Boards and Committees
The Central Naugatuck Valley Regional Action Council
This coalition is comprised of the Steering Committee, Prevention Committee, Local Prevention Councils, Youth Action Councils, and Community Needs Assessment Workgroup. It is meant to reflect the twelve communities and constituencies that it serves. In order to maintain a balanced representation of each of the twelve towns in the service area, membership strives to include at least one person who lives or works in each town. Membership further includes chief elected officials, chief law enforcement officials, superintendents of schools and general assembly members or their representatives, substance abuse providers from the service area, as well as one representative from the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services or the Department of Children and Families. Membership may also include, but is not limited to, representatives from the business community, religious organizations, youth service bureaus, the media, youth and adult consumers, local prevention council members, health care professionals, other professional groups and state agencies.
The purpose of this coalition is to establish and implement a substance abuse action plan in the twelve town region, and to promote, in liaison with substance abuse agencies in the Service Area, the development and coordination of needed services along a continuum of care to include community awareness, education, prevention, intervention, treatment and aftercare.
Steering Committee
The purpose of the Steering Committee of the CNVRAC is to control, direct, and manage all affairs and funds of the coalition. The Steering Committee meets monthly. The CNVRAC strives to include representation from at least the following twelve sectors on the Steering Committee: Youth (18 or younger), parents, business, media, school, youth-serving organizations, law enforcement, religious or fraternal organizations, civic and/or volunteer groups, healthcare professionals, state or local government, and other organizations involved in reducing substance abuse.
Prevention Committee
The purpose of the Prevention Committee of the CNVRAC is to assist in prioritizing prevention needs and identifying assets in the Central Naugatuck Valley. Volunteer members work to develop, implement, and evaluate an Annual Substance Abuse Prevention Plan, and to promote the development and coordination of needed prevention services in the area. Members of the Prevention Committee meet for the purpose of networking, resource development, and collaboration of efforts. Bi-monthly, the Prevention Committee convenes area Social Workers, School Counselors, and other Prevention Professionals across the continuum of care for these purposes.
Local Prevention Councils
The local, municipal-based prevention councils of the coalition support activities and initiatives that increase public awareness of and are focused on the prevention of alcohol, tobacco, and other drug abuse. This is accomplished through the development and implementation of activities that fall under two or more of the six prevention strategies: information dissemination, education, community-based processes, alternative activities, problem identification and referral, and creating environmental change. These councils include a cross-section of the communities they will serve and reflect shared cultural beliefs, attitudes, and practices of the target populations. Each LPC is especially requested to embed cultural competence concepts in all phases of their work and activities that are to be supported by the CNVRAC. Local Prevention Councils meet at the discretion of their membership. LPCs primarily meet monthly.
Youth Action Councils
The Youth Action Councils consist of youth representatives from each of the Service Area’s towns. The members of each Youth Action Council designate one or more Youth Liaisons to serve on and communicate with the Local Prevention Councils for the purpose of unified collaboration. The duties of the Youth Action Councils are to assist the Executive Director in assessing prevention and treatment needs concerning youth in the Service Area; to develop, implement and evaluate an Annual Substance Abuse Plan; and to promote the development and coordination of needed youth-related prevention programming.
Community Needs Assessment Workgroup
The Department of Mental Health & Addiction Services is committed to supporting an inclusive, comprehensive planning process at local, regional, and state levels. Accordingly, the Community Needs Assessment Workgroup is convened by the CNVRAC in order to participate in the development of the Sub-Regional Prevention Priority Report. The role of the workgroup is to 1) review data provided by the State Epidemiological Workgroup; 2) identify additional data; 3) contribute to the interpretation of the data; and 4) participate in the priority setting process. The Executive Director will ensure that the Community Needs Assessment Workgroup comprises diverse community stakeholders, including youth; parents; school personnel; staff from youth-serving organizations; researchers; local government officials; healthcare professionals, nonprofit agency staff; and representatives from the business community, law enforcement, faith community, and other Coalition leaders. Sub-populations (i.e., those of various racial/ethnic, sexual orientation, gender, language, disability, and culture) and members of historically underrepresented populations should also be represented. It is hoped that diverse stakeholders will contribute data to the process, voice their viewpoints, and see this needs assessment as a credible, biennial endeavor.
To learn more our to become a member of one our valuable committees, please contact CNVRAC or fill out our online volunteer form.
