AC4C Youth

Substance Use Prevention Day on the Hill

Tuesday, February 17, 2026

EVENT DETAILS

What: Read the Fine Print: This is Addiction-for-Profit

Why: Raise Awareness about Substance Abuse Prevention

When: Tuesday, February 17, 2026

Agenda for the Day:

10:00 – Arrive at Iowa Historical Society building

10:15-11:30 – Youth training and lunch

11:30-11:45 – Go to the Capitol, go through security, and be ready for the press conference in the 1st Floor

Rotunda – South/West Wing

11:45-12:45 – Visit with your legislators, tour, go to a committee meeting

1:00-1:30 – Press Conference

1:30 -? - Meet with your legislators and experience the Capitol (have a tour with your legislator if you can)

until you need to head home.

Agenda for Substance Use Prevention Press Conference

Where: 1st Floor Rotunda – West/South Wing

1:00pm Emcee: Peter H. Komendowski, Former President, Partnership for a Healthy Iowa

Youth Speakers:

1. Mackenzie, Washington High School, Cedar Rapids

2. Skylar, Monticello High School

3. Serenity, Washington High School, Cedar Rapids

Invite your legislators to the press conference! Invite them to meet with you before or after the press conference.

Semi-casual dress.

If you can’t make it that day due to weather or some other circumstance please notify

Jennifer Husmann by text or call at 319-721-4463, by Noon the day before.

Notifications to those registered about cancellations or postponements will be made by Noon the day before.

Please register with Jennifer at jhusmann@asac.us by noon on Monday, February 2, 2026.

Lunch is $11 per person and payable by Venmo @ACforC-Iowa or by check to AC4C. Mail to: 110 S. Williams St., Anamosa, IA 52205. Invoices/receipts are available.

Hope for good weather this year! Snow date is set for March 3. HERE is a link to the Day on the Hill toolkit to help prepare your group!

The morning starts with a youth training in the State Historical Building about the day.

Youth will be speaking in the Capitol Rotunda to legislators and others. The press is invited too.

Upcoming Events:

AC4C Legislative Learning Event:

Wednesday, March 25, 2026,

7 a.m. with breakfast in the Legislative Dining Room, G15, at the Capitol.

Topics- Kratom, as well as Alcohol and Nicotine.

Main Speaker- Jennifer Sleiter, ARNP, CPNP-PC, PMHS, Blank Children's Star Center, and Iowa Drug Endangered Children Alliance President. Other AC4C members may be speaking too.

Spring Work Retreat

March 24 and 25

Both work retreat days will be hybrid with Day 1 at Camp Dodge/MCTC and Day 2 at the DPS after Learning Event at the Capitol. The Learning Event at the Capitol will not be hybrid, only in-person.

Free lodging is available on campus at Camp Dodge the nights before, March 23 and 24. The registration link and agenda for the retreat and flyer for the Legislative Event will be out soon.

March 24 will also be our the annual voting for new Executive Board members so if you are interested in leading in this way please let anyone on the Board know.



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

Happy New Year! For help quitting tobacco call Quitline Iowa 800-QUIT-NOW

January is Birth Defects Awareness month. For help quitting tobacco call Quitline Iowa 800-QUIT-NOW

We have 5 hooded sweatshirts and 3 long sleeve t-shirts left if you would like to purchase one. For sweatshirts, we have 2 Mediums, 1 Large, and 2 Extra Larges left. They are $40. For Long Sleeve t-shirts, we have 2 Mediums and 1 Large left. They are $28. You can either pick up one at the next AC4C Work Retreat, we can send it to you with the cost of postage, or we can bring it to the Day on the Hill Feb. 17. Just contact Jennifer Husmann and work out the Venmo, check or cash payment.

If you haven't already, it's time to get your membership dues in. They were due 1/1/26. Thank you so much for supporting the work of AC4C in this way! We hope you find AC4C a benefit to you worth investing in! Contact Jennifer if you have not received the membership dues invoice and suggested amount due for agencies, individuals, and coalitions.

Hidden in Plain Sight Backpacks

More Hidden in Plain Sight backpacks coming soon to about 20 groups who have already been selected. Thanks to the Office of Drug Control Policy for making this funding available to AC4C for this educational tool for coalitions and prevention specialists.

The backpacks will be able to be picked up at DPS during the Day on the Hill or during the Spring Retreat March 25. After that they will continue to be available at ODCP and at the AC4C office in Anamosa.

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 meetings- February 2 @ 9:30 a.m.

Marijuana Action Team

Next meeting- January 12 @ 9:30 a.m.

Nicotine Action Team 

No January meeting due to MLK Jr. Day. Next meeting: February 16 @ 9:30 a.m.

Alcohol Action Team

Next meetings- January 26 @ 9:30 a.m.

_______________________________

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

Debra Franz volunteered to help lead this group! Thanks, Deb!

3rd Monday at 2:00 pm (Every other month now- next meeting February 16.)

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.