The National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence-Orange County, in Lake Forest, CA offers several programs aimed at eliminating alcohol, tobacco and other drug problems in the county. The program is dedicated to creating and implement effective prevention strategies through collaborate efforts that reduce alcohol, tobacco and other drug-related issues and use in the community and schools. The programs are: Underage Drinking PreventionTobacco Prevention & CessationTobacco InterventionDrug Free CommunitiesSober Truth on Preventing Underage Drinking Act (STOP Act)Marijuana Education InitiativeDriving Under the Influence Underage Drinking Prevention—Funded by the Orange County Health Care Agency, this program educates middle and high school students, community adults, parents, school staff and community leaders on the dangers of underage drinking and positive youth development principles. The program also provides Responsible Beverage Service Training Certification to alcohol merchants and their staff in two unified school districts. Tobacco Prevention & Cessation—This program, also funded by the Orange County Health...

Last year we spotlighted HOPE ONE, an unprecedented project in both New Jersey and the Country. Using a repurposed Sheriff’s Emergency Response Team vehicle and drug forfeiture funds, the Morris County Sheriff’s Office, in partnership with Morris County Prevention is Key and its Center for Addiction Recovery Education and Success (CARES); the Mental Health Association of Essex & Morris, and the Morris County Department of Human Services, put HOPE ONE on the road. HOPE ONE is a mobile recovery access vehicle traveling the county at least two days per week in five-hour time blocks. HOPE ONE sets up at locations that are natural places for the community to frequent, such as grocery stores, pharmacies, libraries and parks. It offers critical support for persons and families struggling with addiction. Proven successful, a new contact is made every nine minutes the vehicle is on the road. On board HOPE ONE is a Certified...

The Pasadena Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (PCADD), a program of Social Model Recovery Systems (SMRS), offers adult and adolescent treatment for alcohol and other drug problems. In addition, SMRS offers education, training, and consulting services for alcohol and other drug recovery treatment programs. PCADD Programs Outpatient ProgramThe treatment program is designed to meet the needs of people suffering from alcoholism and drug dependence. Included are assessment and evaluation; treatment planning and access to other resources; supervised implementation of the plan; monitored 12-step meeting attendance; education on addiction topics and issues; facilitated recovery support groups, and weekly individual counseling and case management. The Aftercare program provides on-going recovery and treatment support for up to a year after completion of the program. Available to adolescents as well as adults, families are also considered and included in the recovery process offered by this program. Information and ReferralEvery month PCADD handles hundreds of...

In 2008, in collaboration with DREAM, Inc., the National Council on Alcohol and Drug Dependence of Central Mississippi (NCADD) formed the Mississippi Underage Drinking Prevention Coalition of Madison and Rankin Counties (MUDPC) and was selected by the Mississippi Department of Mental Health, Bureau of Alcohol and Drug Abuse to implement the Strategic Prevention Framework State Incentive Grant. DREAM, Inc. was a nonprofit organization that worked to prevent youth substance abuse and promote healthy life styles through developing and providing effective products and services for schools, communities and businesses. It recently closed its operation, but NCADD continues to operate the Coalition. Although the Strategic Prevention Framework Incentive no longer provides funding, NCADD has continued MUDPC ‘s mission and vision by collaborating with the Mississippi Tobacco Free Coalition of Madison, Yazoo and Holmes Counties and with the Partnership for a Healthy MS. The two coalitions bring awareness about the devastating effects of alcohol...

  The Council on Substance Abuse-NCADD (COSA-NCADD), the State Affiliate in Alabama, offers an Education & Training Institute for certified peer support specialists in partnership with the Alabama Department of Mental Health. The primary goal of the Institute is to provide education and training on behavioral health prevention topics to professionals and community agencies providing services to populations at-risk for alcohol and substance use disorders. The training programs include Professional Ethics, HIV 101, Confidentiality and Using Recovery Oriented Principles in Your Role. Professional EthicsEvery discipline, business and/or organization should have in place and abide by an explicit set of ethical principles. In offering any services, individuals and the agencies that employ them should govern themselves with the utmost professionalism and ensure the non-violation of those ethical principles. This training offers peer and certified recovery support specialists in-depth information regarding the importance of ethics, ethical decision making and how to identify ethical...

  Recently, New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo announced distribution of $25 million in federal funding to address the opioid crisis in New York State. The Chautauqua Alcohol & Substance Abuse Council (CASAC) in Jamestown, NY was one of the award recipients and will receive $100,000 to provide evidence-based prevention programs to underserved, hard-to-reach youth, and other at-risk populations in the City of Dunkirk. CASAC has established a collaboration with the Boys & Girls Club of Northern Chautauqua County and the Salvation Army’s After School Programs. Youth and adults will have the opportunity to engage in the “Too Good” evidence-based after school program. This program focuses on prevention education through social and emotional learning, empowering youth and teens with skills needed for academic, social and life successes. Elementary and middle school students will engage in positive, engaging, age-appropriate activities including games, stories and songs. The program reinforces basic prevention concepts, including...

Two prevention staff of Behavioral Health Service,, Inc (BHS), NCADD’s Gardena, CA Affiliate, participated at the 2017 National Cannabis Summit held in Denver in late August.

One of the presentations was a poster session about marijuana use among young people. Youth access to marijuana had increased at alarming rates due to the legalization of medical and recreational marijuana use, decreased perception of harm associated with marijuana use, and increased social acceptance. BHS decided it needed to shift the social norm in communities and decrease youth access through strategic planning, education, and advocacy.

Through its work and passion it has the ability to create behavioral and environmental change while protecting youth and communities. The poster highlights BHS’ Drugs Kill Dreams Program, which includes the use of the evidence-based Project CHOICE curriculum developed by the RAND Corporation. It also focuses on the agency’s marijuana prevention efforts on both local and county levels. The poster presentation was given by Jenifer Harris, Prevention Coordinator at BHS’s Gardena Center. A copy of the poster is available by clicking here.

The other was a joint presentation by Gilbert Mora, MS, Prevention Coordinator of BHS’s Hollywood Family Recovery Center and Monica Sanchez, PhD, Los Angeles Office of Education.

Mr. Mora also is the Policy Chair of Rethinking Access to Marijuana (RAM) a collaboration of public health professionals seeking to prevent marijuana-related harms by limiting youth access in the County of Los Angeles. The presentation focused on the commercialization of marijuana since its legalization in several states and provided documents and resources that give a comprehensive review of the potential impacts of various marijuana policy options based on collaborative input from stakeholders including educators, community groups, public health professionals, medical practitioners, business affiliates and legislators.

The session reviewed proven strategies that limit youth access to marijuana through regulatory policy, best practices relating to marijuana storefront dispensaries, personal use cultivation, commercial cultivation and delivery services. Information was provided for local legislators concerned with enacting smart marijuana regulation that adequately protects youth within any designated municipality. To access the power point presentation, click here. The RAM “policy menu” can be seen here.

For more information:
Jenifer Harris, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Gilbert Mora, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The Council of Southeast Pennsylvania in Doylestown offers a range of programs as part of its Criminal Justice Services, including DUI, Treatment Accountability for Safer Communities (TASC) and Anger Management. DUIThe DUI Program consists of a Court Reporting Network alcohol and other drug evaluation, which is required by the state of Pennsylvania for each DUI. The evaluation is a set of roughly 115 questions pertaining to alcohol and other drug use, with specific questions about the day of and the month leading up to the DUI charge. Based on this evaluation, the state may require an alcohol and other drug assessment be completed. The DUI Program also includes Alcohol Highway Safety (AHS), an education program that teaches about the effects of alcohol and other drugs (AOD) on the individual, their family and their community. The AHS program gives an individual a solid foundation about the inherent dangers that come along with...

  HOPE ONE is a collaborative project between CARES (Center for Addiction Recovery Education & Success, a program of the Morris County Prevention is Key) Morris County Sheriff, the Morris County Department of Human Services, and the Morris County Mental Health Association. It is the first of its kind in New Jersey. HOPE ONE is a repurposed tactical vehicle that serves as a mobile recovery center for Morris County. On board HOPE ONE are a Certified Peer Recovery Specialist, a Mental Health Professional and a plain-clothed Sheriff’s Officer. On Mondays and Thursdays, HOPE ONE sets up in a predesignated community in the county. Locations are publicized in advance so people know HOPE ONE will be in their community that day. Staff provides support services to anyone seeking assistance for either themselves or a loved one who has a substance use or mental health disorder. The approach is simple; it starts with...

The Central Nebraska Council on Alcoholism and Addictions, with a mission of offering hope and changing lives by fostering healthy lifestyles, has a number of services aimed at providing alcohol and other drug education to the community. Among them are: Prime for Life (MIP)—This is an eight-hour alcohol education class for youth ages 20 and younger. The goal of this program is to reduce the incidence of alcohol and other drug-related problems in youth. It is a nationally recognized and evidence-based program that focuses on personal risk-reduction (choices) and self-assessment specifically related to alcohol. The program is voluntary but many youth are referred by probation or juvenile services for a Minor-In-Possession of Alcohol (first offense) or another first-time-alcohol or other drug- related offense. The class is offered in English and Spanish.Prime for Life! (DUI/DWI)—This also is an eight-hour alcohol education class but for adult DUI offenders ages 21 and older. The...