Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America 901 North Pitt Street, Suite 300 * Alexandria, VA 22314 Phone: 703-706-0560 * Fax: 703-706-0565 www.cadca.org

Media Advisory	CONTACT: Cliff Kai (202) 423-9630 (cell)
February 7, 2003	CONTACT: Betsy Glick (703) 517-8132 (cell)

SOLVING THE DRUG EPIDEMIC ONE COMMUNITY AT A TIME: CHARACTERISTICS OF EFFECTIVE ANTI-DRUG PROGRAMS

Drug Czar, Lawmakers, Advocates and Researchers Brief Media Prior to Annual Conference

ALEXANDRIA, VA—Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA) will host a news briefing prior to the start of CADCA's Annual National Leadership Forum. At the news brief, White House leaders and policy makers will discuss what they learned from the pioneering efforts of local community anti-drug coalitions that helped lay the ground- work for federal legislation. A study of early efforts also reveals what is needed to establish and sustain community-wide collaborative efforts to reduce rates of drug and alcohol use.

Effective community coalitions, including those funded through the Drug-Free Communities Act, are making a real difference in lowering drug use and underage drinking in communities around the nation. The news brief will unveil what characteristics these successful local-anti drug efforts have in common, and what the federal government is doing to help more communities become involved in these efforts.

Many of these lessons will be shared with anti-drug leaders this week at CADCA's National Leadership Forum taking place at the Omni Shoreham Hotel. CADCA's signature event, the largest gathering of grassroots advocates and professional community coalition leaders in the country, provides informative workshops; interaction with peers, national experts and federal leaders; and celebrates the field's successes.

When: Tuesday, February 11, 2003, from 9:15 a.m. - 10:15 a.m.

Where: National Press Club, Zenger Room

Who:
- General Arthur T. Dean, CADCA Chairman and CEO
- John Walters, Director, Office of National Drug Control Policy
- Mary Ann Solberg, Deputy Director, Office of National Drug Control Policy
- Congressmen Sander Levin (D-MI)
- Congressman Souder (R-IN)
- David Rosenbloom, Director, Join Together
- Hope Taft, First Lady of Ohio
- Rhonda Ramsey-Molina, Coalition for a Drug-Free Greater Cincinnati

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Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA), home of the Drug-Free Kids Campaign, is a national membership organization representing more than 5,000 community anti-drug coalitions. These coalitions are local partnerships between parents, teachers, young people, law enforcement, health providers, the faith community, business and civic leaders, elected officials and concerned citizens who unite and mobilize to make their communities safe, healthy and drug-free -- one community at a time. For more information on CADCA, visit cadca.org.