This is not the first revision and hopefully not the last. What's exciting this time around is the announcement that the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation is underwriting a large portion of the costs associated with the updates. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation is the largest philanthropic organization devoted to improving prevention and treatment in the world. You can bet your eyeteeth that every other prevention education program would love to have the enviable position D.A.R.E. has attained by affiliating with Robert Wood Johnson. It's not surprising that the media attacked D.A.R.E. when the positive press release was made by D.A.R.E. America regarding the curricula updates.
Conflict makes headlines.
By resurrecting old studies that selectively reported results, misquoting positive statements, and referring to unsubstantiated statements made by people who don't have a clue, the media has once again put the reputation of D.A.R.E. in a spin. I am hopeful that those of us who daily see the effectiveness of the present D.A.R.E. curricula appreciate the ongoing efforts to keep the material fresh and state of the art. Regarding the reorganization by D.A.R.E. America of the Regional Training Centers, I remember D.A.R.E. prior to the Regional Training Centers establishment. The Regional Training Center System has performed admirably. State Training Centers now exist across the country.