The University of Oklahoma Southwest Prevention Center (SWPC) was honored to be selected to present at the 2026 CADCA National Leadership Forum Coalition Ideas Fair in National Harbor, Maryland held February 2-4, 2026. The Forum, CADCA's premier national convening of prevention professionals, brings together thousands of coalition leaders, researchers, and community partners committed to building safer, healthier communities.

SWPC Director of Regional Prevention Initiatives, Charlene Shreder, and Kelsey Harlan, Drug Free Communities (DFC) Coordinator for the Community Alliance of Resources for Everyone (C.A.R.E) Coalition, represented Oklahoma through a competitive poster presentation titled:

"Local People, Local Solutions: A Rural Coalition's Success in Reducing Youth Substance Use"

The poster highlighted the work of the Community Alliance of Resources for Everyone (C.A.R.E) Coalition in McClain County and its application of the Drug Free Communities (DFC) funded by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) model to drive measurable community change.

Demonstrating Measurable Impact

The Ideas Fair is designed to showcase innovative coalition strategies and real-world outcomes. SWPC's selected poster demonstrated significant progress in McClain County from 2020 -2024.

• 100% growth in coalition membership across 12 community sectors.
• Substantial reductions in youth past-30-day use across all grades (6th, 8th, 10th, 12th)
  • Alcohol: (2020) 36.35% - (2024) 20.82%
  • Tobacco: (2020) 9.13% - (2024) 1.97%
  • Marijuana: (2020) 24.27% - (2024) 11.5%
• Increased peer disapproval of substance use among high school students

These outcomes, drawn from the Oklahoma Prevention Needs Assessment data, reflect the power of locally driven, data-informed prevention strategies.

Elevating Oklahoma Prevention Leadership

Participation in the Coalitions Ideas Fair requires a competitive application and adherence to national poster standards, including presentation of implementation processes, partner engagement, and documented community outcomes.

During the Forum, Shreder and Harlan engaged with prevention leaders from across the country, sharing lessons learned and highlighting how rural coalitions can successfully mobilize cross-sector partnerships to reduce substance use.

Strengthening the Prevention Ecosystem

Attendance at the CADCA National Leadership Forum provided valuable opportunities to:

• Exchange promising practices with national peers
• Elevate Oklahoma's prevention successes
• Strengthen strategic partnerships
• Bring innovative ideas back to support communities across the state

As prevention challenges evolve, SWPC remains committed to advancing evidence-based, community-driven strategies that create resilient communities and lasting change-the central theme of this year's Forum.