Sheriff Mike Kelley would like to announce that on 11/04/2019, the Will County Sheriff’s Office received an award letter from the Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA) in reference to the Will County Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition (WCSAPC) receiving a graduation certificate through the CADCA National Coalition Academy. 

Previously, the Will County Sheriff’s Office had been awarded the Drug Free Communities Grant in August 2018 that will funnel $1.25 million dollars over a five-year period for prevention efforts in Will County.  The Will County Sheriff’s Office was the only law enforcement agency in the country to be a first year recipient of this grant in 2018.  Will County Sheriff, Mike Kelley, started the Will County Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition approximately four years ago in partnership with Will County Executive Larry Walsh and his office.

The coalition is represented by twelve different sectors from numerous individuals that either work or live in Will County.  The coalition is represented by the youth, their parents, law enforcement agencies, faith based organizations, schools, businesses, media, youth service organizations, civic organizations, health care providers, substance abuse agencies, and government entities.     

Many members of the Will County Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition participated in, and attended the year-long training program developed by CADCA’s National Coalition Institute.  The training consisted of three separate week-long classroom sessions that occurred throughout the past year where members learned, networked, and developed a plan to encourage and help the youth that live in Will County to live a drug free lifestyle.

In order to graduate, the members that attended the training sessions had to complete a rigorous training curriculum set forth by CADCA’s National Coalition Academy.  The coalition members that attended, had to complete five essential planning products that will serve as the foundation for a comprehensive plan for community change in Will County. 

CADCA’s National Coalition Academy training forums give attendees the opportunity to learn the latest strategies in addressing substance abuse and to hear from nationally-known prevention experts, concerned politicians and policy makers that that are attempting to help combat substance abuse.  These training forums are attended by thousands of participants that represent coalitions from all over the county and from abroad.  It is the largest training event organized in the United States for substance abuse prevention training.

Sheriff Mike Kelley would like to congratulate all of the members of the Will County Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition, that participated and assisted the organization in successfully completing the necessary requirements to graduate from this nationally renowned training.

Sheriff Kelley would like to publicly thank the United Way for being able to provide the personnel and the resources to assist the coalition, especially Loren Yaksich for dedicating her time and talent in the academy training.  Additionally, Sheriff Kelley would like to thank several other key members within the coalition who have dedicated their time and energy throughout this process.  Those people include: Linda Weatherspoon, who heads up the faith based sector of the coalition and is also the Youth Advisory Committee (YAC) Coordinator for her assistance; Coalition Director, Bonnie McPhillips, who was instrumental in completing and organizing all of the submitted materials needed to graduate, and Dr. William McCarty for his assistance in developing the logic models needed to complete this long and tedious process.

Members of the WCSAPC will participate in the graduation ceremony and accept the certificate of completion during the first week of February, 2020 in National Harbor, Maryland which is just outside of the Washington, D.C. 

To learn more information in reference to the Will County Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition, or to become a member please visit our website at www.willcountycoalition.com or visit us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/willcountycoalition2017.