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ZEBULON - The Georgia Governor’s Office of Highway Safety (GOHS) has awarded a $99,800 grant to The Council on Alcohol and Drugs in order to establish regular and successful Responsible Alcohol Sales and Service (RASS) Workshops in five Georgia counties: Hall, Fulton, Pike, Rockdale and Spalding Counties. The funding period of this grant is from October 1, 2011 thru September 30, 2012. “This grant [the Georgia RASS Program] will allow for the provision of training, technical assistance and a media campaign to educate county stakeholders and alcohol retailers about the purposes and critical need for RASS Workshops,” stated Chuck Wade, President & CEO of The Council on Alcohol and Drugs.
The workshops help alcohol owners and licensees become more knowledgeable in preventing selling and serving alcohol to underage and intoxicated clientele. Underage drinking has been shown to be a leading cause of auto accident-related crashes, deaths and injuries in Georgia. Below are lawsuit settlement verdicts that have been brought against alcohol retailers in the recent past:
• $39 million- National Restaurant Chain
Customer consumed free/ discounted drinks and then drove his car into a motorcycle, severely injuring the couple riding it.
• $1.6 million- Food Store Chain
Defendant sold alcohol to a minor who became intoxicated and was involved in a wreck, killing an 18 year-old minor.
• $1 million- Food Store Chain
16 year old girl was a passenger in a vehicle when the driver (a minor under the influence of alcohol) lost control of his car and hit a telephone pole. A food store employee failed to seek identification from the driver when purchasing alcohol.
The six counties to be served and the main agencies collaborating with the Council in those counties are listed below.
1. Drug Free Coalition of Hall County - Continuing Partner
2. Hall County Family Connection Network (HCFCN)
3. Learn to Grow, Inc. (Fulton County) - Continuing Partner
4. Rockdale Coalition for Children and Families (Rockdale County) - Continuing Partner
5. Spalding County Collaborative Authority for Families and Children - Continuing Partner
6. Fayette Alliance Coordinating Teamwork, Outreach and Resources (FACTOR) - New Partner
7. Pike County’s You Equal Success (YES) Team, Inc- Pike County – New Partner
8. East Point Community Action Team (EPCAT) Fulton County- New Partner
9. SMART, Inc. (Fulton County) – New Partner
The grant will also work with Ms. Michele Stumpe, President/CEO of Evindi, Inc., the designer of and trainer for RASS Workshops, to replicate the success enjoyed by RASS Workshops in other counties in the state.
Evaluation Results
Counties where RASS has been in place for a number of years show consistent decreases in alcohol sales to underage patrons. 2011 results from the Institute of Public Health at Georgia State University and the Burruss Institute for Public Service and Research at Kennesaw State University consistently show RASS workshops increase alcohol retailers’ knowledge and awareness of policies and issues related to preventing underage alcohol sales and service. The effectiveness of the Workshops is demonstrated through pre and posttest scores as well as respondents’ evaluations. Alcohol retailers’ scores consistently increase on each measure from the pre-test to the post-test. Typically 98-100% of alcohol owners and licensees rate the program positively across all measures.