News : Benton County Above the Influence Coalition joined community leaders in Florida

BENTON COUNTY ABOVE THE INFLUENCE COALITION JOINED NEARLY 2,000 COMMUNITY LEADERS AT CADCA MID-YEAR TRAINING INSTITUE IN ORLANDO, FL.

Learning New Strategies to Prevent and Reduce Substance Abuse

Five Youth and Three Adults from the Above The Influence Coalition joined nearly 2,000 substance abuse prevention specialist from across the country at Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America’s (CADCA) 2014 Mid-Year Training Institute in Orlando, Fl. July 20-24. The week-long training took place at the Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek Hotel.

CADCA’s Mid-Year Training Institute is a one-of-a-kind intensive training opportunity, offering more than 70 half day and two-day courses geared towards helping participants find solutions to their community’s toughest substance abuse problems. There were community and state leaders from across the United States and 15 other countries.

Attendees participated in a variety of lecture and hands-on sessions to expand their knowledge in prevention science and improve their skills in implementing evidence-based strategies to reduce drug and alcohol use. The Above The Influence Coalition was able to send five students from Belle Plaine, 2 students and 3 adults from Vinton to take part in this prevention training.

“We were fortunate to be able to spend a week with other similar organizations from across the country, learning and honing our skills so we can more effectively prevent drug and alcohol abuse,” said David Condry, Coalition Project Coordinator. “We returned energized with new strategies to tackle drug use and its associated problems in Benton County.”

CADCA’s Mid-Year covered a wide range of topics – everything from how to prevent prescription drug abuse and the abuse of synthetic drugs to how to create tobacco-free environments, reduce impaired driving and develop policies to reduce marijuana use and underage drinking.

The Above The Influence Coalition is currently working on prevention efforts geared towards tobacco, alcohol, prescription drugs and marijuana. Some of the prevention projects and strategies currently being worked on are the implementation of a stronger Social Host Ordinance directed towards underage drinking and marijuana use, tobacco free parks in all county towns and the installation and use of county drug drop boxes for people to properly dispose of their prescriptions.

If you would like to learn more about the work being done through the Above The Influence Coalition or get involved with these prevention efforts, you can contact Project Coordinator, David Condry at dcondry@asac.us or call 319-436-4728 ext. 5809.