneck High School students talk about issues and concerns of importance to teens today. After listening to the students, the adults participated in small group discussions to share thoughts on what they just heard. Next steps from this event will be to create a plan of action to prioritize and address issues raised.

The Parents Who Host, Lose The Most- Don't be a party to teenage drinking- Campaign for 07 and 08 ran from the end of May through June to coincide with prom and graduation seasons. The focus was on increasing awareness of our tri-municipal Hotline and to encourage safe, substance-free celebrations. To increase its outreach, RADAR, in collaboration with LMC-TV and the mayors and town supervisor, produced a public service announcement for the campaign. In addition, the Coalition provided pediatricians and orthodontists in the area with packets of information about the health and safety risks of underage drinking, along with a stack of fact cards they can have available at their offices for parents of their patients.

September brings national Family Day- A day to eat dinner with your children. RADAR supported this campaign and promoted local awareness through a collaborative effort with restaurants in the community.

Public Policy/ Enforcement

In March 2008, RADAR met with Town of Mamaroneck officials to continue discussions on law enforcement and how we might work together to increase community understanding of, and support for, underage drinking laws.

Legislation for a Social Host Law was passed in spring 2008 by Westchester County and is being considered on the New York State levels. The Social Host Law strengthens law enforcement's ability to hold adults accountable for allowing underage drinking parties in their homes. Janet Buchbinder, the RADAR Coordinator and president, along with other RADAR members, testified in support of the County bill and has been involved with the statewide effort. RADAR member and County Legislator Judy Myers sits on the legislative committee that passed the County bill.

Education

In fall 2007, RADAR provided training for the local Girl Scout troop leaders on how their work as Girl Scout leaders provides a strong protective factor for the girls, helping to keep them safe from drugs and alcohol.

RADAR continues to collaborate with Mamaroneck High School in the publishing of its Newsletter providing parenting tips and drug and alcohol information to community parents.

Spring 2008, RADAR provided TIPS (Training for Intervention Procedures) for employees of local private clubs. The training teaches server/sellers of alcohol how to prevent intoxication, drunk driving, and underage drinking. Spring 2009 RADAR plans to offer the training to local businesses involved with off-premise sales.

During 2007 and 2008 RADAR provided opportunities for parents of teens to participant in a series of workshops called "Staying Connected With Your Teen." Social workers from Mamaroneck High School and the Larchmont-Mamaroneck Community Counseling Center facilitated the workshops.

The DFC grant continues to support the Second Steps life skills program for students at Hommocks Middle School which is led by staff of the Larchmont-Mamaroneck Community Counseling Center.

Alternative Activities

Several Battle of the Bands are held each school year. This activity, in which local teen bands compete for best band of the evening, continues to be very popular among our high school students. It is a collaborative effort involving RADAR, Mamaroneck High School, local youth officers and the Mamaroneck Recreation Dept.

Youth Dialogue Day was a youth activity involving several months of planning and preparation for the actual community event which was held spring 2008.

Tri-Municipal Hotline

To build awareness for the Tri-Municipal Hotline (914-381-6103), RADAR promoted the Hotline number during the Parents Who Host Campaign. The anonymous Hotline is for concerned residents to be able to report to police potential problems where groups of youth or individual teens may be putting themselves in danger. The mayors and town supervisor helped by sharing the message in a PSA on LMC-TV.

RADAR looks forward to our continued to work in the future to support the health and safety of our youth.

History of the Larchmont-Mamaroneck RADAR Coalition - 1994-2008

In 1994 a group of concerned parents met with the Mamaroneck High School Drug and Alcohol Counselor to express their concerns about the prevalence of drinking among our teens. From that initial meeting, a school-based task force was created to begin addressing the growing problem of underage drinking. The founding group, led by the high school drug and alcohol counselor, was made up of school personnel, parents, local youth police officers, and the Director of the local Community Counseling Center.

In 1996 the task force was officially designated, R.A.D.A.R. (Responsible Action: A Drug and Alcohol Resource). Over the next several years R.A.D.A.R. assisted in initiating many school-based programs, designed to increase knowledge for both students and parents of the dangers of substance use and abuse, and to provide parenting advice and support on these issues. However, though increased knowledge of substance use and abuse is of utmost importance and is a necessary component of prevention efforts, education alone is not powerful enough to bring about change. Proof of this was seen in the results of the Communities That Care (CTC) Teen Survey which the Mamaroneck School District administered to 6th, 7th, 8th, 10th, and 12th graders in spring 2002 and again in spring 2006. The data from both surveys revealed that despite our prevention efforts thus far, underage drinking and drug use among our youth was very alarming and remaining above the national average for alcohol and marijuana use. Many questions were raised on what more could be done to change this trend.

The results of a definitive study on underage drinking provided the answers. Released in 2003 the national report, "Reducing Underage Drinking: A Collective Responsibility", set the stage for a major shift in the nation's approach to prevention. The study concluded that in order to be successful in reducing underage drinking we must focus, not on youth alone, but on adults and society at large, and that the commitment to reduce underage drinking requires participation by multiple individuals and organizations at the national, state, local, and community levels who are in a position to affect youth decisions- including parents and other adults, alcohol producers, wholesalers and retail outlets, restaurants and bars, entertainment media, government, community organizations, houses of worship, physicians and youth themselves.

R.A.D.A.R., along with hundreds of other community coalitions across the US, has adopted this "multiple strategies over multiple sectors" approach to prevention. R.A.D.A.R. has actively worked to expand its membership to include a broad representation of individuals and organizations. It is our collective strength and resolve that will empower us as a community to change the culture and social norms in Larchmont-Mamaroneck regarding tobacco, alcohol, and other drugs so that our youth will make positive choices to avoid substance use. The R.A.D.A.R. Coalition serves as a catalyst, convener, and facilitator for community-wide efforts to develop and implement strategies that are visible, measurable and effective. Over the past two years, these strategies have focused on public policy change, community awareness, education, law enforcement, alternative activities, treatment and services.

As of October 2008 R.A.D.A.R. became a not-for-profit corporation. Our official new name is Larchmont-Mamaroneck RADAR, Inc. (LM RADAR). This is an important step for the viability of the Coalition and helps support its sustainability as a resource for the Larchmont-Mamaroneck community.

LM RADAR is supported by the SAMHSA Drug Free Communities Support Program Grant which it received fall 2006. The grant is renewable for 5 years and is awarded to promising coalitions to support their growth, sustainability and mission to reduce substance use among youth.

RADAR Committees and Areas of Focus:

A. Community Outreach & Public Relations (COPR)

The Community Outreach & Public Relations Committee (COPR) will develop and help implement a communications plan to promote the goals of LM-RADAR.
Community Outreach & Public Relations Committee will be involved in:

• Engaging and maintaining key stakeholders in the process;
• Promoting LM-RADAR to the greater community;
• Educating stakeholders and the public about the work of the LM-RADAR.
• Collaborating with other Committees to prepare and disseminate all press releases, draft and other communications with the public.

B. Board Governance and Maintenance (BG)

The Board Governance and Maintenance Committee (BG) will assess the Community Board membership to help ensure a full and balanced range of participation by sectors of the community. Board Governance (BG) will work with the Executive Committee to:

• Establishing communication and reporting protocol.
• Compliance with Bylaws and operating procedures; suggesting modifications thereto to enhance effectiveness & efficiency.
• Developing a process for recruiting and educating new Community Board Members.
• Coordinating team-building and recognition activities.

C. Youth Development (YD)

• Reach out to the youth groups of faith communities, schools, youth organizations and youth within the community to promote LM-RADAR's mission
• Recruit and engage youth in all aspects of the LM-RADAR effort.
• Work with other Committees to identify diverse roles for young people and to identify necessary skills, training and appropriate recognition for youth.

D. Resource Assessment and Evaluation (RAE)

The Resource & Strengths Assessment Committee will be involved in:

• Inventorying and assessing existing resources addressing the community's identified priorities;
• Identifying gaps in the community response to risk and protective factor priorities;
• Reporting findings and accomplishments and make recommendations to the Community Board and the Board.

E. Risk & Protective Factor Assessment (RPFA)

The Risk & Protective Factor Assessment Committee (RPFA) will be involved in:

• Collecting risk and protective factor data for analysis;
• Analyzing the data to identify priorities;
• Facilitating the prioritization process with the Community Board, the Board and stakeholders;
• Collecting data and analyzing the data for prioritization; and
• Working with the Community Board and the Board to implement surveys.

F. Funding

The Funding Committee will be involved in:

• Developing a long-term funding plan,
• Identifying potential funders,
• Conducting grant writing as necessary, and communicate with funders.
• Submitting monthly minutes to the Community Board and the Board.