NASSAU ALCOHOL CRIME DRUG ABATEMENT COALITION (NACDAC) The Nassau Alcohol Crime Drug Abatement Coalition was started in 2002 as a grassroots coalition made of business and community members in response to the issues surrounding underage substance use and the corresponding consequences. The mission of NACDAC is to educate and communicate with the general public and community organizations that work with youth in order to eliminate drug, tobacco, and alcohol use and at the same time reduce associated criminal behavior. NADAC is made of members from multiple sectors of the community including youth, parents, business community, media, schools, law enforcement agencies, religious organizations, civic and volunteer groups, healthcare professionals, state agencies, and other agencies concerned with the community. The coalition has a standing board of elected members which are voted in each year by the coalition members. There are adopted by-laws, approved guiding principals, a developed strategic plan, and smaller subcommittees which work to address particular community or coalition needs. NACDAC is funded by the Substance Abuse Response Guide (SARG), the DCF SPF/SIG federal grant, and most recently the Drug Free Communities grant. Currently, funding is used primary to assist community strategies aimed at reducing underage drinking, such as retail compliance buys, DUI checkpoints, and community policing programs. The key focus of NACDAC includes:
- Reduce underage drinking and retail youth access
- Strengthen prevention programs throughout the community
- Reduce truancy and dropout rates
- Promote wellness and healthy families
- Raise community awareness of issues surrounding our youth
- Reduce criminal and deviant youth behavior
