Four-day Event to Help Community Leaders Learn Effective Drug Prevention Strategies
Washington, D.C. – More than 2,500 substance abuse prevention and treatment specialists from throughout the country will convene in the Washington, D.C. area for Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America’s (CADCA) 24th annual National Leadership Forum, which will be held February 3-6, 2014 at the Gaylord National Hotel and Convention Center. CADCA’s National Leadership Forum is the nation’s largest training for substance abuse prevention and treatment professionals and researchers, featuring more than 80 training courses to help participants learn effective strategies to address drug-related problems in their communities.
CADCA’s National Leadership Forum is the nation’s premier and largest training event for community drug prevention leaders, treatment professionals and researchers. This 4-day training event brings together more than 2,500 community drug prevention 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. Topics will include everything from how to prevent prescription drug abuse and marijuana use among youth to how to reduce tobacco use and underage drinking.
“More than a conference, the CADCA Forum is 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 Gen. Arthur T. Dean, CADCA Chairman and CEO. “Participants leave with new ideas and strategies that they can implement in their communities to prevent and reduce youth drug use.”
The Forum will feature a number of renowned speakers, such as Dr. Nora Volkow, Director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA); Gil Kerlikowske, Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy; Pamela Hyde, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Administrator; Frances Harding, Director of SAMHSA’s Center for Substance Abuse Prevention; and leadership expert Brigadier General Barrye Price, Deputy Chief of Staff for the U.S. Army. For a full list of presenters, visit CADCA’s Forum website.
In addition, during Capitol Hill Day on Feb. 5, participants will hear from several members of Congress, including Senator Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Representatives Karen Bass (D-Calif.), Danny Davis (D-Ill.), Michael Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.), Bill Johnson (R-Ohio), Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-Calif.), as well as former member of Congress, Representative Patrick Kennedy (D-RI).
Several hundred youth will also attend the meeting to take part in CADCA’s workforce development training, the National Youth Leadership Initiative (NYLI), where youth will learn how to become substance abuse prevention advocates and powerful community leaders. This year, youth will hear remarks from R&B Grammy nominated singer and songwriter Mario. Mario, who is also founder of the Mario Do Right Foundation, will address NYLI participants on Wednesday, Feb. 5th.
For more information about CADCA’s National Leadership Forum, visit https://forum.cadca.org/.
Members of the media interested in press credentials for the National Leadership Forum should contact Natalia Martinez Duncan at (703) 706-0560 ext. 256 or via e-mail at nmartinez@cadca.org.
