Health advocates from MCYAF, the Maine Community Youth Assistance Foundation, are headed to Washington, D.C. February 6-9, 2012 to join nearly 3,000 substance abuse prevention and treatment specialists and advocates from throughout the country for Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America's (CADCA) 22nd annual National Leadership Forum. CADCA’s National Leadership Forum is the nation's largest training for substance abuse prevention and treatment professionals and researchers.

Besides the opportunity to learn the latest strategies to prevent alcohol, tobacco and other drug use, MCYAF representatives will also hear from conference headliners Gil Kerlikowske, Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, James Fowler, Ph.D., author of Connected: The Surprising Power of Our Social Networks and How They Shape Our Lives, and a Professor in the School of Medicine and Division of Social Sciences at the University of California, San Diego.

MCYAF coalition representatives will also have the opportunity to meet and brief Senators and members of Congress from their state during CADCA’s Capitol Hill Day.

“We are excited to be able to spend a week in our nation’s Capitol, learning and honing our prevention skills so our community can be a better place, one that supports drug and alcohol free youth,” says Margaret Polovchak. “We hope to come back reenergized with new strategies under our belt to tackle substance use in Maine Township.”

MCYAF will be featured in display cases at the Niles and Park Ridge Library in February. In addition, MCYAF is facilitating a review of local alcohol ordinances in Maine Township with the Des Plaines, Niles and Park Ridge Police, and will sponsor Project Sticker Shock and a Medication Take Back Day in April. 

CADCA's National Leadership Forum features more than 100 training courses to help community and state leaders prevent and reduce substance abuse and its related problems. CADCA is the national membership organization representing 5,000 coalitions and affiliates working to make America’s communities safe, healthy and drug-free. CADCA's mission is to strengthen the capacity of community coalitions like MCYAF by providing technical assistance and training, public policy advocacy, media strategies and marketing programs, conferences, and special events. Learn more at: www.cadca.org.

For more information about CADCA’s National Leadership Forum, visit http://forum.cadca.org/. 

Members of the media interested in press credentials to attend CADCA’s National Leadership Forum should contact Natalia Martinez Duncan at 703-706-0560, Ext. 256 or nmartinez@cadca.org.

About MCYAF

The Maine Community Youth Assistance Foundation is a not-for-profit organization whose mission is to provide Maine Township residents with a foundation to make healthier choices. MCYAF works with parents, schools, police, youth, government, health care providers, social service, faith and civic organizations toward a common goal of healthy youth.  MCYAF secures federal and state grants as well as corporate and private donations for programs and services that promote improved health for residents. For more information, see www.mcyaf.com or contact us at (847) 858-7090.

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