Engage Douglas County achieved the Blue Ribbon Coalition credential from CADCA, the nation’s leading substance use and misuse prevention organization. The Blue Ribbon Coalition credential is part of a program that recognizes high performing coalitions that do an exceptional job creating a foundation for their work by updating and utilizing their coalition products. The rigorous process to determine these coalitions is the Got Outcomes! Awards program. Engage Douglas County will be recognized and celebrated in February during CADCA’s 2023 National Leadership Forum at the Gaylord National Hotel and Convention Center in National Harbor, Maryland.
“We are thrilled that Engage Douglas County is one of 15 coalitions across the country to be honored with the Blue Ribbon Coalition Credential,” Chrissy Mayer, DCCCA Chief Community Based Services Officer said. “The coalition has worked tirelessly since 2019 to engage new partners and make a positive impact in our community. This national recognition is affirming and shows that we’re moving in the right direction.”
To achieve success, coalitions must determine effective solutions to substance misuse in their community.
“Since 2019, Engage Douglas County has secured state and federal dollars to support substance abuse prevention and mental health promotion in Douglas County,” Mayer said. “Our local Communities That Care data has shown a decline in youth alcohol and marijuana use, and we’ve seen a significant uptick in youth engaged in prevention work. Baldwin, Eudora, Lawrence, and Perry-Lecompton school districts all have partnered in youth prevention efforts and participated in the first annual Youth Empowerment Summit hosted in October.”
“We congratulate Engage Douglas County on their outstanding work and dedication to their community. Engage Douglas County clearly embraced the CADCA model of prevention and their commitment to creating a foundation for population-level outcomes is an inspiration for others in the field of substance misuse prevention. Our Blue Ribbon Coalitions are excellent examples for other coalitions to be inspired by and emulate in their quest to reduce substance use and misuse in their communities,” said Pat Castillo, CADCA’s VP, Training Operations/Director, National Coalition Institute.
