CADCA National Coalition Institute

World Café: Community Conversations that Matter

Have you been to a town hall meeting like this: Participants dutifully arrive; the 'experts' sit at the front of the room and share their knowledge and opinions and answer a few questions from the audience, the meeting ends and everyone goes home? Citizens attend, but have little opportunity to participate. We often depend on the 'experts' telling the community. But, what if we turned it around?

For CADCA’s National Leadership Forum in February, LaDonna Coy and I developed a session, Community Conversations that Matter, using the World Café method that intentionally creates a way for each of us to participate in conversations that shape our lives in the community. We were surprised at the response: the room was set up for 90 and we allowed 25 more in before putting out a 'session full ' notice.

The room arrangement set the stage for a very different experience. The bright fluorescent lights were off and the softer spots on. The tables each seated four and were covered with red and white checkered cloths. Our reference materials looked more like menus than standard workshop handouts.

The World Café  recommends setting this kind of atmosphere and instructing participants to listen deep and share from the heart. Except table hosts, participants move to different tables every 20 minutes for three rounds, so people get to meet and listen to a variety of people and perspectives. The conversations were stimulating and it was hard to believe that an hour had passed when the session ended.

The session was so successful that we’re going to do it again at CADCA’s Mid-Year Training Institute in July. We hope you’ll join us and see what a World Café is like. In the meantime, you can get more information at the Town Hall Meeting Meets World Cafe Wiki pages.

If you’ve participated in a World Café, use the comments section below to tell us about the experience. Help us share our experiences and yours with the world!

 

This post was written by Diane Gallagher, Ph.D., Deputy Director for Evaluation and Research for CADCA's National Coalition Institute. Her e-mail address is dgallagher@cadca.org.

Environmental Strategies Publication Strikes a Chord

CADCA's National Coalition Institute released the first in a new series of publications, Beyond the Basics, last week and the response has been overwhelming. The Coalition Impact: Environmental Prevention Strategies resonates with community anti-drug coalitions because it addresses the day-to-day work of trying to create safer and healthier communities.

Since the publication launched on the Institute's Web site on April 8, hundreds of coalitions have visited the Institute's environmental strategies page and dozens have ordered multiple print copies. We're feeling a bit like Sally Field when she picked up her Academy Award a number of years ago and declared "You like me..."

Of course, with the Institute, we know that you like our work--and that's a tremendous compliment because we work continuously to develop innovative training curricula and resources that help community anti-drug coalitions build safer and healthier communities. Whether training on the basics of core competencies or disseminating topic-specific publications, we strive to provide comprehensive information that coalitions can apply in their individual communities.

Please let us know what you think of the new publication and what your coalition is doing to create population-level change in your community. By sharing your stories, you help us help other coalitions.

This post was written by Sue Stine, Senior Manager of Dissemination and Coalition Relations for CADCA's National Coalition Institute. Her e-mail address is sstine@cadca.org.

Great News from the Social Media Front

We have two pieces of great news on the new/social media front today:

• We posted great new videos on our three Got Outcomes! Coalition of the Year Awards winners, on YouTube and
• We announced a new three-part Webinar series on social media and coalitions which starts on Thursday, April 17.

The Got Outcomes winners--Franklin County Communities That Care Coalition, Greenfield, MA; Missoula Forum for Children and Youth, Missoula, MT; and Butte Youth Now Coalition, Chico, CA, were honored at the CADCA National Leadership Forum XVIII in Feburary. The videos were shown as a part of the awards ceremony.

The Got Outcomes! Coalition of the Year Awards are a CADCA National Coalition Institute-sponsored competition recognizing coalitions that have successfully impacted substance abuse outcomes in a measurable way through the implementation of a sound strategic plan/logic model.

In addition, we're happy to have LaDonna Coy, MHR, CPS, CDLA, New Media and Prevention Specialist and author of the Technology in Prevention blog (not to mention a great friend of CADCA and the Institute) as the presenter for the three Webinar sessions which will be held on April 17, June 19 and September 18 at 3 p.m. LaDonna brings a special passion for finding new ways for coalitions to communicate with their members and partners, and with one another. Even if you hadn't planned to add social media to your plate in 2008, join us and see what's out there--we think you'll be surprised!

One last thing--remember that we want to know how your coalition is using social media--add a comment to this blog or drop us an e-mail at institute@cadca.org.

This post was written by Sue Stine, Senior Manager of Dissemination and Coalition Relations for CADCA's National Coalition Institute. Her e-mail address is sstine@cadca.org.

Free Regional Training Offers New Choices

At CADCA's National Coalition Institute, we're always looking for ways to expand and enhance the training opportunities we offer community coalitions. On April 8-11, 2008, we'll host a free regional training at the Sheraton Gateway Hotel Atlanta Airport.

The training is open to all community coalitions, with particular focus on Drug Free Communities (DFC) Grantees and Weed and Seed sites. We will offer a variety of courses that will allow participants to choose to be on site for one, two, three or four days. A new two-day course on sustainability and one-day sessions on planning and implementing environmental strategies and conducting coalition evaluation will be open on a first-come-first-served basis.

Additionally, a three-day workshop (April 8 - 10) designed for new DFC grantees as a follow on to a January 2008 training is included in the session descriptions. Participation in this session is limited to DFC Year 1 Grantees and Year 6 new hires. A one-day session (April 11) on the DFC's Core Measures will be open to all DFC Grantees. Click here for complete information on the sessions and registration information.

Coalitions may register up to five participants for the training. There is no charge for registration or related materials. Participants are responsible for the cost of their travel and accommodations.

Support for the training is provided by the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and the Community Capacity Development Office.

This post was written by Sue Stine, Senior Manager of Dissemination and Coalition Relations for CADCA's National Coalition Institute. Her e-mail address is sstine@cadca.org.

The Best Laid Plans. . .

Forum week has come and gone and our plan of blogging daily has done the same. Sometimes, there just aren't enough hours in the day!

As all of you who know us are aware, CADCA's National Leadership Forum is our biggest week of the year. And our small staff of about 30 people plus a cadre of great volunteers, including a number of fantastic National Guard troops, work from before sunup to well after sundown to make everything happen. We will bring you stories, photos and several podcasts from the Forum and we'll add a number of the handouts and PowerPoint presentations to the the Institute's Web site in the coming days.

The Forum always has many ups and a few downs and most often those downs revolve around Washington, D.C.'s wintry weather mixes. This year was no exception and our worst down came on Tuesday evening when Eduardo Hernandez, CADCA's Director of International Programs and Deputy Director for Dissemination and Coalition Relations for the National Coalition Institute slipped on ice on his way out of the Capitol Hill reception and broke his left shoulder. He's undergoing surgery today and we know you share our prayers and best wishes for a very speedy recovery.

Our staff is grateful indeed to Sen. Tom Coburn from Oklahoma who was the first person on the scene. Turns out Sen. Coburn also is an M.D., and he made sure that Dr. Hernandez (who is one of our regular writers for this blog) was cared for until the ambulance and paramedics arrived.

While our staff was shocked and concerned about Dr. Hernandez, the Forum continued with plenaries, workshops, exhibits and lots of networking. Each of us got the opportunity to talk with coalition leaders from around the country and to learn about the incredible things that community anti-drug coalitions are doing. The time went so fast that it's hard to believe Forum XVIII is over.

If you were able to participate, please share your experiences and photos here!

If you weren't able to make it to this year's Forum, we hope you'll save the date and plan to attend CADCA's National Leadership Forum XIX on Feb. 9-13, 2009 in Washington, D.C.

This post was written by Sue Stine, Senior Manager of Dissemination and Coalition Relations for CADCA's National Coalition Institute. Her e-mail address is sstine@cadca.org.

It's Forum Time in D.C.

CADCA's National Leadership Forum XVIII starts today! It is a four-day event for which our staff and volunteers have spent months preparing. Throughout the week, we will have guest bloggers helping us tell you, our readers, about the events from today's pre-conference  and CSAP Community Prevention Day workshops to Tuesday's Capitol Hill Day when our participants will hear from keynote speaker Dr. Drew Pinsky before they "take to the Hill" to encourage their Senators and Representatives to support the ongoing efforts of community anti-drug coalitions.

On Wednesday and Thursday, speakers from around the country will offer workshops in a variety of topic area tracks from sectors and strategy to systems change, state and community relations and science and technology. Throughout some of our country's best and brightest youth will participate in the Summit for Youth Leaders and the National Youth Leadership Initiative.

The Forum is the highlight of every year for our members, guest coalitions and, particularly, for our staff. It is our best opportunity to get to know the inspirational coalition leaders that we work with, often by phone or e-mail, throughout the year. It is our chance--and yours--to put faces to names. 

We hope that you are among the more than 2,500 community leaders participating in this year's Forum. If not, we hope you will enjoy some of the highlights through this blog. Let the Forum begin!

This post was written by Sue Stine, Senior Manager of Dissemination and Coalition Relations for CADCA's National Coalition Institute. Her e-mail address is sstine@cadca.org.

One More Chance to Participate in DFC Grant Applicant Workshop

Friday, Feb. 15, is your last chance to participate in this year’s Drug-Free Communities Applicant Workshops. Several hundred potential grantees have participated in the previous workshops held in New Orleans, Chicago, Los Angeles and Denver. The final workshop will be held at the Washington, D.C., Convention Center on Friday following CADCA’s 2008 National Leadership Forum which opens with pre-conference workshops and CSAP's Community Prevention Day on Monday, Feb. 11.

The workshops are sponsored by the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) to assist coalitions better understand the application process and prepare quality applications. Approximately 150 new grants will be awarded this year for communities seeking to reduce substance abuse through a community-based process. Staff from CADCA’s National Coalition Institute participates in each of the workshops.

“The Coalition Institute wants to create effective coalitions throughout the country,” noted Dr. Eduardo Hernandez, Deputy Director for Dissemination and Coalition Relations during his remarks at the Los Angeles workshop. The Institute presentation, entitled “What is a real coalition” highlights the differences between true coalitions and prevention programs. It also examines the concept of environmental strategies, highlighting research-based approaches.

Dr. Hernandez also noted that CADCA has numerous resources to help coalitions understand how to become effective and which could be of value to them as they prepare their applications. He specifically noted the CADCA Institute’s Primer Series on the elements of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s Strategic Prevention Framework: assessment, capacity, planning, implementation, evaluation, sustainability and cultural competence which are available in PDF format on the Coalition Resources page of the Institute’s Web site. The Institute also provides free technical assistance to any community anti-drug coalition in the U.S. Free technical assistance can be accessed by calling our toll-free hotline at 1-800-54-CADCA, ext. 240.

While CADCA’s Institute has many valuable resources that can help coalitions frame their applications, staff will not nor cannot answer questions specific to the RFA. Nor does the Institute write or review proposals. For example, we can help you understand a community planning process but will not review your plan for inclusion in the application.

Don't miss this opportunity to learn more about the Drug-Free Communities Support Program!

ONDCP, CADCA Focus on Prescription Drug Abuse

Sunday's the big game! And whether you're a football fan or a casual bystander, you'll likely be caught up in Super Bowl hype--or at least Super Bowl advertising hype. Lifestyle writers, bloggers and nightly newscasts already are telling us about the multiplicity of ads that will launch during the the game--including several belonging to a new campaign from the White House Office on National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) focusing on prescription drug abuse.

More young people age 12-17 abuse prescription drugs than any illicit drug except marijuana—more than cocaine, heroin and methamphetamine combined, according to an ONDCP a white paper, Prescription for Danger A Report on the Troubling Trend of Prescription and Over-the-Counter Drug Abuse Among the Nation’s Teens.

The 2006 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) reports that more than 2.1 million teens age 12 to 17 reported abusing prescription drugs in 2006. Among 12- and 13-year olds, prescription drugs are their drug of choice. These are most alarming statistics.

CADCA, working with the ONDCP National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign, is set to release a new Strategizer on prescription drug abuse at its National Leadership Forum XVIII in Washington, DC, in February. CADCA and its partner the Consumer Healthcare Products Association also will present a workshop on the dangers of over-the-counter and prescription drug abuse by teens.

We hope you're planning to join us at the Forum and that you'll use CADCA's new and existing resources to inform the prevention conversation with your community coalition. That's why we're here.

Environmental Strategies Lead to Population-Level Change

As the prevention field strengthens its ground in science and works to “make the case” that prevention truly is a science and that prevention strategies are making strides toward reducing substance abuse, coalition leaders may be feeling an extra burden. They are expected to document their effectiveness and, in a sense, prove their worth to show funders that they are affecting population-level changes in their communities.

To create population-level changes in your community, it will be necessary to incorporate environmental strategies into your strategic plan. This may seem overwhelming, but coalitions should see this as an opportunity. Environmental work can be very “outside of the box,” as it is unique to each community. You can start by getting a group of coalition members together and taking a drive around your community. Use digital cameras to document what you see. Get youth involved! Keep your eyes open for anything that signals concern. Is there heavy alcohol advertising around gas stations, liquor stores etc.? Where are retailers placing products such as alcohol and cigarettes? Document what you see.

Recently the Associated Press, reported on a good example of this kind of work. Police in Anchorage, Alaska, noticed that homeless camps were littered with empty bottles of mouthwash. The high alcohol content in mouthwash, as compared to beer makes it a cheap alternative for those who can’t otherwise afford to buy alcohol. Because of this, some Anchorage grocery stores have begun selling mouthwash from behind the counter.

Understanding the problems in your community and choosing appropriate and effective strategies involves regular “scanning” of the environment. Many community anti-drug coalitions across the country are doing just that—getting creative to implement successful environmental strategies in their own communities. What kinds of environmental strategies are your coalitions implementing? We invite you to use the comments section below to share your coalition’s story.

This post was written by Andrea de la Flor, CSAP Fellow for CADCA's National Coalition Institute. Her e-mail address is adelaflor@cadca.org.

ONDCP Releases Drug-Free Communities Grant Applications

The White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) along with its federal partner, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) released the Fiscal Year 2008 Request for Applications (RFA) for the Drug-Free Communities (DFC) Support Program. Applicants can apply for up to $125,000 in federal matching funds to strengthen communities and reduce youth drug use through coalition-driven environmental strategies.

ONDCP expects to award approximately 150 new competitive grants totaling nearly $19 million dollars. Interested communities can find the application online at http://ondcp.gov/dfc/files/fy08_rfa.pdf. Additional resources including eligibility criteria are located on the DFC Web site.

ONDCP will conduct a series of Regional Grant Application Workshops. The sessions are scheduled as follows:

• Los Angeles, CA – January 29, 2008
• Chicago, IL – January 31, 2008
• Denver, CO – February 5, 2008
• Denver, CO – February 6, 2008 (for Native American communities)
• Washington, DC – February 15, 2008.

Click here to obtain additional information about the above workshops and to register online. There is no fee to attend the workshops.