Date: October 30, 2007 To: City Council From: Mayor Bieter Re: City of Boise participation in Idaho Meth Project MEMORANDUM

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1 MEMORANDUM Date: October 30, 2007 To: City Council From: Mayor Bieter Re: City of Boise participation in Idaho Meth Project In my September 28, 2007, memo to the Council, I outlined details of the Idaho Meth Project and my proposal that the City of Boise participate. The State of Idaho, United Way of Treasure Valley and the Association of Idaho Cities are partners on the Project, a statewide education effort aimed at preventing methamphetamine use. Our city utilizes three principal strategies in our approach to the problem of meth. First, we stress enforcement, including our strong community policing program, our participation in local and regional drug enforcement task forces such as BANDIT, and our sponsorship through the Treasure Valley Partnership of a special assistant U.S. attorney focused on gang and drug prosecution. Second, we support treatment, including our leadership on the community detoxification center project and funding for property, construction, and operations. Our third strategy is prevention, including Support of PAYADA (Parents and Youth Against Drug Abuse) and Drug-Free Idaho, and publication of a drug-prevention resource guide for parents and teachers in cooperation with the Boise School District. The Idaho Meth Project will complement these efforts. Modeled after the highly successful Montana Meth Project, the $2.7 million effort will consist of a series of powerful public-service print and broadcast advertisements throughout the state, bluntly illustrating the dangers of meth use. Having reviewed the Project s plans and the City s financial status, I have determined that a contribution of $50,000 would be appropriate, with funds allocated to the Citywide Strategic Planning account. As the urban and population center for the state, Boise has a special responsibility to help lead efforts to combat substance abuse. This expenditure would support the city-wide Strategic Planning Initiative to Demonstrate Leadership and Work Collaboratively to Ensure a Strong Continuum of Care for Our Neighbors in Need by helping us to achieve the goal to Leverage federal funds public/private partnerships to address such issues as homelessness, substance abuse prevention and treatment, mental health, nutrition and access to medical care. Additionally, a $50,000 contribution would make Boise the only municipal government to date to have provided monetary support for the Idaho Meth Project, and one of the highest individual contributors to the Project overall. I have attached additional information about the Idaho Meth Project and have asked the Project s executive director, Megan Ronk, to make a presentation to the Council at your Nov. 13 meeting. Pending your approval of the City s participation, the allocation for this item would be part of the next quarterly budget update in late November or early December. Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns.

2 Background Information

3 The Idaho Meth Project is a large-scale prevention program aimed at significantly reducing first time Meth use through public service messaging, community outreach, and public policy. Idaho Meth Project Overview Methamphetamine trafficking and abuse in Idaho have been on the rise over the past few years and, as a result, Meth is having a devastating impact in many communities throughout our great state. According to law enforcement, judges, substance abuse treatment providers, and state and local elected officials, Meth is the number one illegal drug of choice in Idaho and the state s leading drug problem. High purity, low cost Meth is readily available and abused throughout the state. The financial and social consequences of Meth abuse in the state are devastating. It is a contributing cause for much of the crime in Idaho, costs millions of dollars in productivity, contributes to the ever increasing jail and prison populations and adversely impacts families and children. 80% of the child placements by the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare are directly related to drug abuse with Methamphetamine being the most prevalent; 63% of Idaho felony drug court participants indicate that Meth is their drug of choice; 52% of Idaho inmates directly attribute Meth use to their incarceration; 1 in 36 Idaho men are in prison or on probation or parole 75% of offenders with a drug problem say that Meth is their drug of choice; $66 million is the amount the state of Idaho spends annually to house inmates who admit to having a meth problem. Recognizing the tremendous impact of Meth on the state of Idaho, Governor C.L. Butch and First Lady Lori Otter announced plans to form the Idaho Meth Project. Based on the successful Meth Project model developed in Montana, the goal and purpose of the Idaho Meth Project is to significantly reduce the prevalence of first time methamphetamine use in Idaho. A secondary objective of the Idaho Meth Project is to raise awareness of the scale, depth and critical nature of the Meth problem in the state. The Idaho Meth Project 2

4 The Idaho Meth Project will execute an integrated program consisting of market research, public service messaging, and community action to effect a substantial reduction in methamphetamine use among Idaho s youth. Methamphetamine is one of the most insidious problems facing the state of Idaho. This incredibly addictive drug has had a significant impact on our state; it is damaging our workforce, overwhelming our communities and destroying lives. We are asking for support from the private sector to support this effort to educate the next generation of Idahoans about the dangers of this drug. The Meth Project Overview The Meth Epidemic Methamphetamine abuse has been cited by the United Nation s International Narcotics Control Board as a growing global pandemic, with Meth use in the United States reaching epidemic proportions. The destructive impacts of this highly addictive drug reach well beyond the profound physical and mental damage Meth has on an individual user. A similar level of destruction permeates communities as the effects of Meth use strain the resources of law enforcement, employers, foster care, public health, and the criminal justice system. County Sheriffs nationwide cite Meth as the #1 drug and crime problem; 45 states reported a 90% increase in Meth-related crime in the past three years; 47% of hospitals across the country reporting Meth as the top illicit drug involved in emergency room visits. The Response: The Meth Project The Meth Project was founded in January 2005 in response to this growing problem. The Meth Project is a national non-profit organization headquartered in Palo Alto, California, aimed at significantly reducing first-time Meth use through public service messaging, public policy, and community outreach. The Meth Project is the national parent organization for individual state programs currently running in Montana, Illinois, Arizona, and Idaho, providing an organization and governance model, public service messaging, a media planning model, measurement methodology, and public outreach initiatives. The program has demonstrated significant results in changing attitudes and behaviors toward Meth, and will expand to other states in the coming year. At the core of the Meth Project's efforts is research-validated, high-impact advertising that graphically communicates the risks of Meth use. In addition to its public awareness campaign, the Meth Project mobilizes community groups to spearhead education and prevention initiatives in an effort to reduce methamphetamine use. The Idaho Meth Project 3

5 A Research-Based Campaign To track and refine the program s effectiveness, the Meth Project has developed a comprehensive research program, including both quantitative and qualitative studies, to measure young people s attitudes and behaviors related to methamphetamine use. The project executes the Meth Use & Attitudes Survey nationally and in states that have implemented the Meth Project. Results from the most recent statewide and national surveys can be found at Using consumer marketing and advertising strategies as the basis for its outreach, the Meth Project aims to inform potential Meth consumers about the product attributes and actual risks associated with methamphetamine, and to substantially reduce Meth use. The campaign s core message Not Even Once, speaks directly to the highly addictive nature of Meth. The Meth Project executes large-scale, public messaging campaigns across TV, radio, billboards, newspapers, and the Internet. Targeting youth ages 12-17, the message reaches 70-90% of that target audience at least three times a week. Sample Print Ads Strategic Approach The Meth Project was first created to address the Meth crisis facing the state of Montana. The centerpiece of the program is research-based advertising that graphically communicates the risks of Meth use. From September 2005 through September 2007, the Meth Project sustained a large-scale, statewide prevention campaign in Montana spanning TV, radio, billboards, newspapers, and the Internet. This campaign included: 45,000 TV ads 35,000 radio ads 10,000 print impressions 1,000 billboards The organization is the largest advertiser in the state, with messages reaching 70 90% of Montana teens approximately three to five times per week. The Idaho Meth Project 4

6 Program Results The Meth Project first launched in Montana in September At the time, the state was overwhelmed by methamphetamine abuse: Montana ranked #5 in the nation for Meth abuse 1 50% of inmates were incarcerated for Meth 2 50% of foster-care admissions were Meth-related 3 Officials estimated that Montana s Meth problem cost Montana more than $60 million per year in direct costs to the criminal justice, health care, and social services systems. The indirect costs in lost productivity were considerably higher. Recognition for the Program The Meth Project campaign has received 40 advertising industry awards including: 2 Gold Effie Awards Grand Effie Award Finalist 7 Gold Addy Awards 18 Silver Addy Awards Cannes Lion Award 7 AdCritic.com Top Ten Awards for the best ads in the U.S. Summary of Results in the State of Montana From 2005 to 2007, the rate of teen Meth abuse across the United States remained unchanged according to the annual National Survey on Drug Use and Health released by the US Department of Health and Human Services this month. Recently, the Montana Meth Project announced with the CDC and the Montana Office of Public Instruction that Teen Meth use in Montana has declined 50% in the past two years. As of September 2007: Montana now ranks #39 in the nation for Meth abuse (down from #5 two years earlier) based upon Quest Diagnostics Workplace Drug Testing Report; Adult Meth use has declined as much as 70% based upon Quest Diagnostics Workplace Drug Testing Report; Teen Meth use declined 50% in the past two years according to the data released today by the CDC and the Montana Office of Public Instruction The Idaho Meth Project 5

7 Plan of Action Using the proven Meth prevention program developed by the Meth Project, a large scale Meth prevention effort will be launched in the state of Idaho. The plan is to leverage the advertising content, intellectual property, survey methodology and public outreach programs that have been tried and tested in Montana and apply them in the state of Idaho. Market Research The Idaho Meth Project will conduct periodic tracking surveys to measure attitudes and behaviors related to methamphetamine use in Idaho. Understanding the risks and consequences of Meth use will provide a view of the consumer mindset on methamphetamine, offering insight into effective anti-meth messages. An initial benchmarking survey will be conducted before advertising begins followed by tracking surveys every 9 to 12-months. Additionally, the Idaho Meth Project will utilize a series of statewide teen focus groups to get a qualitative perspective on behaviors and attitudes through more in-depth discussions. This research will give the project and the Idaho community meaningful insight into the mindset of teens surrounding this dangerous drug and aid in developing messages to effectively reach this audience. Public Service Messaging The Idaho Meth Project will place high-impact public service messaging with the goal of preventing people especially kids and teens from trying methamphetamine. The Idaho Meth Project is dedicated to helping kids and teens in Idaho reject methamphetamine use by influencing attitudes through high-impact advertising. The project will employ a variety of approaches to deliver research-based Meth education messages to the Idaho public. This includes a pervasive media campaign reaching our target population through TV, radio, billboards, print, and the internet. Media Strategy and Placement The target audience for our advertising campaign is year old Idaho residents, with year olds as a secondary target. Our media plan will allow us to reach 70% of our target audience in the state 3 times per week. The Idaho Meth Project 6

8 Sample Media Mix 10% 11% 5% 13% 40% Television Radio Newspaper High School Newspaper Online Outdoor 21% Board of Directors, Advisory Council, and Finance Team The Board of Directors for the Idaho Meth Project are as follows: Lori J. Otter First Lady, State of Idaho Debbie Field Director, Idaho Office of Drug Policy Tom Siebel Founder and CEO, The Meth Project The Idaho Meth Project has also formed an Advisory Council of influential domain experts from Idaho to assist and guide the organization. The advisory council will meet periodically to review the activities, plans and budget of the Idaho Meth Project and provide advice and direction. The advisory board members will play a critical role, as recognized community leaders, in communicating goals and activities of the Meth Project in Idaho. A statewide Finance Team has also been formed to develop and support the fundraising strategy for the Idaho Meth Project.. Budget Estimate The Idaho Meth Project is entirely funded from the generous contribution of private individuals, corporations, and foundations concerned about Idaho's future. The use of private dollars to fund this program will enhance the level of buy-in in the Idaho Meth Project throughout the state and will allow limited public dollars to be refocused in other critical areas, including substance abuse intervention, treatment and enforcement. Total costs for the first year budget are outlined below: Idaho Meth Project Budget Organizational Costs $120,000 Public Relations and Community Outreach $350,000 Market and Survey Research $450,000 Media Placement $1,000,000 Licensing Fees $100,000 The Idaho Meth Project 7

9 Advertising Development $150,000 Collateral Materials and Website $150,000 Staffing Expenses $250,000 Legal/Accounting Services $100,000 Travel Expenses $30,000 Total Expenditures: $2,700,000 Fund Development The Idaho Meth Project relies on financial support from foundations, corporations, and individuals to achieve its objective of reducing first time Meth use. Grants and donations ensure that creative materials, which are the backbone of the campaign, continue to evolve as the program expands to additional states. Contributions provide funding for creative development, media buys, research, focus groups, and community outreach. Funds contributed to the Idaho Meth Project will be used to directly support our media placement project, which includes the launch of television, radio, billboard, and print advertisements that would graphically communicate the risks of methamphetamine to Idaho youth. Every dollar raised for our media placement project will be matched at a minimum of 1:1 from media outlets across the state (television and radio stations, billboard companies, newspapers, etc), resulting in a total leveraged media buy of over $2 million annually. The impact of these funds would be analyzed through periodic statewide surveys to measure the impact of the Idaho Meth Project messaging participants in this survey will include students, young adults and parents. Results of this survey will be available to the public. Major Funding Commitments As of October 2007, nearly $1 million in funding has been pledged to the Idaho Meth Project. Major donors include: Coeur d Alene Tribe $500,000 ($100,000 for five years) L&M Williams Foundation $135,000 Idaho Hospital Association $100,000 Wal*Mart $50,000 Mountain View Hospital $50,000 Qwest $25,000 Blue Cross of Idaho $25,000 Avista $25,000 Keiretsu Forum Northwest $10,000 Idaho Community Foundation $6,000 Association General Contractors $5,000 The Idaho Meth Project 8

10 Project Milestones January 2005: Meth Project founded in Montana January - August 2005: Market research conducted August 2005: Benchmark Montana Meth Use & Attitudes Survey released September 2005: Phase I messaging campaign launched in Montana Spring 2006: Second Montana Meth Use & Attitudes Survey released, providing initial results on effectiveness of messaging campaign; Phase II of messaging campaign launched Summer 2006: Public art contest, Paint the State, launched, prompting Montana teens to create more than 660 works of anti-meth art October 2006: Meth Project awarded White House commendation for most impactful and innovative anti-drug campaign; Montana Meth Project is cited as a model for the nation January 2007: HBO announces upcoming release of new documentary, Montana Meth, produced in collaboration with the Meth Project March 2007: Phase III of messaging campaign launched in Montana, with television spots directed by Darren Aronofsky; Third Meth Use & Attitudes Survey released; "Montana Meth" airs on HBO April 2007: Arizona Meth Project launched with the goal of reducing first time Meth use in the state of Arizona May 2007: Idaho Meth Project announced September 2007: First National Meth Use & Attitudes Survey released September 2007: Meth Project ads selected for inclusion in the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy s national Meth prevention campaign The Idaho Meth Project 9