Northeast > Resources > Topic Specific > Diverse Populations > Disabled youth: substance abuse prevention programs

Which organizations or projects focus specifically on substance abuse prevention and disability?

The following list is a good place to start.

Substance Abuse Resources and Disability Issues

SARDI Program
School of Medicine
Wright State University
P.O. Box 927
Dayton, OH 45401-0927
Voice/TTY: (937) 775-1484
Fax: (937) 775-1495
http://www.med.wright.edu/citar/sardi/

SARDI’s mission is to conduct research, provide collaborative consultation and treatment, and conduct training on the intersection between substance abuse and disability conditions. The program considers all physical, cognitive and emotional disabilities and their correlations with substance abuse. SARDI also investigates disability issues arising as sequellae of substance abuse. SARDI has three main initiatives, including the Rehabilitation Research and Training Center on Drugs and Disability, the Consumer Advocacy Model, and the PALS Project.

The prevention component of SARDI, PALS, is an award-winning model for substance abuse prevention that provides training activities based on the manual, Adapting Substance Abuse and Violence Prevention Education for Youth with Disabilities. These activities serve to enhance educators’ knowledge and understanding of violence, alcohol, tobacco, and other drug issues for youth with disabilities. It trains educators to modify existing curricula to better serve the needs of their students. The manual is available for $12.

The project also trains key policymakers and administrators, as well as other community partners, about the importance of prevention for youth with disabilities.

The Minnesota Chemical Dependency Program for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Individuals
2450 Riverside Avenue
Minneapolis, MN 55454
Voice/TTD-(800) 282-DEAF (3323)
Fax-(612) 672-4516
http://www.mncddeaf.org/

This program provides inpatient and outpatient substance use treatment services for persons who are deaf or hard of hearing. In addition, the program offers treatment and prevention materials and training about delivering services to deaf and hard of hearing persons. A free, accessible catalog of materials on substance use disorders is available.

National Association on Alcohol, Drugs & Disability (NAADD)
2165 Bunker Hill Drive
San Mateo, CA 94402-3801
Voice/TTY (650) 578-8047
Fax (650) 286-9205
http://www.naadd.org/

NAADD promotes substance abuse awareness and education among people with co-existing disabilities. The mission of NAADD is to create public awareness about issues related to alcoholism, drug addiction, and substance abuse faced by persons with other co-existing disabilities, and to enhance access to services, information, education, and prevention through the collaborative efforts of interested individuals and organizations nationwide.

Substance Abuse and Disabilities: Exploring the Relationship
National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information
P.O. Box 2345
Rockville, MD 20847-2345
(800) 729-6686, (301) 468-2600
TDD (800) 487-4889
http://www.health.org/features/disability/index.htm

This section of NCADI’s website provides resources on the topic, including a special section on members of different cultural groups with disabilities.

National Information Center for Children and Youth with Disabilities (NICHCY)
PO Box 1492
Washington, DC 20013-1492
Voice/TTY (800) 695-0285
http://www.nichcy.org

This organization focuses on youth with disabilities. Especially useful are NICHCY’s bibliographies on specific disability-related topics.

Women with Disabilities: Substance Abuse and Disability

http://www.4woman.gov/wwd/

       Please contact the Northeast CAPT at capt@edc.org for more information.