(Chelsea Update would like to thank Rebecca Jaskot for the information and photos in this story.)
Representatives from SRSLY Chelsea traveled to Washington, D.C. on Feb. 5-8 to attend the 28th Annual National Leadership Forum, held by the Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA).
Approximately 3,000 people from across the United States attended this year’s forum, which is the nation’s largest training event for substance abuse prevention specialists and advocates.
“The forum was a great opportunity for us to network and learn from substance abuse prevention experts,” said SRSLY Program Coordinator Rebecca Jaskot in a press release.
“CADCA provides youth training sessions that empower students to take the lead in prevention work in their own communities,” she said, adding, “The Chelsea students who attended learned valuable skills in both leadership and advocacy.”
Through the financial support of the Chelsea Friends and Family Wellness Coalition and the 5 Healthy Towns Foundation, SRSLY sent 11 representatives to this year’s conference, including seven youth.
The group attended sessions on a wide range of topics – everything from how to prevent prescription drug abuse and the abuse of marijuana to how to create tobacco-free environments and develop policies to reduce underage drinking.
Several national leaders spoke at the event, including Acting Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy Richard Baum and Dr. Bertha Madras of Harvard Medical School. Speakers shared their expertise and insights into the opioid epidemic and prevention initiatives.
The SRSLY youth gained advocacy experience during the Forum’s “Capitol Hill Day” event held on Wednesday, Feb. 7, where conference attendees were given the opportunity to meet with their elected representatives.
SRSLY met with Rep. Tim Walberg, who represents the 7th District, and an aide for Senator Debbie Stabenow. In both meetings, SRSLY youth voiced their concerns with youth substance use, especially vaping and marijuana. They also asked the representatives to continue to support anti-drug coalitions in their prevention work.
“This year’s leadership conference made me a lot more interested in what I can do to become a leader in our community,” said 9th grader Riley Thorburn. “For a while I was fine just participating and volunteering in SRSLY, but now I feel more confident to pursue issues that I really believe in. It was an amazing experience and I highly recommend it to anyone.”
About SRSLY:
SRSLY’s mission is to empower youth to live healthy, substance-free lives by bringing the community together. SRSLY was formed in 2008 in response to local data showing that teens in Chelsea were more likely to abuse drugs and alcohol than state and national averages. SRSLY promotes positive family, school, and community involvement.
SRSLY also works to limit youth access to alcohol and other drugs and to reduce parental and peer approval of youth drug use. SRSLY receives support from the Office of National Drug Control Policy’s Drug-Free Communities Program, the Coghlan Family Foundation, St. Joseph Mercy Chelsea, and the Five Healthy Towns Foundation. For more information, visit www.srslychelsea.org or follow SRSLY on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
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 technical assistance and training, public policy advocacy, media strategies and marketing programs, training and special events.
