Mission

The Concerned Citizens Coalition on Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse for Greater Kenosha, Incorporated seeks to promote awareness about alcohol and other drug abuse
by communicating clear and accurate information, encouraging the coordination of prevention efforts, and creating opportunities to exchange views and information.

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Vision

We will actively work toward the acceptance of a diverse and healthy community that recognizes the negative impact of alcohol and other drug use. To accomplish this we must join hands to:

• Promote positive environments
  
• Coordinate AODA prevention efforts
  
• Encourage healthy lifestyles that are sensitive to the various ethnic, cultural, and other special populations within the communities located in Kenosha County

Our History

About the Concerned Citzens Coalition
The Concerned Citizens Coalition (CCC) was established in 1988 with a grant from the Rotary West to provide a county-wide alliance to address alcohol and other drug (AOD) prevention awareness, establish AOD prevention education programs, and initiate functions to reduce substance abuse among young people and adults. The group developed a Board of Directors, bylaws, and incorporated and became a 501©3 in 1991. The Coalition's mission is to eliminate substance abuse in Kenosha County by coordinating education programs, events, and resources so that families engage in healthy lifestyles.


Early in 1989 the Coalition hosted a Community Conference on Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Prevention with the state attorney general as the keynote. Eighty plus citizens, representing law enforcement, education, business, religion, public relations, organizations that provide direct services to families, government and community members that included parents and youth, gathered at Carthage College for the all-day conference. The focus was to set goals to reduce AOD use/abuse throughout Kenosha County.


The three-year Community Partnership Demonstration Grant Program was awarded to the Coalition in 1991. The Partnership Grant was the outgrowth of a grassroots effort to develop a community-wide, coordinated approach to address alcohol and other drug abuse issues in Kenosha County. The Community Partnership Project enabled the Coalition to develop comprehensive alcohol and other drug abuse prevention programming which was focused on the following five Coalition supported goals:

1. Provide an on-going community-wide forum that is expressed community-wide regarding AOD issues,
   
2. Support the development of  alternative activities and programs for you and families,
   
3. Create better informed populations,
   
4. Increase the overall community participation in AOD prevention activities, and
   
5. Reach communities west of the interstate highway with the Coalition's prevention efforts.
   

In 1992, the Coalition established the Teen Task Force, a group of youth ages 13-18, to help reduce alcohol, tobacco, and other drug (ATOD) use among teens. The mission of the Teen Task Force is to:

1. Provide safe and healthy environment as an alternative to teen alcohol and other drug use/abuse,
   
2. increase ATOD prevention education to youth and to offer experiences where you become peer leaders in the field of prevention,
   
3. Serve the community in which they reside,
   
4. Train youth to lead ATOD prevention programs with children,
   
5. Instill cooperative skill and social competencies, and
   
6. Offer peer-to-peer assistance and mentoring opportunities to enhance positive youth development.

 Evaluations of the Partnership Project through community and membership surveys, key informant interviews, focus groups, and specific program and activity evaluations revealed the following outcomes of the three-year project:

1. Increased community awareness of the extent of alcohol and other drug related issues and problems within the community,
   
2. Enhanced awareness of alternative approaches to prevention,
   
3. A community mobilized around specific alcohol and other drug issues,
   
4. Increased diversity in prevention planning, activities, and citizen participation,
   
5. Increased access to activities for youth,
   
6. Expanded opportunities for both youth and older residents to become involved in prevention efforts, and
   
7. Broadened involvement and participation in prevention efforts throughout Kenosha County.

The following specific initiatives evolved from the Community Partnership Grant:

1. The Teen Task Force
   
2. Leadership Development opportunities for the diverse populations of Kenosha County,
   
3. Drug-Free School Zone Signs,
   
4. Red Ribbon Week,
   
5. ATOD Awareness Week,
   
6. Youth and Family Activity Guide, and
   
7. Our children Parties and the Lawy brochure and panel discussion group.

In 1994, the Coalitions hosted the Perspectives on Prevention Conference at Carthage College. The conference provided a nation, state and local look at the issues facing Kensoha County.Workshops focused on gang prevention, teen pregnancy, truancy, and youth ATOD prevention efforts.


In 1996, the Coalition provided a presentation on Search Institute's 40 developmental Assets during the annual Kenosha County Red Ribbon Week Campaign. A strong partnership was developed with the Healthy Communities Healthy Kenosha County Steering Committee, which was an outcome of the 1996 presentation. The Committee is the driving force for the implementation of the Search Institute Survey, Profile of Student Life: Attitudes and Behavior Study of students grades 6-12. The Coalition helped to promote the survey and plan the programming from the results of the 199 survey. In 2002, the survey was repeated and the Coalition sponsored a community presentation regarding the survey results. Support and assistance promoting the 40 Developmental Assets has been on-going between the Coalition and the Healthy Communities Healthy Kenosha County Youth program.

In 2004, the Coalition voted to become the umbrella organization for the State Incentive Grant (SIG) program for Kensoha County. A representative from the SIG Oversight Committee was elected to serve on the Coalition's Board of Directors. During the 2004-05 school year the 25th Anniversary of the Kenosha County ATOD Awareness Week was celebrated with a Student Recognition Brunch that provided special acknowledgements to students who won the Kenosha County ATOD Prevention Contests that year.

Even to this day the Coalition remains a vital leader in AOD prevention efforts throughout Kenosha County and is a member of the Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA). The Coalition continues to strengthen partnerships with law enforcement, educational entities, and organizations that directly serve Kenosha County families.