STEPS Goes to Washington, D.C.
Reducing Drug Use, One Community at a Time
When it comes to preventing drug and alcohol abuse, there is no one-fits-all approach. It takes local, targeted solutions to address a community’s problems. That’s why, since 1992 Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA) has been training local grassroots groups, known as community anti-drug coalitions, in effective community problem-solving strategies, teaching them how to assess their local substance abuse-related problems and develop a comprehensive plan to address them. Today, CADCA is the nation’s leading national drug abuse prevention organization, representing the interests of more than 5,000 community anti-drug coalitions in the country.
In addition to providing training and technical assistance, CADCA advocates for community coalitions in Congress and provides networking and educational opportunities through conferences and events. CADCA also educates the public about the latest trends in substance abuse, builds community coalitions from the ground up and develops helpful tools and resources that empower communities to solve their drug and alcohol-related problems.
It is this winning combination of CADCA’s efforts at the national level and the grassroots efforts of CADCA’s members at the local level that is changing the scope of substance abuse, one community at a time, and creating safe, healthy and drug-free communities.
This past week, Sue Saucier, Kelly Leppard, Evelyn Ciaburri, Jerry Erwin, Sean Erwin, Joe Rogus, Rachael Fabian, and Natalie Nyerick had the privilege to attend the 22nd Annual CADCA Leadership Conference right outside Washington, D.C. to learn the latest trends in the prevention field with other coalitions around the country.
The four students that attended (Sean, Joe, Rachael, and Natalie) also participated in the National Youth Leadership Initiative (NYLI) which is an intense competency-based leadership training that teaches strategies to create and nurture the growth of committed young leaders through their work within coalitions. The NYLI experience helps youth develop an action plan to address the problems and goals that their coalition is striving to affect.
For more information about CADCA, please visit www.cadca.org
