Who We Are - Overview

East County Youth Alliance

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The East County Youth Alliance under the direction of Communities Against Substance Abuse, CASA, to create a strong, unified youth alliance for positive change throughout East San Diego County by concerned, dedicated young people like Sara Rapp. The East County Youth Alliance strives to provide an ongoing, year-round vehicle for young people like Sara to assert leadership, support substance abuse prevention and the elimination of substance abuse-related problems, and advocate for positive policy and community norm change

In East County, some fifteen-plus geographic or issue-based community collaboratives span a huge area. They extend from the Mountain Empire of Tecate, Potrero, Campo, Dulzura near the southern border, to the Back Country of Alpine and Jamul, to El Cajon, Lemon Grove and Spring Valley in central East County, to Santee, Lakeside and south of Poway and Ramona to the north.

Young people in each of these culturally rich and diverse communities possess certain talents, identities and concerns unique to their particular region. They also, however, share common ground when it comes to the challenges of youth development.

Communities Against Substance Abuse firmly believes that youth voices from the many diverse communities can contribute their uniqueness yet grow stronger as one, unified force. In other words, the whole can be greater than the sum of its parts.

Young people will collaborate and advocate for prevention of alcohol and drug abuse as they work in close cooperation with businesses, public health agencies, law enforcement, service organizations, recreation programs, schools, faith communities and families to make positive changes in community standards, practices and policies.

The initiative would also invite international participation, involving youth from Tecate, Mexico and elsewhere across the border to explore regional and global youth issues, cross border policy objectives, and common concerns.

Youth as Prevention Advocates
The East County Youth Alliance trains and inspires young people to speak out and write to policy makers and the news media on an ongoing basis following a strategic plan created by the youth alliance participants. Young people will dialogue with public officials and policy makers to affect policy. Youth would also influence the news media to report on issues of alcohol, tobacco and drug abuse, substance abuse related problems and how they impact young people. Ongoing youth newsmaking will be policy-driven to improve community norms and create healthier, substance abuse free communities.

Youth Journalists
When asked what 'beat' they cover, the East County Youth Alliance would encourage youth journalists in colleges, high schools and middle schools to answer substance abuse prevention. Under our direction and collaboration with journalism advisors, youth writers would produce compelling stories about alcohol and drug abuse and the dangerous link to crime, violence and other social ills. For instance, they will realize the critical importance of not only reporting the 'date rape,' but also delve further to report the drug and alcohol abuse that may have led to the crime.

Our goal is to encourage young journalists to probe beyond the traditional "who, what, when, where and why" of journalism, and to explore the environment of substance abuse that leads to the "bad, ugly news" of society.

Intercultural, Cross Border Prevention Assembly
Annually, the ongoing work of the East County Youth Alliance would culminate in an intercultural, cross-border ATOD (alcohol, tobacco and other drugs) prevention policy assembly to report about progress, plan future initiatives and policy goals with respect to substance abuse prevention, and dialogue with policy makers.

Youth and adults from throughout San Diego County and Mexico border communities would participate. The youth assembly would provide a forum to showcase the positive work being accomplished by the East County Youth Alliance.

CASA History & Accomplishments

	Communities Against Substance Abuse was formed in 1987 by a small group of concerned citizens in El Cajon, California and became a 501C3 in 1989.
	In 1991, the coalition received a 5-year, Center for Substance Abuse grant, the ACE Project or Activating Community Efforts, renewed in 1995. Under the grant, Communities Against Substance Abuse created a prevention plan for the City of El Cajon, which remains to date the only one of its kind in San Diego County.
	Through extensive partnership, the coalition also created after school, life skills development Discovery Clubs for youth.
	Communities Against Substance Abuse formed Neighbors to Neighbors, giving a voice to local citizens and earning the State of California Cities to Cities Award for community collaboration.
	Neighbors to Neighbors led to the development of the Residential Management Support System, serving as a model for San Diego County.
	Communities Against Substance Abuse also formed the East County Hospitality Resource Panel, the first coalition of bars, restaurants and retailers with law enforcement and prevention representatives to address alcohol sales practices.
	In 1997, Communities Against Substance Abuse was designated as a Partnership for a Drug-Free San Diego, the regional alliance for the Partnership for a Drug Free America.
	The organization provides consultation to businesses to institute drug-free workplace policies.
	Communities Against Substance Abuse has grown from a one-city coalition to a region wide alliance of some 16 collaboratives, realizing multi-funding sources including the County of San Diego, Office of Juvenile Justice Delinquency Prevention, Federal Office of Education and smaller local awards to support prevention planning and technical support initiatives.

Communities Against Substance Abuse continues to make positive change in community standards and policy with respect to substance abuse prevention. The organization demonstrates ongoing dedication to community-based prevention through research, education, advocacy and service.

	CASA's Inhalant Abuse Prevention Media Campaign in March 2000 resulted in the Drug/Violence Prevention Program of the State of California Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement to produce an inhalant prevention curricula to include in its training curriculum for law enforcement officers and community groups.
	As a result in part of a Methamphetamine Strike Force/CASA-driven media campaign to expand San Diego County's Drug Court program of therapeutic justice, the County of San Diego Board of Supervisors voted to expand Drug Courts to provide treatment to every non-violent drug offender in San Diego County.
	Piloted a regional youth alliance to advance underage drinking and illicit drug use prevention. Work with high school journalists and advisors on substance abuse and related problems. High school newspapers reported on issues from inhalant abuse, club drugs and safe and sober graduation.
	Communities Against Substance Abuse, working with the Methamphetamine Strike Force and County of San Diego District Attorney's Office, waged an aggressive media campaign to increase funding for California's Drug Endangered Children Program that removes children living in illicit drug-exposed environments. The media campaign created favorable public opinion that encouraged California State Legislators to approve increased funding for DEC.
	Communities Against Substance Abuse has developed more than 40 TV, radio and print media partners and is instrumental in the broadcast and publication of nearly $1 million worth of pro-bono media messages in the San Diego market each year.
	Through media advocacy strategies, Communities Against Substance Abuse successfully advocates alcohol, tobacco and other drug abuse prevention issues and advances policy goals.
	Communities Against Substance Abuse works successfully with businesses to establish drug-free workplace policies.

Summary
Every child and adolescent in each and every corner of East County deserves to live in an environment that promotes health, success and well being. East County Youth Alliance youth possess the raw talents and tools to make positive community change. If you're a corporate sponsor, we appreciate your funding. If you're a teenager, we appreciate your participation and input. Thank you.