(January 20, 2007) Kentucky-based Program Wins

The SIGNALS Program (Setting Important Goals Now Against Life-threatening Substances) of The Kentucky United Methodist Homes for Children & Youth received notification of a project award supported by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP). The project award is a mini-subcontract. It provides $30,000 to SIGNALS to enhance the evaluation capability of the program.

The SIGNALS curriculum met all the criteria— an innovative, locally developed, evidence-based intervention tool. Published in 2003, the curriculum is taught in 17 states, and over 40 Kentucky organizations, including public and private schools, churches and treatment centers. The SIGNALS Program is a teen substance abuse prevention, intervention and education curriculum written by David Lane Stonecypher, Director of Substance Abuse Prevention Services at The Methodist Children’s Home.

The SIGNALS program was the only Kentucky-based program to be awarded this year. SIGNALS is one of two programs selected to represent the United States Southeast region, —nine southern states and three districts, including Washington D.C., the U.S. Virgin Isles and Puerto Rico. SAMHSA and CSAP fund 25 programs nationwide with the mini-subcontracts every year. They developed the mini-subcontract award as a component of the larger Service to Science Initiative. Programs must submit a response to an RFP (request for proposal) and advance through a two-tier review panel of nationally recognized experts in the field. Awardees attend one of CSAP’s Centers for the Application of Prevention Technologies to complete the Service to Science Academy.

Pictured: Lane Stonecypher, Curriculum Author,

To purchase a copy of SIGNALS, call 859-873-4481 x279 and ask for Mr. Stonecypher or email lane@kyumh.org