Roane County Anti-Drug CoalitionAugust 12, 2015

Members/guests present: Marilyn Calfee, Beth Sams, Brenda Spellman, Doug Jackson, Donna Forstrom, Mollie Swallows, Jill Murphy, Leonora Spangler, Patti Wells, Maretta McNichol, Sherry Samples, Charlene Hipsher and Sarah Harrison.

Coalition Basics: The following presentation was given by Sarah Harrison

Roane County Anti-Drug Coalition

The mission of the Roane County Anti-Drug Coalition (RCADC) is to reduce youth substance use; promote community involvement; to educate and raise awareness of alcohol, tobacco and other drug issues; and to strengthen community partnerships and prevention strategies in Roane County.

What is a Coalition?

“A coalition is a formal [voluntary] agreement and collaboration between groups or sectors of a community in which each group retains its identity but all agree to work together through a community building process toward a common goal of building a healthier community.”

Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA)

• A coalition is a community problem solving process that is larger than any one person.

What is process?

• What groups do over and over again that become the norm, habit or expectation.

Differences Between Coalitions and Programs

Coalitions Programs

Scale:

Coalitions measure success by

examining community-level indicators.

This applies to all coalition outcomes

(short- and long-term).

Programs measure change in individuals

who have been directly affected by the

intervention(s).

Addresses multiple causes:

Coalitions seek to ensure that all

causes of identified problems are

addressed

Programs are more focused on single

strategies, e.g., parenting classes or

peer mentoring.

Actors:

Coalition activities are diffused and

taken by all members with staff playing

more of a coordinating and supporting

role.

Program staff lead the process and are

responsible for implementing

interventions.

Public Health Approach to Prevention

Host

Agent Agent

EnvironmentEnvironment

Community Coalitions

8

Strategic Prevention Framework

Best Processes1 for Implementing

the Strategic Prevention

Framework

8. Developing and Using Strategic

and Action Plans

6. Arranging Resources for

Community Mobilization

5. Developing Leadership

4. Assuring Technical Assistance

12. Documenting Progress and

Using Feedback

11. Making Outcomes Matter

10. Sustaining the Work

A. Assessment

B. Capacity

D. ImplementationC. Planning

E. Evaluation

7. Developing a framework

or model of change1Best processes identified through a

literature review conducted by Dr. Renee

Boothroyd, University of Kansas – used

with permission.

9. Implementing Effective

Interventions

3. Defining Organizational Structure

and Operating Mechanisms

1. Analyzing Information About the

Problem, Goals and Factors

Affecting Them.

2. Establishing Vision and Mission.

Strategies Targeting

Individuals

Socialize, Instruct, Guide,

Counsel

Family School

Health

Care

Providers

INDIVIDUALS

Faith

Community

Strategies Targeting the

Community Environment

Support, Enhance

Resources

RegulationsNorms

Systems

ENTIRE

COMMUNITY

Developing Interventions

Individual Strategies EnvironmentalStrategies

Focus on behavior and behavior change Focus on policy and policy change

Focus on relationship between individual and drug-related problems

Focus on social, political, economic content of alcohol/drug problems

Short-term focus on program development

Long-term focus on policy development

Individual does not generally participate in decision making

People gain power by acting collectively

Individual is an audience Individual is an advocate

Comprehensive Coalitions

Implement Multiple Strategies

1.Provide Information

2.Build Skills

3.Provide Support

4.Enhance Access / Reduce Barriers

5.Change Incentives / Disincentives

6.Change the Physical Design of the Environment

7.Change Policies or Regulations

Seven Behavior Change Strategies

1. Provide Information: Presentations, workshops, brochures, billboards, social norms campaigns, town hall meetings, Web-based communications, etc.

2. Enhance Skills: Workshops/seminars designed to teach skills needed to achieve population-level outcomes.

3. Providing Support: Assisting others to conduct training, obtaining funding for equipment, training, reach specific target audiences.

4. Changing Access/Barriers

Access:- Provide instructions/training in multiple

languages- Give scholarships to training programs- Provide training at vendor locations

Barriers:- Enhance law enforcement operations for

driving under the influence- Remove tobacco machines from public venues- Place pseudoephedrine behind the counter

Incentives: • Provide awards to businesses/organizations

who pass Compliance Checks

• Public Recognition (as part of a overall effort)

Disincentives:

• Increase Citations/Fines

• Increase Excise Taxes

• Use/Lose Laws

5. Changing Consequences (Incentives/

Disincentives)

6. Physical Design

- Lighting in parks

- Signage

- Alcohol Outlet Density/Proximity

- Advertising (Restrictions)

- Product Placement

- Packaging

7. Modify/Change Laws, Policies, Procedures, By-Laws

Laws: Social Host Liability, Keg Registration

Policies: 24/7 Zero Tolerance policy in a school district, Drug Free Workplace Policies, Mandatory Merchant Education with License Re-Application

Procedures: DUI Arrest Processing by Law Enforcement,

By-Laws: Civic organization use of alcohol, collaboration & networking

Local Condition: Retail stores are selling

tobacco products to youth despite age

restrictions

1. Provide Information— Post signs: “We don’t sell to minors…”

2. Build Skills— Train merchants to check ID’s

3. Provide Support— Technical assistance for merchants

4. Access / Barriers— Translate merchant education materials

5. Incentives / Disincentives— Recognize responsible sellers/Increase

taxes

6. Physical Design— Place tobacco products behind counter

7. Policies or Regulations— Remove tobacco vending machines

Example

Environmental Strategies: Definition

Prevention efforts aimed at changing or influencing community

conditions, standards, institutions, structures, systems and policies that

shape behaviors

Evidence Based Strategies, Programs,

Policies & Practices

Environmental Strategies can:

• Reach entire populations

• Impact the overall environment

• Create lasting change in community norms and

systems

• Instill commitment toward long-term impact

So… who is responsible for implementing strategies?????

RCADC Organizational Chart

Roane County

Community

Human Resources

Committee

Public Relations

Committee

Board of Directors

Executive Board

Grant Committee

Fundraising

Committee

Accountant/CPA Executive Director

Coalition Advisors/

Consultants/Volunteer

s

Office Manager Project Coordinator

C

Evaluator/ Envt

Strategy Consultant

Board Development Committee

Ways and Means

Committee

Avoiding potential pitfalls begins with clearly defined roles and responsibilities

• Coalition Members

• Coalition Leaders (Unpaid)

• Staff

Staff Can and Should Facilitate the Process to Form Healthy Habits

• Assessing and shaping management style over time is essential.

• Choosing to not stand in the way, but to facilitate movement.

• If it’s about you, then you’re in the way.

• Don’t act out of fear, but don’t be afraid to act.

Paid staff cannot and should not do this alone

There is danger in being the only “doer”

Staff does not have to know everything

The coalition is not about the paid staff

Staff can perfect the art of “facilitating from

behind”

Staff must be prepared to receive little or no

credit for hard work

Make peace now with the fact that staff have the

world’s most rewarding and yet, thankless job

Paid Staff Should Not…

• Plan and facilitate all coalition meetings

• Do everything because “it’s easier the way”

• View members (or allow members to see themselves) as advisors and not doers

• Make unilateral decisions about the coalition’s work/plans

• Allow themselves to become known as the only expert in the coalition

Paid Staff Should Not...

• Always be the spokesperson for the coalition

• Be the primary architect of planning products

• Be the primary implementer or act alone

• Deny members a chance to act or take any action

Consequences of the “Should Not’s”

The coalition becomes all about you Removes responsibilities/input from members Excludes the greater community The coalition IS the paid staff Sets up your coalition for failure if you leave Shuts down the very process that is a coalition and

creates stagnationMembers will leave because they have no “real”

roles/Coalition will lose ( or fail to gain) real political power and influence

Staff will burnout

Paid Staff Should’s…

• Include members in the tiniest of details

What do you want to know?

• Encourage their voice to be heard

• Match member skills, interests and desires to tasks

Strength Assessments

• Support and problem solve with members to achieve results

Paid Staff Should’s…

• Connect and facilitate efforts behind-the-scenes

• Educate the community on the real role of the coalition

• Ensure the “pay off” is there for the member’s participation (i.e. Volunteer of the Year award)

• Let members lead in big and small ways

• Facilitate the creation of leaders.

Consequences of the Should’s

• More people are able to do the coalition’s work

• Members feel valued and stay involved

• Creativity flourishes

• Leaders lead and new ones are created

• Leads to community change and outcomes

• Increase community buy-in and input

• If you leave, your coalition lives on and (hopefully) never skips a beat

• Decreases staff burnout and turnover

Role of Executive Committee

The coalition under the leadership of theExecutive Committee is responsible for: Strategy selection and implementation and

setting the budget for the coalitionAllocation of resources for the work of the

coalition(including staff time)Supervision and management of Director

assigned to the coalitionDefining and filling volunteer leadership roles and

planning for succession

Role of Members

• Participate in determining the direction of the coalition• Assist in drafting a strategic plan and in prioritizing goals

and objectives• Assist in the implementation of activities• Help to represent the coalition at key official meetings and

events• Serve as an ambassador for the work of the coalition and

promote its mission when and wherever possible• Gather and relay appropriate information to the coalition

to serve as a basis for decisions• Serve on subcommittees• Attend meetings on a regular basis.

Questions