How were we formed?
In September, 2006, in response to the alarming new research compiled by the National Institutes of Health on how alcohol affects the developing teen brain, (causing early addiction and brain impairment), the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services began an underage drinking initiative. They asked each State to form an 8-person Underage Drinking Prevention Team with a representative from each of the state agencies affected by the problems caused by underage drinking (ie. the Juvenile Courts, Substance Abuse, Schools, Department of Health, Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control, etc.). The President of MADD-Utah (Mother's Against Drunk Driving) joined this team when they were summoned back to Washington for a round-table discussion. Teams from each of the 50 states met to discuss the problem of underage drinking and come up with solutions. Their first task was to hold Town Hall Meetings in schools and community centers across their states, talk about the problems of underage drinking, and try to come up with strategies to prevent it. To our credit, Utah held more Town Hall Meetings than any other state, and had more attendees.

But talk was not enough. Underage drinking was a huge problem in Utah, causing early alcohol addiction and ruining young, unsuspecting lives. We needed action - a Total Community Mobilization. We knew that could only be done with a great media campaign. When presented with the latest scientific research, the Utah Legislature recognized the problem and took action. In Senate Bill 58, sponsored by the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control, with the acronym of E.A.S.Y. (Eliminate Alcohol Sales to Youth) the Legislature granted money to train convenience stores operators to spot underage buyers and shut down the retail supply of alcohol to kids. In addition, the bill also funded a state-wide media campaign. (The bill can be viewed in its entirety at the Legislature's website: www.le.state.ut.us.) The creative talents of R&R Partners won the bid for the media campaign, combining the best advertising minds in the state with the best prevention minds. ParentsEmpowered.org was born.

Our Goal
The objective of ParentsEmpowered.org is to eliminate underage drinking in Utah, along with the devastating effects that alcohol has on children. We do this by motivating and enabling parents to take a more active role in keeping their children alcohol-free. Research shows parental disapproval of underage drinking is the #1 reason youth choose not to drink. (SAMSHA, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2005.)