StandUP Polk & UthMpact Coalition Members to Take Part in National Substance Abuse Prevention Conference in Orlando, FL

 

StandUP Polk & UthMpact Coalition Members to Take Part
in National Substance Abuse Prevention Conference in Orlando, FL 

Polk County, FL – Members of the StandUP Polk and UthMpact Coalition for a Drug-Free Polk will join more than 1,700 substance abuse prevention specialists from across the country at the Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America’s (CADCA) Mid-Year Training Institute at the Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek Hotel in Orlando, FL from July 20-24, 2014.

CADCA’s Mid-Year Training Institute is a one-of-a-kind, intensive week-long 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. Attendees will participate in a variety of lectures 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. This year’s Mid-Year will feature a number of renowned experts in the field of substance abuse prevention, including Michael Botticelli, Acting Director of National Drug Control Policy, and Kana Enomoto, Deputy Principal Administrator for the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).

“We are fortunate to be able to spend a week with similar organizations from across the country, learning and honing our skills so we can more effectively prevent drug and alcohol abuse,” said Angie Ellison, executive director of InnerAct Alliance, the agency that serves as the fiscal agent for the StandUP Polk (adult-based) and UthMpact (youth-based) Coalitions for a Drug-Free Polk. “We hope to return reenergized with new strategies to tackle drug use and its associated problems in Polk County.”

CADCA’s Mid-Year will cover 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.

StandUP Polk is a group of concerned citizens, law enforcement, community and business leaders working together to take a stand against drugs and bring about positive change for Polk County. UthMpact is the dynamic youth coalition of teen leaders committed to helping educate and deliver key substance abuse prevention messages to teens by their peers. This energetic group has developed anti-tobacco, underage drinking, and social norming campaigns currently being piloted in Polk County middle and high schools. For more information about the Coalition for a Drug-Free Polk, please contact Juli Davis, StandUP Polk Coalition Coordinator at 863-802-0777, or via e-mail at: juli.davis@inneractalliance.org.

CADCA is the national membership organization representing more than 5,000 coalitions and affiliates working to make America’s communities safe, healthy and drug-free. Its mission is to strengthen the capacity of community coalitions by providing technical assistance and training, public policy advocacy, media strategies and marketing programs, conferences, and special events.