WHO: More than 1,500 substance abuse prevention and treatment specialists from across the country and world. The Mid-Year also welcomes nearly 200 youth from around the country who will take part in CADCA’s youth-led, adult-guided civic engagement training, the National Youth Leadership Initiative (NYLI), where they’ll learn how to become drug prevention advocates and powerful community leaders.

WHAT: Coalition members and leaders will convene in Indianapolis for Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA)’s 2015 Mid-Year Training Institute.

WHEN: Monday, Aug. 3 through Thursday, Aug. 6

WHERE: JW Marriott, 10 S West St, Indianapolis, Ind.

WHY: The week-long training will teach participants how to address one of our nation’s biggest public health challenges, youth drug use. Specifically, courses will focus on medicine abuse, as well how to create tobacco-free environments, reduce impaired driving and develop policies to reduce marijuana, heroin, and synthetic drug use as well as how to stop underage drinking.

HOW: After four days of intensive training, participants will return to their communities with new skills and strategies, and a clearer roadmap to create environments where young people can thrive.

Specific Media Opportunities:

Tuesday: 50 coalition leaders from around the U.S. will be volunteering to make improvements at a local recovery center, Pathway to Recovery, 2135 N. Alabama St., Indianapolis.

Wednesday: Keynote speaker Michael Botticelli, Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) and CADCA’s youth from Indiana and around the nation are available for interviews.
In addition, ONDCP will release results of evaluation data on its federally-funded Drug-Free Communities program.

To view the courses available at CADCA’s Mid-Year Training Institute, visit .

Members of the media interested in covering any portion of the event should contact Victoria Carlborg at 760-583-8780 or via e-mail at vcarlborg@cadca.org.