Morgan County Partnership offering Free Server Training

March 9, 2012

The Morgan County Partnership will be offering a TIPS (Training Intervention Procedures) training on March 21 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. for On-Premise establishments. Location to be announced.

The TIPS training is a dynamic, skills-based training program designed to prevent intoxication, drunk driving and underage drinking by enhancing the fundamental "people skills" of servers, sellers and consumers of alcohol.

TIPS gives individuals the knowledge and confidence they need to recognize potential alcohol-related problems and intervene to prevent alcohol-related tragedies.

This free class will be offered to all clerks and servers in Morgan County as well as surrounding counties. Owners, managers and employees of establishments that offer the sale of alcoholic beverages both on and off premise are encouraged to attend. Upon completing the classes and successfully passing the test, participants will be certified to sell or serve alcohol responsibly. The certification is good for three years.

The need for consistent TIPS training is one way the community will be addressing the issue of underage drinking. According to the 2011 Pride Survey and CMCA (Communities Mobilizing for Change on Alcohol) Surveys, a large percentage of youth in Morgan County obtain alcohol through adults, older siblings and friends as well as local establishments selling and serving alcohol to minors.

The Morgan County Partnership has developed an Underage Drinking Prevention Taskforce which is a group of adults and youth working together to change social norms regarding underage drinking. The committee organizes meetings with local elected officials, provides on-going education in schools, and plans various events and activities that continue to raise awareness on the dangers of underage consumption.

CMCA is a program offered by the Morgan County Partnership. The program is funded in part by, Enforcing the Underage Drinking Laws (EUDL) Grant Program through the Office of Juvenile Justice Delinquency Prevention and the Drug Free Communities Federal Grant.

For additional information and training location, contact Shamus Cleveland at the Morgan County Partnership at 304-258-7807.