Representatives from the Phoenix Center told the Greenville County Council Communications Governmental Affairs Committee about the nonprofit’s prevention, enforcement and harm‑reduction programs during a committee meeting. Phoenix Center leaders described a mobile education unit, youth curricula, merchant education for alcohol and tobacco sellers, monthly compliance checks and community naloxone distribution.

The Phoenix Center’s programs aim to prevent or delay substance use, reduce harms for people who use substances, and provide community education and enforcement. “One thing we'd like people to know is about 95 percent of folks who come through our services have a history of trauma and we are trying not to re‑traumatize people,” said Jessica Owens, chief operating officer of the Phoenix Center.

Phoenix Center staff said their prevention team consists of five people who are certified or pursuing certification through the International Certification Reciprocity Consortium. Amanda Davis, director of prevention and community‑based services, said the center operates a 42‑foot mobile education trailer unveiled in 2021 that has reached “well over 30,000 people in the community.” The trailer contains hands‑on impairment goggles, videos tailored to audience age and a resource area linking visitors to local services, Davis said.

The center uses an evidence‑based youth curriculum called YTri for resilience and decision‑making skills and runs the Palmetto Retailer Education Program (PREP) for merchant training on state and local alcohol and tobacco laws. Davis said the Phoenix Center conducted 874 compliance checks in 2024 and works with law enforcement through an Alcohol Enforcement Team that serves the 13th Judicial Circuit (Greenville and Pickens counties). The center reported maintaining an alcohol buy rate at or below 10 percent in Greenville County and a tobacco buy rate of 6 percent for fiscal 2024.

Staff also presented local distribution and harm‑reduction figures. According to Davis, in fiscal year 2025 the center distributed 208 medication lock boxes and 1,983 medication disposal pouches; in 2023 the center distributed 1,269 doses of naloxone. The Phoenix Center attributed a 25 percent decrease in overdose deaths from 2022 to 2023 and a 30–36 percent decrease in impaired‑driving crashes among drivers 21 and younger from 2017 to 2022 to coordinated prevention and enforcement efforts.

During a brief question and answer period, Councilor Bradley asked how the buy rate is calculated. “So the buy rate is reported by the officers that go out and do the compliance check,” Davis replied, explaining that officers complete a form for each attempted purchase and record whether the underage decoy purchase was successful.

Committee members did not take any policy votes related to the Phoenix Center presentation. The committee approved its minutes and then adjourned. Phoenix Center staff offered to provide free Narcan trainings and materials to community groups on request.

For more information or to request a mobile unit visit the Phoenix Center (contact details not specified in the meeting).