Community leaders from across the country, including the Washington, D.C., metro area, are headed to Capitol Hill, Feb. 7th to meet with U.S. Senators and representatives from nearly 50 states to educate them about critical substance abuse issues. These Congressional meetings were scheduled as a part of CADCA’s (Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America) 28th Annual National Leadership Forum, the nation’s largest training event for substance abuse prevention and treatment professionals and researchers.
“Capitol Hill Day is a vital opportunity for Forum attendees to communicate directly with their Congressional representatives to educate them about the successes and challenges facing our field and reiterate what legislators can do to advance prevention efforts,” said Gen. Arthur T. Dean, CADCA Chairman & CEO. “We are bringing the “boots on the ground” to Upper Senate Park and Capitol Hill with the knowledge of what communities are facing every day in this drug crisis and partnering with our nation’s legislators for prevention.”
“This rally will get CADCA’s 3,000 attendees pumped up to educate their Members of Congress about effective community-based solutions to all the substance use issues they are facing locally,” shared Sue Thau, CADCA Public Policy Consultant.
Capitol Hill Day kicks off with a plenary session and roundtable discussion followed by a rally at Upper Senate Park. The purpose of the rally is to raise awareness about the importance and impact of substance use prevention generally and community coalitions specifically in reducing the pipeline to addiction. Several distinguished members of Congress will provide remarks at each event. The day concludes with Congressional appointments for Forum attendees to interact directly with Senate and Congressional representatives.
The CAPITOL HILL DAY PLENARY & LEGISLATIVE UPDATE will be held Wednesday, Feb. 7, 8:30 -10:45 am at Gaylord National Hotel & Convention Center, 201 Waterfront St., National Harbor, Md.
The CAPITOL HILL RALLY will be held Wednesday, Feb. 7, 11:30-12:30 pm at Upper Senate Park, 200 New Jersey Ave NW, Washington, D.C. 20001.
Plenary & Legislative Update Participants | Rally Participants |
Gen. Arthur T. Dean, CADCA Chairman & CEO
| Gen. Arthur T. Dean, CADCA Chairman & CEO |
Sue Thau, CADCA Public Policy Consultant
| The Honorable Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) |
The Honorable Mary Bono (CADCA Board Member & Emcee) | The Honorable Rob Portman (R-OH) |
The Honorable Sandy Levin (D-MI/9th) | The Honorable Hal Rogers (R-KY/5th) |
The Honorable Bill Johnson (R-OH/6th) | The Honorable Joe Manchin III (D-WV) |
The Honorable Ann McLane Kuster (D-NH/2nd) | The Honorable Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) |
The Honorable Paul Tonko (D-NY/20th) |
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The Honorable Evan Jenkins (R-WV/3rd) |
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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.
