Nearly 2,000 substance abuse prevention and treatment specialists from around the world will convene in Las Vegas July 17-21 for CADCA’s (Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America) 15th annual Mid-Year Training Institute. The week-long training, held at The Mirage, 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 80 half-day and two-day courses geared towards helping participants find solutions to their community’s toughest substance abuse problems.
“The Mid-Year is a unique professional development opportunity for anyone trying to prevent and reduce drug abuse, and its related problems, in their community,” said Gen. Arthur T. Dean, CADCA’s Chairman and CEO. “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.”
CADCA’s Mid-Year will cover 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.
This year, CADCA welcomes Dr. Moira O’Neil, Senior Researcher and Director of Interpretation at the Frameworks Institute as the keynote speaker.
In addition, participants will hear from a number of renowned experts in the field of drug use prevention, treatment and research such as:
Fran Harding, Director, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s Center for Substance Abuse Prevention;
Kana Enomoto, Principal Deputy Administrator, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration;
Sean Ferns, Chief, Community Outreach, Drug Enforcement Administration;
Dr. Ralph Hingson, Director of the Division of Epidemiology and Prevention Research for the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism;
Dr. David Jernigan, Associate Professor, Department of Health, Behavior and Society and Director, Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health;
Jason Kilmer, PhD, Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and Assistant Director of Health and Wellness for Alcohol and Other Drug Education, University of Washington;
And many others, including CADCA’s top-notch staff trainers and researchers.
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, where they’ll learn how to become drug prevention advocates and powerful community leaders. Lastly, CADCA’s largest international delegation, comprised of coalition leaders from 16 countries, will also participate in the training event.
