City of Alexandria Children & Youth Master Plan

The members of the Alexandria Children, Youth and Families Collaborative Commission are pleased to announce the release of the approved Children and Youth Master Plan. The Plan will be presented to City Council at a public hearing on Saturday, May 17 at 9:30 a.m.at City Hall, located at 301 King Street. All residents and stakeholders are encouraged to attend.

The Children and Youth Master Plan serves as the basis for the coordination, alignment and delivery of effective services for all city children and youth, from birth to 21 years-old, and their families while maximizing taxpayer and private investments in the allocation of resources.  The Plan envisions a city where each program and initiative collaborates to improve outcomes in identified areas, while creating a culture of safety, social and civic engagement, and academic and vocational aspiration. The five Plan goals are:

1.      Every child will be physically safe and healthy.

2.      Every child will be academically successful and career-ready.

3.      Every child will be socially connected, emotionally secure and culturally competent.

4.      Every family will be equipped and empowered to support the well-being of their children effectively.

5.      Alexandria’s systems and institutions will be responsive, coordinated, efficient and effective in service to children and families.

Plan development began with community forums involving over 300 youth and adults, and continued with the work of a design team comprising community, school, faith-based, parent and youth members. The Plan aligns with the City’s and Alexandria City Public School’s strategic plans, among others.

Following City Council adoption of the Plan and endorsement by the School Board, theAlexandria Children, Youth and Families Collaborative Commission will develop a design for implementation.

Prescription Drug Take Back Day a Success in Alexandria

Prescription Drug Take Back Day a Success in Alexandria

The Alexandria Police Department and the Alexandria Sheriff’s Office collected 188 pounds of potentially dangerous expired, unused and unwanted prescription drugs for destruction at the National Prescription Drug Take Back Day.

On Saturday, April 26, 2014, from 10 A.M. to 2 P.M., the two Alexandria law enforcement agencies, with cooperation from the Substance Abuse Coalition of Alexandria, collected potentially dangerous expired, unused and unwanted prescription drugs and other medications for destruction at three sites in the City

Over 5,000 collections sites nationwide participated in the take back day program this pastSaturday and over 3,150 pounds were collected in the Northern Virginia area alone. In Alexandria, residents dropped off unused prescription medications at three drop sites in the City. The sites included Police Headquarters, the Del Ray Pharmacy and the parking lot of the First Baptist Church. The service was free and anonymous.

Last spring, the two Alexandria law enforcement agencies collected over 243 pounds of prescription drugs for destruction in the third ever take back initiative.

This initiative addresses a vital public safety and public health issue. Many Americans are not aware that medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse and abuse. Rates of prescription drug abuse in the United States are increasing at alarming rates, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs. Studies show that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet. In addition, many Americans do not know how to properly dispose of their unused medicine, often flushing them down the toilet or throwing them away – both potential safety and health hazards. 

Other participants in this initiative include the Partnership for a Drug-Free America; the International Association of Chiefs of Police; the National Association of Attorneys General; the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy; the Federation of State Medical Boards; and the National District Attorneys Association.