Mission

The mission of "Coalitions for a Better West Virginia" (WVCADCA) is to reduce the incidence and prevalence of the problems our communities face with alcohol, tobacco and other drugs. We will continually work to rid these communities of the disease of alcoholism, other drug addiction diseases, and related health problems.

In pursuit of the mission, WVCADCA seeks to: 

• Prevent the disease of alcoholism, the addiction of tobacco, the problems with other drug addiction diseases, and related health problems BEFORE they become problematic through a variety of prevention based strategies.
  
• Educate the public about the problems associated with alcohol, tobacco and other drugs.
  
• Encourage proper diagnosis, treatment, and continuum of care for individuals and families faced with the problems of alcoholism, other drug addictions, and related problems.
   

To achieve its mission, WVCADCA: 

• Provides leadership in the formulation of public policy issues.
  
• Gathers and disseminates valid public educational information about use of alcohol tobacco, and other drugs, alcoholism, other drug addictions, and related health problems.
  
• Recruits and organizes a constituency to support these efforts.
  
• Gives special emphasis to improving the awareness and understanding of leaders, educators, health professionals, and the media about the disease of alcoholism and other drug addiction diseases, their medical complications, and their related social and economic problems.
  

WVCADCA carries out its mission by direct action of the Association staff, Community Connections' board of directors, volunteers, WVCADCA Advisory Committee and support from the West Virginia Division on Alcholism and Drug Abuse. Each works cooperatively with a wide variety of groups and individuals to address concerns about problems associated with alcohol, tobacco and other drugs. In particular, alcoholism, other drug addictions, and other health related problems.

WVCADCA gives special emphasis to improving the awareness and understanding of leaders, educators, health professionals, and the media about the disease of alcoholism and other drug addiction diseases, their medical complications, and their related social and economic problems. Nationally, CADCA has a strong membership base of coalition leaders and other substance abuse prevention professionals.

Within West Virginia, community anti-drug coalitions and other substance abuse prevention, treatment and research programs, such as the Safe and Drug Free Communities and Schools Program, Drug Free Communities Programs, and grants within the state Strategic Prevention Framework State Incentive Grants (SPF-SIG) program, continually work to contribute to the decline in youth drug use and family substance abuse problems throughout our state.