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Troxler says the description of a coalition
as an organization “using multiple strategies across multiple
sectors” is the definition by the federal government guidelines
for community anti-drug organizations. She emphasizes that every
coalition is different because each is responsive to the unique
needs of its own community.
Who Uses CDAP
Services
The main audiences for CDAP resources are
faith communities, schools, teachers, youth support
organizations, and other prevention agencies. The
interactive materials are particularly in demand by youth
audiences.
CDAP’s mission is to reduce alcohol and
other drug problems through coordinated and committed community
prevention efforts. They have identified four core values
as their driving force: strength, from collaboration with
diverse groups and individuals; knowledge as a means to
encourage healthful choices; energy from the shared focus
of an empowered community, and informed decisions based
on the systematic, ongoing evaluation of community efforts.
CDAP seeks to address environmental
influences
in the fight against drug abuse. Programs inform the public
about alcohol and other drug-related issues, provide information
and referral to community resources, identify needs and
coordinate local services. CDAP coordinates volunteers in such
efforts as the Parent Corps, and the Youth Activities Council. A
neighborhood initiatives director sets up community meetings,
after school programs, and community days, working with citizens
to help them build their own neighborhood’s capacity.
Troxler has been with CDAP since 1989,
first as a member through her work as a community activist, and
then as director for the past 12 years. She was brought into the
organization to create a clearinghouse database of resources,
which is still in use. Troxler says, “We’ve developed a
tremendous array of resources—print materials, videos, DVD’s
workshops, community outreach products, displays, and other
presentations.”
Changing the
Environment
“ Like all the DFC grantees, we’re geared
toward environmental strategies: awareness building and build
the capacity of local communities so folks can change their own
neighborhoods. We tackle ‘small p’ policy changes with
things like underage drinking initiatives. For example, we
monitor whether sellers have a practice of checking I.D.s of
those under 30. In this area, we have the help of teens through
our Youth Activities Council (YAC), who go around checking for
signs in stores. We also use young adults 21 or over to attempt
to but without ID to see if the clerk will sell or use best
practices to check I.D. of anyone who looks under 30." The
Coalition is part of a state-wide network of coalition working
on preventing underage drinking.
Coalition activities include outreach to
schools and parent trainings. Participants in those workshops
are usually referred from such sources as the housing authority
or juvenile drug treatment practitioners. CDAP also coordinates
work with individual children and teens.
Troxler says that changing the community
environment is critical. “You may have done wonderful
evidence-based skills training but once the individual is back
in the same environment, your training with them is not likely
to be successful. The problem of current methods is that we’re
only dealing with the child. We need to deal with the community:
how we enforce laws, for example. It’s very important to work
directly with children and young people. However, if they then
go back into an environment which is drug-friendly, they will
likely have problems, no matter how thorough the education was.
Some children’s families’ main source of income is drugs, or
their peers derive income from drugs.”
CDAP seeks to support positive
decision-making by addressing such practical issues as
advertising, i.d. checking, safe neighborhoods, academic
achievement, and positive role models.
Measuring
Effectiveness
When asked about the program’s
effectiveness and scope, Troxler said, “How do you know how much
impact you’re having? With something chronic like heart disease,
they never say you have two opportunities to fix it and then
you’re on your own. But this problem is chronic also. There will
not be a quick and easily measurable fix.” She said systematic
evaluation is difficult, but that Dr. Mark Wolfson of WFU School
of Medicine is developing an evaluation tool for CDAP. Long-term
impact measures will include rates of use among youth and their
perception of harm from alcohol and other drugs.
New Initiatives
CDAP has begun a partnership with the
Mental Health Association to look at barriers to treatment. For
example, Troxler says there have been instances of employees
using their mental health insurance option and then being denied
other forms of insurance.
Another aspect of CDAP involvement in
access to services is the Recovery Ambassadors Training
on December 9, where participants will receive training for
advocacy in recovery issues by the Robert Wood Johnson
Institute, with additional support from AHEC. “Access to
services is a huge issue right now,” says Troxler, “and we’re
getting into this area more than we used to.”
www.cdap.org
(336.759.7500)
atroxler@cdap.org
www.rwjf.org
www.med.unc.edu/ahec/
The Next
Step
Editor: Bebe
Somerville
Designer: Virginia Hart
Partnership for a Drug-Free
NC
665 W. Fourth Street
Winston-Salem, NC 27101
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