The Marathon County AOD Partnership is a substance abuse prevention coalition comprised of over 250 individuals and organizations. The AOD Partnership is funded by the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy’s Drug Free Communities (DFC). DFC community coalitions use evidence-informed strategies that have been shown to be effective in reducing substance use. The AOD Partnership implemented Pushback Against Drug Abuse, a county-wide public awareness initiative to reduce illicit drug abuse.

Pushback Against Drug Abuse is built on 3 basic principles: raise awareness about the burden and scope of illicit drug use in the community; ensure there are resources for prevention, treatment, and enforcement; and engage the community to address drug abuse. In addition to AOD Partnership efforts, Pushback Against Drug Abuse includes efforts developed and implemented by community members that encompass all events and activities for combating drug abuse in Marathon County. For example, the Marathon County Public Library system hosted an educational series to raise awareness about the scope of the drug issue and to share how all levels of the community play a part in prevention, treatment, and recovery.

The mission of Pushback Agasint Drug Abuse is to raise awareness of and eliminate the misuse of alcohol and other drugs in Marathon County.

Overall, communities funded by Drug Free Communities (DFC) have seen a reduction in alcohol and drug use among youth. Community coalitions like Marathon County’s are valuable tools for eliminating youth substance abuse.

Since the launch of Pushback Against Drug Abuse, the AOD Partnership has seen increased attendance at trainings and meetings, increased their media presence, and distributed informational materials to Marathon County residents. Neighborhood groups coordinated with law enforcement about the use of tip lines and distributed information in their neighborhoods. Students implemented drug education programs in schools, medical professionals were offered training by law enforcement and treatment professionals, and local government worked to identify and secure sources of funding to combat the drug abuse problem. In 2005–2012, there was a 23% reduction in marijuana use and a 20% reduction in alcohol use in middle school youth in Drug Free Communities (DFC) communities. A 10% reduction in marijuana use and a 4% reduction in alcohol use were observed in high school students.

In November 2013, the AOD Partnership and Pushback Against Drug Abuse were selected to participate in the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s Center for the Application of Prevention Technologies Service to Science Award, which aims to enhance the evaluation capacity of innovative substance abuse programs nationwide.