East Texas Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse

Youth Education / Prevention - School Based Prevention Program using research-based curricula, establishing a data collection repository for the region, serving as the substance misuse prevention training liaison and tobacco compliance checks. As part of the school-based education, trained ETCADA staff facilitate drug provention programs designed to reduce the onset of the use of alcohol. tobacco and other drugs by youth. Teachers, counselors and administrators within our 23 counties can contact ETCADA to arrange cost-free sessions for their school. Prevention programs aim to influence all groups through evidenced based curricula to provide prevention education and skills training, as well as substance abuse prevention presentations and alternative activities.

The organization provides services to homeless and at-risk youth between the ages fifteen and twenty five. In addition to providing intense case management and social skills education, the youth transition center has four key programs: job ready which provides employment soft skills education including career assessment and job search; transitional housing which provides exploration of affordable housing, financial management and advocacy with property managers; healthy inside and out which provides physical and mental health assistance including group/individual counseling with a licensed professional counselor; and operation turnaround providing advocacy and guidance for those in the criminal justice system. A top priority is employment and educational attainment to elevate participants out of poverty.

Osr - the outreach, screening, assessment, and referral services assist individuals to access help for alcohol and Drug problems. Using licensed chemical dependency councilors, etcada is able to evaluate individuals and direct them to services of need. This year the program has served 6,832 individuals.