| Substance abuse is
the nation’s number one health problem, responsible for
more than half a million preventable deaths each year. The morbidity
and mortality caused by tobacco products, alcoholic beverages
and other drugs are staggering, as are the other costs of these
problems to society. One estimate places the annual dollar cost
of substance abuse to the U.S. economy at $257 billion. Substance
abuse affects every aspect of our society, and it will continue
to pose significant public health challenges for decades to
come.
Innovators Combating Substance
Abuse is a national program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
that recognizes and rewards those who have made substantial,
innovative contributions to the field of substance abuse prevention.
The program addresses problems related to alcohol, tobacco
and other drugs through education, advocacy, service delivery,
policy research and policy at the local, state and national
levels.
- Nominations for the Innovators
awards are solicited from an anonymous panel of distinguished
experts
- Final selection will be made
by a national advisory committee
- The awards will recognize
past accomplishment but are expected to assist with future
accomplishment
- Each award will include a
grant of $300,000 in recognition of the awardees’ contributions
to the field
- Unlike a typical grant-making
process, selection will not be primarily based on the projects
themselves but will mainly be based on what the individual
has already accomplished
- Each awardee will be expected
to conduct a project that advances the field over a period
of up to three years
- Up to five Innovators will
be selected each year
- The first awards will be announced
July 2000.
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