Approximately 3,000 community leaders will unite at CADCA’s (Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America) 27^th Annual National Leadership Forum. The event will be held Feb. 6-9, 2017, at the Gaylord National Hotel and Convention Center in National Harbor, Md. Forum will kick off with the Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) Prevention Day; feature 75+ training sessions covering topics ranging from the marijuana legislation landscape and tobacco cessation to the opioid epidemic and underage drinking; offer attendees the unique opportunity to meet with members of Congress on Capitol Hill Day; and welcome hundreds of youth to take part in CADCA’s National Youth Leadership Initiative to learn how to become effective community leaders.

CADCA’s National Leadership Forum is a four-day event packed with opportunities to learn the latest strategies to address substance abuse and hear from nationally-known prevention experts, federal administrators, and concerned policymakers. Forum brings together 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.

“CADCA’s National Leadership Forum is more than a training event; it is the culmination of what we work towards every day. It’s a national movement that brings together federal and state officials and community leaders from across the country to find solutions to our nation’s substance abuse problems,” said CADCA Chairman and CEO Gen. Arthur T. Dean. “Attendees leave our Forum more knowledgeable and inspired to go back home and implement strategies for a safe, healthy and drug-free community.”

Several notable speakers will participate in Forum. On Tuesday, former director of the Office of National Drug Policy Michael Botticelli will keynote the National Leadership Plenary and CADCA Chairman and CEO Gen. Arthur T. Dean and Founding President of the Institute for Behavior and Health Dr. Robert DuPont will also serve as featured speakers. On Thursday, Nathaniel Kendall-Taylor, PhD, CEO of FrameWorks Institute will discuss the most effective ways to frame social and scientific issues for public impact.

Forum also features two days of Power Sessions, which are unique opportunities to engage with federal representatives. For example, George F. Koob, PhD, Director of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, will provide the vision for the future of alcohol abuse prevention at NIAAA. Lou Milione of the Drug Enforcement Administration will provide a briefing on the latest trends in the nation’s prescription opioids and heroin crisis and take questions.

During Capitol Hill Day on Wednesday, participants will hear a legislative update from CADCA’s Public Policy Consultant Sue Thau. Attendees will have the chance to interact with Congress members at the Capitol Hill Day Plenary and Rally via a roundtable discussion. Later, attendees will attend a Congressional Reception before visiting Capitol Hill to meet with their representative. A number of Congressional members will participate throughout the day, including:

• The Honorable Ann McLane Kuster (D-2^nd/NH)
• The Honorable Tom Marino (R-10^th/PA)
• The Honorable Evan Jenkins (R-3^rd/WV)
• The Honorable Paul Tonko (D-20^th/NY)
• The Honorable Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-40^th/CA)
• The Honorable Amy Klobuchar (D-MN)
• The Honorable Joe Manchin (D-WV)

More than 400 youth will also attend the training event to take part in CADCA’s National Youth Leadership Initiative, where youth learn how to become substance abuse prevention advocates and powerful community leaders.