C5 Network is one of 178 honored by the Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America

C5-Rural Network has officially been honored by Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA).

C5 is one of 178 community coalitions recognized during a graduation ceremony at CADCA’s 32nd Annual National Leadership Forum, just outside of Washington, D.C.

The coalitions received a graduation certificate for completing CADCA’s National Coalition Academy, which is a rigorous training program designed to increase the effectiveness of community substance use and misuse prevention leaders.

“C5-Rural was honored to receive this graduation certificate for completing CADCA’s National Coalition Academy,” C5 Chief Communication and Information Officer Stephanie Gustafson said. “The information that we received throughout the Academy will greatly benefit our future mission and goals of the C5-Rural Network.”

Gustafson said CADCA’s National Coalition Academy (NCA) is a comprehensive, year-long training program developed by CADCA’s 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 Graduate Coalition Academy (GCA) completed its inaugural year and was designed to take coalitions to the next step of tracking implementation and reporting the long, intermediate and short-term outcomes of their efforts,” Gustafson said.

“Participants of the GCA were taught and mentored to enhance their effect in the community by improving their community assessment and logic models, developing comprehensive strategies targeting local conditions and monitoring and tracking coalition and community implementation efforts to achieve coalition objectives.”

Gustafson said C5 representatives attended the four-day event to learn about opportunities for managing the latest strategies to address substance use and misuse.

“Attendees have to opportunity to hear and learn from nationally prevention experts, federal administrators and concerned policymakers, “ Gustafson said. “The forum brings together approximately 2,500 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.”

This event is the largest training event for the prevention field.