Coalitions

Community Partnership’s Prevention Resource Center (PRC) is one of 11 PRCs in Missouri that provides technical assistance, training and support to Missouri communities interested in decreasing their substance use and violence problems.

These communities form coalitions through the assistance of PRC Prevention Specialists and implement the Strategic Prevention Framework (SPF) to help them successfully impact substance use problems through effective prevention efforts. A comprehensive Regional Needs Assessment is completed by the PRC annually to help guide its strategic planning efforts.

The PRC currently serves a 21-county region of Southwest Missouri. For more information about any of the coalitions listed, please contact Samantha Sherman at ssherman@cpozarks.org.

Coalitions Served by the Prevention Resource Center

  • 417SQUAD (Students Questioning Use and Abusing Drugs): A coalition in Greene County comprised of high school students in Springfield who work together to prevent peer use of drugs, alcohol and violence while helping shape the future for younger youth. They accomplish this through educating peers on the dangers of misusing drugs and providing a youth voice to other coalitions on issues related to their age group.
  • Alcohol Cannabis Taskforce (ACTF): This coalition in Greene County works to prevent underage drinking and cannabis use related consequences through public education, policy, and other environmental strategy initiatives, resource development and collaboration. ACTF’s goals are to decrease past 30-day use and availability of alcohol and cannabis to persons under age 21 and raise the awareness and perception of harm related to alcohol and cannabis use by youth.
  • Carthage Caring Communities Coalition (CCC): Rallies the entire community by supporting local families and children thus altering the culture of their community so that healthy choices are made to prevent and reduce alcohol, tobacco and other drug use. CCC is sponsoring a SADD chapter at Carthage High School, reinforcing prevention efforts targeting teens.
  • Community Connections: A coalition in Polk County committed to providing youth, parents, and the community with factual information, education, prevention and intervention tools to reduce the incidence of high-risk behaviors among youth. Community Connections works to change organizational practices, influence policy and regulations, and promote community education and substance use prevention.
  • Dallas County Live Well Alliance (DCLWA): A coalition in Dallas County committed to educating and improving the health of citizens there. DCLWA strives to promote positive attitudes toward wellness and reduce the incidence of chronic disease and high-risk behaviors.
  • Douglas County Community Health Assessment Resource Team (CHART) & Interagency Council: A coalition in Douglas County with a mission dedicated to assisting Douglas County residents to achieve healthier lifestyles by expanding, introducing, and enhancing community activities. This includes physical, mental, and spiritual health and education to help youth and adults reduce substance use.
  • Drug Responsibility Education and Advocacy Movement (DREAM): The mission is to radically decrease the damage done by medication misuse in Greene County. They accomplish this by conducting educational programs, media and social media outreach, participating in community events, and coordinating medication take-back events.
  • Greene County Tobacco and Vape Prevention Coalition: A coalition in Greene County with the mission to eliminate consequences from tobacco use and exposure through prevention, intervention and treatment.
  • Howell County Community Coalition (HC3): A coalition in Howell County that works to educate and advocate for substance use prevention and mental health promotion, to improve the wellbeing of the community. HC3 has invested a lot in mental health awareness and engaging the family as a protective factor in the reduction of underage drinking.
  • Joplin Area Safe Teens Coalition: Addresses issues that directly affect area teens through educational programs, public awareness campaigns, media outreach and data collection. This coalition is working diligently to reduce underage drinking by reducing access through hosting Responsible Beverage Service trainings for retailers.
  • Lamar Drug Free Coalition (LDFC): A coalition in Barton County that advocates for the inclusion, expansion and recognition of policies, programs and practices that effectively reduce substance use. LDFC has a focus on helping children make healthy decisions and strives to provide alternative activities for teens.
  • Lawrence County Prevention Team (LCPT): A coalition in Lawrence County that provides comprehensive prevention programs and services to help reduce substance use and violence-related issues in the community. LCPT was formed to address what one of the highest marijuana use rates by youth in the state, and also conduct an annual docudrama in Aurora each Spring to increase awareness of the dangers of underage drinking and driving.
  • McDonald County Community Coalition (MCCC): Brings people together to proactively address health and well-being by implementing activities customized to serve the citizens of McDonald County. MCCC is working with FCCLA students at McDonald County High School to address teen use of electronic cigarettes.
  • Newton County Community Coalition (NCCC): Strives to prevent drug and alcohol use and other risky behaviors among youth through collaboration, education, empowerment, early-intervention and community transformation efforts throughout Newton County. NCCC is now in their 9th year as a Drug Free Communities Grant awardee. Their central focus is underage drinking, marijuana and medication misuse prevention. This coalition won the Milestone Award at ACT Missouri’s 2019 Statewide Prevention Conference for their advocacy work, leading to passing of a local ordinance increasing penalties for retailers who sell/serve alcohol to minors.
  • Ozark County Substance Abuse Task Force (OCSATF): A coalition in Ozark County focused on addressing the growing issues related to substance abuse in their communities through education, prevention and treatment through collaboration with law enforcement, educators, physical and mental health care professionals, the judiciary and spiritual leaders. OCSATF seeks to preserve the health of its citizens, the integrity of its families and provide for the safety of its children.
  • Ozarks Fighting Back (OFB): This coalition in Greene County works to prevent the misuse of substance misuse and related violence, especially among youth, through the mobilization of communities to build more healthy lifestyles.
  • Stone County Community Health Coalition: This coalition in Stone County works to identify priorities associated with health and safety and promotes accessible health opportunities within a safe environment for all who live, work and visit Stone County.
  • Southwest Missouri Drug Poisoning Coalition (SWMODPC): This coalition is committed to reversing the trend of drug poisoning deaths in Southwest Missouri through community engagement, collaboration and evidence-based practices. Their vision is to create a recovery-ready community that actively collaborates to build and support resilience to reduce drug poisoning.
  • Taney County Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention Team (ADAPT): This coalition in Taney County works to reduce the prevalence and consequences of youth substance use to promote a safe and healthy community by working to increase the age of first use of substances, decrease the past 30 use of substances by youth, and reduce community norms favorable towards youth substance use.
  • Webster County CommUNITY Partnership (WCCP): This coalition in Webster County works to support the health and well-being of its residents by promoting awareness of and access to resources to live a healthy and wholesome life. Some of WCCP projects include coordinating drug take-back events, conducting media campaigns and educational programs, and helping to coordinate positive youth alternative activities