Dare CASA is committed to providing the community with all of the tools needed to build a safe, healthy and drug-free community. Below are some questions and answers that might be on your mind.

1. What is Dare CASA? Dare CASA stands for “Dare Coalition Against Substance Abuse.” We are an all volunteer organization working together to change community norms surrounding drug and alcohol use/abuse in Dare County.

2. What is a coalition? A coalition is a formal arrangement for cooperation and collaboration between groups or sectors of a community, in which each group retains its identity but all agree to work together toward a common goal of building a safe, healthy and drug-free community.

3. How do you plan to help the community? Working to identify problems, barriers, solutions and resources needed to impact the high risk behavior of substance use and abuse. It plans to be the voice of correct information, to counter misinformation, to counter cultural norms and develop local ads using local data.

top

4. Are drug/alcohol abuse a problem in Dare County? A 2006 report on school violence showed that Dare County schools had a higher rate (4.8 per 1,000 students) of substance abuse violations than 70 percent of schools in the state. Dare county arrest reports confirm that the alcohol and drug issues facing local residents are significantly higher than national estimates accounting for 58.8 percent of all drug related arrests in the county.

5. What has Dare CASA done? Obtained the resources to open an office in Nags Head. Assisted local authorities to get the North Carolina Controlled Substances Reporting Act bill passed. Written and received grants to provide Drug-Free Workplace Education and Training Programs and implement Underage Purchase Surveys. Developed a website to provide drug abuse educational information and resources. Attends many community events delivering education and prevention literature. Delivered a PowerPoint presentation to deliver to local organizations informing them of the substance abuse problems facing Dare County and the need to work together in order to solve the problem. Distributed CASA brochures to numerous local business and health related facilities. Holds monthly meetings for its members and the community to network and collaborate.

6. What is Dare CASA planning to do? Working with local health based agencies to bring Intensive Outpatient treatment to Dare County. Provide public substance abuse awareness forums and workshops. And continue to offer Drug-Free Workplace Education and Training Programs.

7. What is Dare CASA not responsible for? Dare CASA does not provide treatment for alcohol or substance abuse.

8. How can we help troubled youth? By providing accurate and consistent data; by developing monitoring and evaluation tools so that we can learn what programs are working and achieve success. Collaboration with other community organizations to target most at-risk youth. Working with youth to find better solutions to help them succeed.

top

12. How can we help addicts? By providing them with resource information and encouraging them to seek professional help. Helping to provide a less tolerate community to drug abuse to help them in recovery.

13. How can we help addict’s families? Providing them with education about substance abuse to be able to identify the problem, making them aware of the consequences of drug abuse, and providing them with adequate resources to seek a solution.

14. Who are our supporters? Dare CASA has many supporters: Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA), Faith-based Community, Dare Justice System, local law enforcement, Dare Co. Schools Administrators, our medical community and many local businesses.

top