Stoneham Honored at CADCA’S National Leadership Forum

Stoneham, MA – On February 5th, the Stoneham Coalition was one of 112 community coalitions honored during a graduation ceremony at CADCA’s (Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America) National Leadership Forum, just outside of Washington, D.C. The coalitions received a graduation certificate for completing CADCA’s National Coalition Academy, a rigorous training program designed to increase the effectiveness of community drug prevention leaders.

“We are so proud of our coalition for investing the time and resources to take advantage of the best community coalition training in the world. To graduate from this year-long intensive course is no small feat and Stoneham Coalition is more prepared today to be an effective, sustainable coalition because of this training,” said Kayla Vodka, Program Director. “We look forward to applying our knowledge and strategies to ensure the youth in our community live drug free.”

The coalition recently worked on hosting Lynn Lyons, an expert on childhood and generational anxiety, advocated and supported the passage of a Social Host Bylaw, and have conducted alcohol compliance checks in the community.

CADCA’s National Coalition Academy (NCA) is a comprehensive, year-long training program developed by CADCA’s National Coalition Institute. The NCA incorporates three, week-long classroom sessions, a web-based distance learning component, an online workstation where participants network and share planning products and free ongoing coalition development technical assistance. To graduate, coalitions must complete a rigorous curriculum. They must participate in all components of the NCA and complete five essential planning products that serve as the foundation of their comprehensive plan for community change.

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. The Forum brings together approximately 3,000 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.

Stoneham Coalition for a Safe & Healthy Community has formed to address the epidemic of drug and alcohol abuse in our community. The Coalition’s primary goal is to educate and prevent and has now evolved to take a more inclusive look at the causes that drive individuals to substance use, including mental health, positive youth development, and work to decrease stigma.

About CADCA

The mission of CADCA (Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America) is to strengthen the capacity of community coalitions to create and maintain safe, healthy and drug-free communities globally. This is accomplished by providing coalition development assistance and training, public policy advocacy, special events, media strategies and marketing programs.