Satellite Teleconference  Expanded Description

“Drugs & Society- The True Cost To You; 
-Substance Abuse & Disease”

 Thursday 21 April, 2005
 1:00 – 2:00 PM  ET

a.  Sponsors:  This program is made possible through a partnership with the Multijurisdictional Counterdrug Task Force Training (MCTFT) Program at St. Petersburg College, the Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA) and the Florida National Guard, with the technical support of the Satellite Education Network (SEN) at Ft. Lee, VA.   

b.  Availability:  This free, public domain broadcast will be available on the GETN Military/Federal/Warrior digital CDV satellite networks and on C-Band Analog satellite networks.  (There is NO KU analog or digital coverage.)  Other private and public satellite networks may also carry the program, check with your satellite provider.  (Note: This program WILL NOT be available on small digital dish networks such as DirecTV or Echostar (Dish) network systems.) 

Will this program be Video streamed:  It is anticipated that this program will be available via webcast.  Details will be sent in the final coordination message to all registered sites.

c.  Target Audience Statement:  Primary target audiences for this program will include law enforcement officials, drug prevention specialists, Drug-Free Communities Act grantees, administrators, school drug counselors, treatment providers, drug court members, policy makers, business leaders, coalition volunteers, drug demand reduction coordinators, criminal justice professionals, members of the religious community and other community partners who may be interested.  This program is also suitable for Public Access television distribution.    

d.  Program Summary And Objectives:   

Did You Know?

•         Scientific research has demonstrated that the use of alcohol and drugs is related to the occurrence of unsafe sexual behavior that places adolescents at risk for pregnancy or contracting sexually transmitted diseases.
•         The National Institute on Drug Abuse encourages counseling and education by health care professionals to prevent initiation of injection drug use and high-risk sexual practices, especially for adolescent and young adult populations.
•         Adolescents and young adults, particularly those who use drugs, are critical targets for prevention efforts, since the highest rate of new Hepatitis C infection is found among people aged 20 to 39.
•         According to the NIDA, behavior associated with drug abuse is now the single largest factor in the spread of HIV infection in the country.
•         Non-injection drugs, such as crack cocaine, also contribute to the spread of the epidemic, when users engage in high-risk sexual behaviors while under the influence of drugs.
•         The Department of Health and Human Services has listed alcoholic beverages as a known human carcinogen.

As if the addiction and side effect problems from drugs aren’t bad enough, many studies have linked illegal drugs to diseases.  During this broadcast, hear how drugs contribute to the rate of HIV/AIDS, sexually transmitted diseases, hepatitis C, and even some forms of cancer.  What are some of the evidence-based approaches to working with at-risk youth on these issues?   How can we talk with our kids about drugs and some of the associated risky behaviors that can truly be life threatening?   In this broadcast, we’ll find out how local coalitions can help.  

e.  Moderator and Panelists: 

Host: Kareemah Abdullah, Deputy Director, Training and Technical Assistance, National Community Anti-Drug Coalition Institute, CADCA 

Panelists: 

William Sowers is Director of Development for domestic programs in the AED Social Change Group.  Mr. Sowers has extensive experience in preventing underage and college alcohol use, smoking and tobacco cessation, and prevention and treatment of illicit drugs.  He has worked with special populations, including Native Americans, Alaska Natives, Asians, Pacific Islanders, African Americans, Hispanic/Latinos, the elderly, and people who are gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender.  He has specialized in creating coalitions to address substance abuse and health, including Fortune 500 companies (ABC Network), youth media (Children’s Television Workshop), numerous prevention and youth development organizations, and the faith community (Carter Center’s Faith and Health Initiative). 

Working extensively in social marketing and health promotion, Mr. Sowers directed the “Be Smart! Don’t Start” national campaign to delay the onset of alcohol use, targeting 8-to 12- year old youth.  He led branding, Web development, and computer based training for the Drug Abuse Warning Network (DAWN), one of the nation’s largest drug surveillance programs.  He has recruited peer reviewed journals to feature special editions on transfer of research to practice.  Mr. Sowers led a national training system to reach medical professionals, counselors, and State government managers to improve their skills and deepen understanding of treatment, intervention, and prevention of substance abuse. 

Mr. Sowers has trained internationally, working for the U.S. Department of State’s Drug Demand Reduction Bureau, the Organization of American State’s CICAD drug reduction program, and the National Institute on Drug Abuse. 

An honors graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill, Mr. Sowers attended the Pacific School of Religion on a Rockefeller Grant and holds an M.P.A. degree from American University.  

Dr. Jacques Normand, Ph.D, is Director of AIDS Research at the National Institute on Drug Abuse/NIH.  As Director, he is responsible for planning, developing, coordinating and integrating all HIV/AIDS research priorities within NIDA and externally.  Current program areas include but are not limited to HIV/AIDS, and STI research targeting drug using populations.  Since joining NIDA in 1997, Dr. Normand has served as Acting Chief, Community Research Branch in the Division of Epidemiology, Services and Prevention Research (DESPR), Acting Chief, Epidemiology Research Branch (DESPR) and more recently, Chief, Population Based Health Intervention (PBHI) Unit in the Center on AIDS and Other Medical Consequences of Drug Abuse.   

As Chief of the PBHI Unit, Dr. Normand was responsible for planning, developing, and administering a national and international research program focusing on behavioral, social and health consequences of drug abuse related to HIV/AIDS and other medical consequences.  Prior to his work at NIDA, he was a Study Director at the National Research Council and the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences in Washington, D.C., where he directed the Panel on Needle Exchange and Bleach Distribution Programs, and the Committee on Drug Use in the Workplace.  His earlier professional experience included research positions in both the private and public sectors.  He as served as expert witnesses in both domestic and international litigations, served as reviewer for various professional journals and grant review groups (NIH and private foundation), has published in various professional research journals and has spoken at numerous professional meetings on various scientific issues.    

Dr. Normand received his B.A. from McGill University and M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in psychology from the Illinois Institute of Technology and has a long-standing interest in epidemiology, prevention and HIV/AIDS research. 

Mirla F. Otero is Director of Community and Latino Services at the Community Prevention Partnership of Berks County, where she oversees 8 programs.  She is a devoted wife and mother of two and has lived in the city of Reading for the last 9 years.   

Otero earned her Bachelors degree in Life Science from Pennsylvania State University.  There she was actively involved in various student organizations including the Commission on Racial and Ethnic Diversity whose members are appointed by the President of the university. 

Otero serves on the March of Dimes Prematurity Committee and is Pennsylvania’s Team Leader of the National Latino Coalition Against Tobacco.  Also she is cofounder and director of Raíces Folkloric Dance Group where she works with youth to guide them in finding their leadership skills and to learn more about their heritage. 

Hope Johnson, M.Ed., is Alcohol and Other Drugs Coordinator, Health Education Department, University of South Florida Student Health Services.  Johnson has a Masters degree in Health Education and has been working in the health education field since 1994.  She has been at USF since 2003.  At USF, Johnson coordinates the alcohol and other drug health education prevention efforts.  She is an active member of the Tampa Alcohol Coalition, Hillsborough County Anti-Drug Alliance, and Florida Higher Education Alliance for Substance Abuse Prevention. 

f.  CEUs, CMEs, Certificates:  There are no CEUs, CMEs, or completion certificates available for this program. 

g.  Videotape Availability:  To request a free VHS copy of any of our recent telecourses, please follow instructions at this link to the order site for MCTFT Videotapes.  Please allow 3 to 6 weeks for processing.  Order Site For MCTFT Videotapes 

h.  Videotape release (if taping from broadcast):  This FREE program is unclassified and non-scrambled.  There are no copyright restrictions on this program, however it MAY NOT be videotaped and re-broadcast where fees are attached to its showing.  No portion of this program may be used for commercial purposes or for-profit purposes without additional permission of the sponsors.   

i.  Web Site Support:  Support materials, if any, are expected to mounted on the Internet to support this program.  Final details will be sent via email to registered sites as part of the satellite coordinates message.     

j.  Satellite Coordinates:  Final Satellite Coordinates will be sent to registered sites 5-7 working days prior to the broadcast.  Site coordinators and technicians whose sites are registered and who have not received the coordinates by the Monday preceding the broadcast date should contact our office immediately. 

k.  Registration:  All new sites MUST register for this FREE, public domain program to receive the necessary satellite coordinates (C/KU) or illumination authentication (GETN/Warrior dishes) and Site Materials Website.  Sites may register at: CADCA Registration Site  ...or by calling Ed Kronholm’s Office, the Satellite Registrations Coordinator, toll free at 877-820-0305 or 888-820-4898.   

l.  Future Programs:  For future information on MCTFT satellite broadcasts (subject to change due to satellite availability and other scheduling issues) please visit this web site: http://www.mctft.com/DL/dl.php.  (Information changes periodically; please refresh your browser upon each visit.)  

m.  Email Controls:  Email from the CounterDrug Listserv may be adjusted (changed, deleted, or added) at this web site: Email Controls..

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