For those people in and around Santa Fe, New Mexico, who are interested in preventing drunken driving, the DWI Planning Council is seeking new members. Community members with a background in media, emergency services, law enforcement and legal counsel are invited to apply.
The DWI Planning Council works to document the county’s problems with alcoholism. The council also assesses the resources needed to fight the county’s alcohol abuse problems, which include screening, assessment, sentencing, treatment and prevention.
To be considered for appointment to the council, community members must attend at least two DWI Planning Council meetings and submit a letter of interest, a resume, a questionnaire, and a conflict of interest form to the Santa Fe County Health and Human Services Division, Attention Steve Shepherd. To obtain the forms, Shepherd may be contacted by phone at (505) 992-9840 or email at sshepher@santafecounty.org.
Council meetings are held at 2052 Galisteo Street, Suite B Conference Room, and the next meeting dates are December 15, 2011; January 12, 2012; and February 9, 2012. The application deadline is December 19, 2011.
Alcohol abuse has reportedly been a problem in New Mexico for years, in addition to the many drug problems that the state faces. To combat such statistics as the 2006 stats that placed New Mexico at one of the highest rates of alcohol related death (2006 stats listed NM deaths related to alcohol abuse as 1.7 times national average), the DWI Planning Council was established.
To date, the DWI program has introduced media events that have reached 13 million (duplicated) persons, and it has served over 27,000 residents through prevention activities for the entire community. The hope is that such efforts will decrease the rate of alcohol abuse throughout the city and the county.
For more information about alcohol abuse treatment and prevention, please contact Vista Taos Renewal Center.
