The week-long training, held at the Gaylord Palms, will teach participants how to address one of our nation’s biggest public health challenges – drug use. CADCA’s Mid-Year Training Institute is a one-of-a-kind intensive training opportunity, offering more than 95 ninety-minute and half-day courses geared towards helping participants find solutions to their community’s toughest substance use problems.
"The Mid-Year is a unique professional development opportunity for coalition leaders and key community stakeholders to learn about the latest research and effective strategies that will directly help them in their critical work of preventing substance use and misuse” said Pat Castillo, Director, National Coalition Institute and Vice President of Training Operations. “After four days of intensive training, leaders will return to their communities with new knowledge, skills, strategies, along with new ways to add to their existing roadmaps to continue to create environments where youth thrive – healthy and drugfree.”
CADCA’s Mid-Year covered a wide range of topics – everything from how to prevent prescription drug abuse and reduce heroin use to how to create tobacco-free environments, reduce impaired driving and develop policies to reduce marijuana use, synthetic drug use and underage drinking.
The coalition has recently positively impacted the community by reducing youth use rates in alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana use according to the Kentucky Incentives for Prevention Survey. The coalition has also recently completed TRUST tobacco compliance checks and sticker stock campaign to the retail alcohol outlets.
The coalition representatives will hear from several federal leaders, including Deputy Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy Jim Carroll, and Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Frances Harding.
Coalition coordinator, Lauren Carr said, “I really enjoyed the conference this year. One of the biggest takeaways was participating and presenting in a mock city council meeting. I always enjoy taking youth to these conferences, it is so rewarding seeing youth get excited and engaged about drug prevention.”
Seven of the coalition’s youth members completed the CADCA’s Youth Advanced Leadership session and training events to help them become strong community leaders and change agents. Graves County senior, Carley Cope said, “I am very thankful for the opportunity to attend CADCA and very excited to bring back many things we learned and implement them in our community.”
CADCA’s Mid-Year Training Institute took place at the Gaylord Palms in Orlando, Florida, July 15 – 19, 2018. Visit the Mid-Year site for details about training sessions, speakers and special events at cadca.org/events/myti2018.
