Prineville nonprofit CLEAR Alliance receives $25,000 grant to help reduce traffic fatalities nationwide

PRINEVILLE, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Children Learning through Education And Research (CLEAR) Alliance, a statewide educational nonprofit based in Prineville, received a $25,000 grant from State Farm in support of their Impaired Driving Education Course (IDEC.) Prineville State Farm agent Mike Hornback and his team delivered the check to the CLEAR Alliance staff.

CLEAR Alliance specifically focuses on providing evidence-based substance abuse and impaired driving education, trainings, and health and safety messaging for youth, parents, schools, driver education programs, and other public-service organizations that serve these populations. All educational materials are referenced with evidence and/or science-based research and approved by current and retired public health and safety professionals. 

The mission statement of Clear Alliance is "Raising awareness and educating youth and adults to prevent substance misuse, impaired driving, and to promote mental health and wellness.”

Clear Alliance staff recently developed an impaired driving campaign in partnership with the Redmond Police Department including four new commercials, two new "Did You Know?" ads, and one new billboard both in English and Spanish. These were piloted in Redmond in late April and will be expanded statewide.

A second project that works in unison with this impaired driving campaign is being done in partnership with the Oregon Department of Transportation and puts Clear Alliance's messaging on billboards within the State of Oregon.

The Clear Alliance Impaired Driving Education Course (IDEC) has been implemented in the health education classes at Redmond High School and will be offered at two private schools. The 90-minute course helps teens understand how substances impair driving.

CLEAR Alliance staff offer free online IDEC Instructor Trainings monthly via video conference (and to agencies who request in-person training as needed.) Up to 4 hours of continuing education hours are approved for each training to train instructors in all 36 counties and tribes. Meetings and presentations are held to inform communities about IDEC and a second available course, Tobacco Marijuana and E-cigarette Course (TMEC.) CLEAR Alliance has also been working with Madras High School to get the IDEC course translated into Spanish. 

The following is taken from the CLEAR Alliance website: If facts are not easily accessible, how can we expect our youth to make informed decisions? Our team has seen far too many youth face the consequences of their choices before they have even had the chance to receive education. We believe knowledge is power and education ignites the critical thinking skills necessary to make informed decisions.

“It is crucial to keep the program up to date with accurate statistics and relevant examples,” said Project Coordinator Nicole McAda. “State Farm’s support helps us continue the work of updating the data, in addition to targeting schools and driver’s ed courses where the program will have the greatest impact.”

Clear Alliance is aiming to get the program advertised to states across the nation, especially in areas with the highest percentage of fatalities by accidents involving impaired driving.