AC4C Summer Work Retreat

June 4 & 5

Now it is time to register for AC4C's Summer Work Retreat held June 4 and 5, if you haven't already. Day 1 will be all virtual. Day 2 will be our Youth Day where they will participate in the Leadership Reaction Course at Camp Dodge. Please email Jennifer if you would like to bring youth as they will need to have a parent permission form to participate. Day 2 will be hybrid and the adults will be enjoying a presentation by Jay Pedelty! See Jay's bio below in the newsletter.

Here is the detailed agenda:

Wednesday, June 4, 2025

Day 1: 8:30 a.m. – 3:15 p.m.

Virtual ONLY

8:30-8:45 a.m. – Networking online as members join the meeting

8:45-9:15 a.m. - Orientation – For new members and for current members to share their why and benefits of AC4C.

9:15-9:45 a.m. – Introductions – What fun summer plans do you have?

9:45-9:50 a.m. – Approval of the March Retreat Minutes

9:50-10:00 a.m. - Break

10:00-12:00 a.m. – State Partner Sharing

12:00-1:00 p.m. – Lunch break

1:00 p.m.-2:00 p.m. – State Partner Sharing Continued

2:00-2:15 p.m. – Break

2:15-3:15 p.m. – Action Team Sharing (Include celebration of the work done during the past 10+ years of the DFC! STOP grant update from 3 cities with alcohol action team.)

3:00-3:15 p.m. – Wrap up, Highlights, and Preview of Tomorrow (some adults head to Johnston tonight, some with youth in the early morning)

Thursday, June 5, 2025

Day 2: 10 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

In-person Camp Dodge (MCTC)- Youth Day!

Virtual option for adults

10:00-10:30 a.m. – Introductions/ice breaker with youth

10:30-11:00 a.m. – Youth – Focus Group; Adults- Workgroup sharing (Policy and Capacity/Sustainability)

11:00-11:30 a.m. – Lunch (Delivered to Camp Dodge)

11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. – Youth head to Leadership Reaction Course- LRC (Noon to 2 p.m.)

11:30-1:00 p.m. – Adults- Jay Pedelty presentation: “What would Transformational Prevention look like?”

1:00-1:15 p.m. – Break

1:15-2:15 p.m. – Coalition Sharing- Successes and Any Help Needed? (Youth join us as their LRC is done.)

2:15-2:45 p.m. – “Health of AC4C” survey results and discussion

2:45-3:00 p.m. - Highlights of the day and upcoming events (fall retreat, prevention conference)

There is free limited lodging available for adults on campus for the night of June 4th before the in-person/hybrid Day 2. Indicate if lodging is needed when you register HERE.

Our AC4C youth participating in the Leadership Reaction Course last year!

Upcoming Events:

AC4C Summer Quarterly Work Retreat: Wednesday and Thursday, June 4 and 5. June 5 will be the Youth Leadership Reaction Course Day! See details in this newsletter. Adults, please register HERE.

Tentative Date for the AC4C Annual Prevention Conference is November 5!

Resources to Share and Links to check out... 

Members, keep up with the latest in the news

AC4C on Facebook

AC4C Youth on Instagram

Looking for a training

Iowa Board of Certification

Iowa ODCP

Iowa State Patrol

Iowa Health and Human Services & Your Life Iowa

Partnership for A Healthy Iowa

Do you know about RALI Iowa?

Check out this organization and information about their virtual trailer HERE

More resources...

Governor's Traffic Safety Bureau

Drive Smart Iowa

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Traffic Safety Marketing

Stop Drugged Driving

For help quitting tobacco call Quitline Iowa 800-QUIT-NOW

Jay's shortened bio:

Jay Pedelty was a certified prevention specialist working for Prairie Ridge Addiction Treatment Services in Mason City. In the 10 years he was a prevention specialist, all 6 high schools in the counties where he focused his efforts made the model prevention program Prime for Life a part of the freshman curriculum, each county had an active substance abuse prevention coalition and he provided substance abuse training for employees and supervisors at numerous North Iowa businesses.

He is a contract trainer for the Prevention Research Institute, the company that owns Iowa’s impaired driving curriculum and in the spring of 2007 he was featured in the Prevention Research Institute’s magazine “Prime Times” for his delivery of the Prime for Life program to 1,000 high school freshmen as well as his typical impaired driving audiences.

Coalition Spotlight: NIAPA

The North Iowa Addiction Prevention Alliance better known as NIAPA is the latest and greatest version of collaboration in Cerro Gordo County when it comes to making the way for change. (See their group pic below in the newsletter.)

In May of 2024 our strategic planning workshop revealed the priorities of 1. reducing stigma and changing social norms; 2. investing in recovery, creating an innovative local response; 3. building community around families; 4. engaging commerce; and 5. coalition branding. This group has BIG vision. NIAPA broke out into workgroups to focus on each area. A lot has changed in the past year. 

Our Reducing Stigma workgroup has developed a whole new coalition – Harm Reduction Coalition of North Iowa - bringing folks in the recovery and using community to the table with law enforcement and other community stakeholders. This group is working on how to collaborate more closely and identify gaps to address that will bring greater trust and awareness of available resources in the community. A major initiative they are working on is to develop and provide anti-stigma trainings relevant for healthcare and service providers.

The Specialized Response workgroup identified and assembled stakeholders to collectively establish a partnership to meet community needs with a supplemental response to 911 calls for cases that are more related to a substance addiction or mental health incident to social worker or substance misuse professional to minimize law enforcement and EMS overload as well as minimize unnecessary legal outcomes for citizens. The group is working to secure sustainable funding for 24/7 coverage, and currently using opioid settlement funds to provide 12-hour coverage to the community.

Building Community Around Family’s goal is to foster positive and supportive environments for youth by sponsoring family-friendly events or venues that encourage family togetherness and relationship building/bonding. Events include a Free Family Admission Day at the Clear Lake Athletic Wellness Center and the team is looking at options with area Aquatic Centers, drafting an event for a Family Golf Day in Rockwell and possibly a NI Bulls Hockey Family Game. Attendance of child and adult together are required at these sober events to gain free admission and other potential benefits.

It has been difficult to garner participation on this workgroup with Responsible Retailers. They feel like they will be judged for supporting drinking age and other enforcement practices (hmmm, does this sound like stigma to you?); however, the group is working with MC City Council on ordinance/zoning language regarding retail location and density. We have appeared at recent council meetings to endorse the City’s denial of permits for tobacco retailers applying for glass and metal device permits. Thankfully, applications at 6 local retailers were denied.  We are working to establish a good protocol for endorsing responsible retailers – those who pass compliance checks and are ‘caught’ checking IDs.

Coalition Branding is underway, and currently developing coalition orientation materials, and presentations to share with community organizations. NIAPA.org is being updated regularly and the vision is for it to be a hub for community members of all sectors to find resources they can easily implement.

NIAPA has taken it up a notch in the past year, finding partners in new sectors, and reaching out beyond our norms to improve access, partnerships, familial wellness and overall health for the communities of North Iowa.  

Join an Action Team or Work Group session every month!

Access the action team meetings on Mondays. Login information here

Other Substances Action Team

Next meeting- June 2 @ 9:30 a.m.

Marijuana Action Team

Next meetings- June 9 @ 9:30 a.m.



Nicotine Action Team 

Next meetings- June 16 @ 10:30 a.m. (Please notice time change.)

Alcohol Action Team

Next meetings- June 23 @ 9:30 a.m. (No Alcohol Action Team in May due to Memorial Day.)

_______________________________

Policy Work Group

Co-Chair:  

Jennifer Husmann

Co-Chair: 

Maggie Ballard



4th Wednesday at 2:00 pm

Looking for a volunteer to replace Jennifer as a Co-chair on this work group. If you are interested in this position please contact a board member or Jennifer.  

Meeting information can be found here

Purpose: To collaborate with the community and statewide entities to advocate and educate on substance abuse legislation, policies, and related issues.

_________________________________

Capacity/Sustainability Work Group

Seeking Co-chairs

3rd Monday at 2:00 pm

Please let Jennifer know if you would like to be sent the link for the meeting.

Purpose: Create a network of professionals that have diverse knowledge, experience, and interests to build skills and provide resources to members of AC4C. 

Members of NIAPA

Thanks to Penny McCaslin for telling us about the great work of NIAPA.

Penny says, "I’m so proud of our coalition! Stakeholders have really stepped up to the plate like never before!"