2009 SAAC PREVENTION CONFERENCE

Statewide Substance Abuse Prevention Professionals Gather in Lincoln Friday, November 13, 2009

Over 110 members of coalitions from across Nebraska working to prevent substance abuse in their local communities gathered in Lincoln for “The Power of Prevention from Within” conference to receive training from the Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA) regarding prevention kernels,  addressing policy, and asset building.  The conference, sponsored by the Substance Abuse Action Coalition (SAAC) of Lancaster County and the Department of Health and Human Services Divisions of Behavioral Health and Public Health, with support from the Nebraska Department of Motor Vehicles Office of Highway Safety, was designed for Drug Free Community grantees, prevention professionals and community members from across the state to learn about the latest research regarding substance abuse prevention, receive CADCA training and learn about best practices throughout Nebraska.  

Local coalitions play a strategic role in creating and maintaining safe, healthy drug-free communities.  More than any other entity, community coalitions are poised to connect multiple sectors of the community, including businesses, parents, media, law enforcement, schools, faith organizations, health providers, social service agencies, and government.  By acting in concert through the coalition, all of the partners gain a more complete understanding of the community's problems. Together, the partners organize and develop plans and programs to coordinate their anti-drug efforts.  The result is a comprehensive, community-wide approach to substance abuse and its related problems.

Dennis Embry of the PAXIS Institute, Sally Zellers, Director of the Topeka Safe Streets Coalition and H. Clay Roberts, Senior Trainer of five national model programs from Seattle, Washington provided in-depth training to conference attendees.  Local communities from across the state had the opportunity to showcase their prevention program successes. 

The conference opened at 8:30 with a welcome by Dr. Tom Osborne followed by a keynote address by Dennis Embry.  Sessions on local efforts included speakers on faith based prevention, The Odds Are program, and cultural competence in action. 

The Lancaster County Substance Abuse Action Coalition was formed in 2002 as a response to the Federal Government’s call for prevention coalitions.  Today over 200 people, from all sectors in the community, are very engaged in the SAAC process.  The three teams representing prevention, treatment and criminal justice are, according to the data, beginning to make a difference.

For program materials provided to conference attendees go to www.lcad.org and click on the appropriate links on the right side of the home page.