CADCA

CADCA's STARS

Shine! Become a CADCA STAR

CADCA Star is our online profile of CADCA coalitions who are making a
difference in their community. This purpose is to connect names, faces and
outcomes to the community coalitions that are out there dedicating
themselves, in relative obscurity, to building safe, healthy and drug-free
communities.

If you would like to be featured as a CADCA Star please email your story
along with photos to LeAndrea Burney at lburney@cadca.org or mail them to:

CADCA
ATTN: LeAndrea Burney
901 North Pitt Street, Suite 300
Alexandria, VA 22314

| January 2003 | December 2002 |

January

Wilson Families in Action (WFA) began in 1982 as a grass roots organization designed to fight drug and alcohol abuse in the Eastern shore of North Carolina. Recently, it celebrated its twenty year anniversary as one of North Carolina's most distinguished community coalitions. It now coordinates 11 programs across the state.

When it started, WFA was an innovative program of the Wilson Chamber of Commerce. It has grown in to a fully staffed agency working for the betterment of families and youth in Wilson County. The program grew out of concern over youthful drug and alcohol abuse. WFA helps parents with the challenges of raising teens in twenty-first century America by providing them with information and education programs to tackle substance abuse issues in the home. Members from across the community work together to provide youth, children and parents a variety of programs designed to curb the abuse of alcohol and drug abuse and to reduce drug and alcohol use in teens and children. Executive Director Phil Mooring says his organization has helped shape a drug policy in Wilson County schools. It has also been actively involved in Project Graduation, the Red Ribbon Week campaign and the Prom Think Card.

Congratulations on twenty good years, and here's to twenty more!

December 2002

Ohio Parents for Drug Free Youth is a CADCA member which provides leadership and fosters networks in order to promote safe and drug free environments throughout Ohio.

The Ohio College Initiative to Reduce High Risk Drinking is a program of Ohio Parents for Drug Free Youth. The Initiative is the first of its kind state level coalition to address college drinking using an environmental management approach. The Initiative includes 41 Ohio four-year colleges. The campuses are public and private, large and small, rural and urban.

Ohio Parents for Drug Free Youth’s Ohio College Initiative to Reduce High Risk Drinking conducted an objective assessment of its six years of efforts to reduce alcohol use by college students through campus/community coalitions and the implementation of activities within five specific environmental management strategies.

The evaluation revealed that students prefer to be involved in alternative activities, social marketing campaigns and as sounding boards on issues rather than actively participating on coalitions. Most campuses (89%) have made alcohol-related policy changes since the beginning of the Initiative. Parental notification policies were the most frequently implemented or revised. Strong leadership, active involvement of key campus leaders and more than one staff member assigned to prevention efforts are attributes that characterize effective coalitions.

Because alcohol consumption is a concern for parents, Ohio Parents for Drug Free Youth published and distributed a brochure entitled A Message to Parents About High Risk Drinking at College for three years. Ninety-seven percent of parents who responded to a survey in 2002 think alcohol consumption is an issue for college students and 87% said the brochure would encourage them to discuss alcohol use with their students.

Last updated: