Johnston Prevention Coalition receives national award

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On Monday, Jan. 31, the Johnston Prevention Coalition was one of 178 community coalitions honored during a graduation ceremony at CADCA’s (Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America) 32nd Annual National Leadership Forum, just outside of Washington, D.C.

The coalitions received a graduation certificate for completing CADCA’s National Coalition Academy, a rigorous training program designed to increase the effectiveness of community substance use and misuse prevention leaders.

“We are honored to be the recipient of this prestigious award which will enhance our efforts within the community,” according a statement from the coalition.

The coalition recently launched a youth marijuana campaign by having Johnny’s Ambassadors, Laura Stack, present to parents in the community. Laura will also present to all Ferri Middle Schools students. A PSA was developed for Snap Chat and TicTok along with a billboard to send the message to youth that marijuana is addictive.

CADCA’s National Coalition Academy (NCA) is a comprehensive, year-long training program developed by CADCA’s National Coalition Institute. The NCA incorporates three, week-long classroom sessions, a web-based distance learning component, an online workstation where participants network and share planning products and free ongoing coalition development technical assistance. To graduate, coalitions must complete a rigorous curriculum. They must participate in all components of the NCA and complete five essential planning products that serve as the foundation of their comprehensive plan for community change.

CADCA’s Graduate Coalition Academy (GCA) completed its inaugural year and was designed to take coalitions to the next step of tracking implementation and reporting the long, intermediate and short-term outcomes of their efforts. Participants of the GCA were taught and mentored to enhance their effect in the community by improving their community assessment and logic models, developing comprehensive strategies targeting local conditions and monitoring and tracking coalition and community implementation efforts to achieve coalition objectives.

CADCA’s National Leadership Forum is a four-day event packed with opportunities to learn the latest strategies to address substance use and misuse. Attendees have to opportunity to hear and learn from nationally prevention experts, federal administrators and concerned policymakers. Forum brings together approximately 2,500 attendees representing coalitions from all regions of the country and internationally, government leaders, youth, prevention specialists, addiction treatment professionals, addiction recovery advocates, researchers, educators, law enforcement professionals and faith-based leaders. It is the largest training event for the prevention field.

The mission of the Johnston Prevention Coalition is to promote substance abuse awareness, education, and prevention in the Johnston community.

The mission of CADCA (Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America) is to strengthen the capacity of community coalitions to create and maintain safe, healthy and drug-free communities globally. This is accomplished by providing coalition development assistance and training, public policy advocacy, special events, media strategies and marketing programs.

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