Oroville CARES Coalition honored at CADCA’S National Leadership Forum

By Gazette-Tribune • March 1, 2018 1:09 pm
Oroville CARES Coalition president Jon Neal.
The Oroville CARES Coalition recently put up a billboard featuring the winning student entry in a contest illustrating the theme "Drugs Destroy Families." First place was awarded to Reese Noel, a second grader at Oroville Elementary. His artwork incorporates a broken heart and tears, clearly portraying how drug abuse affects both families and individuals. Natalie Rodriguez, grade six, claimed second place with her rendition of a loving family hiking in the woods. Third place winner, Yudany Padilla, grade three, portrays a family posing happily in their yard near a fruit laden apple tree. The City of Oroville donated $750 to the coalition toward the billboard.
One of Oroville CARES Coalition’s billboards that was displayed in Oroville.

WASHINGTON,DC -Oroville CARES Coalition was one of 160 community coalitions honored during a graduation ceremony at the Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America’s (CADCA) 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.

Oroville CARES Coalition president Jon Neal.
Oroville CARES Coalition president Jon Neal.

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

CADCA’s National Coalition Academy (NCA) is a comprehensive, year-long training program developed by their 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.

Oroville CARES Coalition is committed to advocating for local youth and families be providing substance abuse prevention education and environmental strategies to foster a safe, healthy and drug free community.