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PUTNAM — Representatives from Putnam High School’s Students Against Destructive Decisions and Putnam PRIDE are headed to the Washington, D.C., area to join approximately 3,000 substance abuse prevention specialists and advocates from throughout the country.
They're heading for CADCA’s (Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America’s) 28th Annual National Leadership Forum.
“We are so excited to be able to spend several days with other similar organizations from across the country, learning and honing our prevention skills so our community can be a better place, one that doesn’t suffer from the harms of drug and alcohol abuse,” said Lisa Sousa Mooney, school social worker and SADD advisor at Putnam High School. “We plan to come back reenergized with new strategies under our belt to tackle drug use in Putnam.”
CADCA’s Forum will cover a wide range of topics – everything from how to prevent prescription drug abuse and the abuse of synthetic drugs and marijuana to how to create tobacco-free environments and develop policies to reduce underage drinking.
The PRIDE coalition has recently impacted the community by working hard to raise awareness and getting businesses involved in supporting our Anti-drug and alcohol efforts in the community.
The coalition representatives will hear from several leaders including Acting Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy Richard Baum and Dr. Bertha Madras, Harvard Medical School, who will both bring their expertise and insights to share. Putnam High School SADD students and PRIDE members will also meet with U.S. representatives and senators at the Forum’s Capitol Hill Day event on Feb. 7.
Putnam High School SADD students and advisors are hoping to advocate for more funding to support drug and alcohol treatment facilities to rehabilitate addicts instead of putting them in prison. Sadly, the northeast corner doesn’t have enough treatment centers to assist this major social problem’s that face our youth and adult population.
Some of the coalition’s youth members will participate in CADCA’s Youth Leadership training events to help them become strong community leaders. Scott Davaigian, Jasper Coomey, Aidan Bernier, Natalie Ionkin, Jewelia England, Kayla Anderson and Brenna Fowler are all super excited to attend CADCA and the Capital Hill in Washington.