ABD Symposium– It’s for you!

The Iowa Alcoholic Beverages Division (ABD) announced that it will be hosting Symposium 21: Marking 80 Years of Alcohol Regulation in Iowa on October 2-3, 2013, in Des Moines to engage alcohol licensees, policy makers, industry professionals, local authorities and prevention experts in a discussion on the role of the three-tier regulatory framework in the alcohol marketplace.  Registration for Symposium 21 is now open!

Symposium 21 will provide an opportunity for a concentrated, in-depth analysis of the alcohol control state model and idea sharing to improve compliance with alcohol laws. Participants in the symposium will be invited to engage in a conversation with policy makers in order to enact policies that better protect public health and safety.

“Symposium 21 is an excellent opportunity for people involved in the alcohol industry to gather and learn more about the three-tier system, to share ideas and best practices, and to talk about how we can keep Iowans safe. The sale and regulation of alcohol is a big responsibility – one that the staff and commissioners take very seriously,” said Commission Chairperson Celsi.

For more information on the Symposium or to register visit their website at: www.iowaabd.com. If your business is interested in attending Symposium 21 the coalition can help defray the cost of the conference by covering registration fees and assisting you with transportation. Please contact us to make arrangements. The coalition can be reached via email at info@vbsafecoalition.com or by phone at 319-293-6412.

CASAColumbia® Family Day Monday, September 23, 2013 Be Involved. Stay Involved.

Whether driving the kids to soccer practice, enjoying family dinner, or tucking little ones into bed, it’s important to remember that those every day activities have a lasting effect on your children. Each of these moments offers an opportunity to connect, share and really listen to what’s on their mind.

As children age, it is vital to keep those lines of communication open, especially as they start feeling increased pressure to start engaging in risky behavior including smoking, drinking or using drugs. Adolescence is the critical period for the initiation of risky substance use and its consequences. Nine out of 10 Americans who meet the medical criteria for addiction started smoking, drinking, or using other drugs before age 18. Addiction is a disease that in most cases begins in adolescence so preventing or delaying teens from using alcohol, tobacco or other drugs for as long as possible is crucial to their health and safety.

Family Day – Be Involved. Stay Involved.^TM is CASAColumbia’s national initiative to promote simple acts of parental engagement as key ways to help prevent risky substance use in children and teens. Family Day will be celebrated across the country on September 23rd, 2013. Celebrate CASAColumbia^® Family Day – Be Involved. Stay Involved.^TM on Monday, September 23rd by joining parents all across the country in logging onto www.CASAFamilyDay.org to take the Family Day STAR Pledge to commit to:

• Spend time with your kids
• Talk to them about their friends, interests and the dangers of drugs and alcohol
• Answer their questions and listen to what they say
• Recognize that YOU have the power to keep your kids substance-free!

To order the book How to Raise A Drug-Free Kid: The Straight Dope for Parents, go to http://www.amazon.com/How-Raise-Drug-Free-Kid-Straight/dp/143915631X.

Van Buren County SAFE Coalition partners with Alliance of Coalitions for Change (AC4C)

The Van Buren County SAFE Coalition is a key player in reducing the use of drugs, alcohol and tobacco in the youth of Van Buren County. They could not do it on their own and owe some of their success to the partnership they have built with Iowa’s Alliance of Coalitions for Change or AC4C.

What is AC4C you may be asking? The Alliance of Coalitions is a statewide network of prevention coalitions from all across the state of Iowa. Their mission is to unify Iowa prevention coalitions to affect positive change. It is about bringing together the resources all across the state of Iowa to enhance what everyone is doing. The coalitions have an opportunity to network and learn from one another while working toward state initiatives.

The Alliance has a no cost membership for coalitions and provides services free of charge such as capacity building through technical assistance and training, advocates for statewide substance abuse prevention and networking with other Iowa coalition. The alliance also has close ties to state organizations that are integral to the work of prevention coalitions these include; Criminal and Juvenile Justice Planning, Iowa Department of Public Health, Office of Drug Control Policy, Iowa State Patrol, Iowa Alcoholic and Beverage Division, Midwest Counter Drug Training Center and the Department of Education.

AC4C holds quarterly retreats in Johnston for all members to come together to network and work toward the goals of the AC4C organization. The group breaks into three subcommittees who work to provide services and resources for coalitions across the state. These workgroups consist of:

Training and Resources workgroup- They identify and work to meet training and technical assistance needs of community coalitions. They link new and experienced coalitions for technical assistance and provide information regarding resources on training and technical assistance needs of Iowa coalitions.

Capacity Workgroup- This group is responsible for disseminating information to potential and current AC4C members. They promote involvement in the AC4C organization among Iowa communities and other entities as well as increase the awareness of the need for and promote action to have a substance abuse free Iowa.

Legislative Workgroup- This group is responsible for collaborating with community and statewide entities to advocate and education on substance abuse policies, legislation and related issues.

By being a member of AC4C the Van Buren County SAFE Coalition has gained a valuable network of coalitions and partners that they can reach out to when working on related issues in our own community. This provides strength in numbers for the work being done in Iowa  and it maximizes the few financial resources that we are allocated to complete the important prevention work that the coalition does in the county.

For more information on AC4C you may visit their webpage at www.ac4c.org and for more information on the SAFE Coalition you may contact 319-293-6412 or email at info@vbsafecoalition.com. There are also resources available on the internet at www.vbsafecoalition.com or on their facebook page!