Get Smart About Drugs

Red Ribbon Week Patch Initiative

Mission

The mission of the Red Ribbon Week Patch is designed to provide Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts the ability to earn a patch from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) by for performing anti-drug activities in commemoration of Red Ribbon Week. Furthermore, this initiative seeks to empower young people to create, embrace, and strengthen their drug free beliefs. DEA aims to award a Red Ribbon Week Patch and Certificate of Participation to the first 20,000 qualifying Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts.

Coordination

The Red Ribbon Week Patch is an unfunded initiative. The coordination of this initiative is led by DEA. The agency has dedicated in-kind resources to include staff, website development, website hosting, meeting coordination, graphic design, and other resources.

Only the first qualifying 20,000 Boy Scouts and Girls Scouts will be awarded a patch.

Guiding Principles

• The Red Ribbon Week Patch Initiative promotes the delivery of drug free messages by Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts within local communities.
• The Red Ribbon Week Patch Initiative incorporates input and direct participation from drug prevention experts, as speakers and presenters in local Red Ribbon Week campaigns.
• The Red Ribbon Week Patch Initiative inspires grassroots community outreach strategies to reduce the use and abuse of non-prescribed and illicit drugs among youth.
• The Red Ribbon Week Patch Initiative keeps the dangers of use and abuse of non-prescribed and illicit drugs prominent in the public.

Patch Requirements

All Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts are eligible to participate in the program. In order to receive the Red Ribbon Week Patch, the followingMUST be completed:

• Each Scout leader must submit the Intent to Participate form by Friday, October 7, 2011.
• Each Scouting unit or troop must sponsor a Red Ribbon Week activity.
• Each Scout must attend an anti-drug educational session.
• Each Scout must take a drug-free pledge.
• The Scout leader must submit the Activity Report upon completion of all program requirements no later than Friday, November 18, 2011.

Note: The Red Ribbon Week patches are limited and are disseminated on a first-served basis. No exceptions will be made.

Reporting

Upon completion of the patch requirements, the Scout Leader or contact person must complete the Activity Report form. In addition, we encourage you to submit photos, newspaper articles, handouts, and posters, describing your Red Ribbon Week activities for use in future program promotional venues. Please note attachments will not be returned.

All submissions of photos must include a copy of a signed Media Waiver Agreement

Once the Media Waiver Agreement is completed it can be scanned and emailed to Demand.Reduction@usdoj.gov or it may be faxed to 202-307-4559

Certificate of Participation

The Scout leader may download and sign the Certificate of Participation upon completion of all program requirements. The online certificate has been formatted to enable the typing of each Boy Scout and Girl Scout's individual name before printing.

Downloads

• Implementation Guide
• Certificate of Participation
• Drug Free Pledge
• Sample Patch
• Red Ribbon Week Flier

For more questions or more information on the initiative call DEA at 202-307-7936 or email Demand.Reduction@usdoj.gov.

For more information and employment opportunities with DEA please go to www.dea.gov.