Alliance Counteracting Alcohol and Tobacco Advertising Targeting Youth (ACATA)

Alliance Counteracting Alcohol and Tobacco Advertising Targeting Youth (ACATA) - In June 1994, Alabama Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation, Division of Substance Abuse Services, gave COSA-NCADD the task of forming the Alliance Counteracting Alcohol and Tobacco Advertising;Targeting Youth (ACATA), to raise public awareness of the advertising tactics used by tobacco and alcohol companies to lure young people. Today, members of the alliance include Council on Substance Abuse-NCADD, Alabama Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation, Governor's Office on Disability, Alabama Department of Education, Alabama Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Board, American Lung Association of Alabama, Alabama State Department of Youth Services, Alabama Independent School Association, Department of Children's Affairs, Alabama Congress of Parent Teacher's Association, Alabama Alcoholic Beverage and Control Board, State of Alabama Military Department, Alabama Department of Public Health, Medical Association of the State of Alabama, March of Dimes-Birth Defects Foundation, American Cancer Society-Cancer Control Manager, American Heart Association, MADD-Mother's Against Drunk Driving, Alabama Center for Law and Civic Education, Region Eight ACATA Youth Advisory Board, Partnership Drug-Free Community, Inc., Northwest Alabama Mental Health Center, Gateway, Indian Rivers Mental Health Center/Insight Center, Linc Program, East Alabama Mental Health Retardation Center, Drug Education Council, Inc., SpectraCare. COSA-NCADD continues to head this statewide public awareness initiative. It has reached communities in every county through a network of eleven regional coordinators. ACATA has been praised by state officials for bringing together a sweeping alliance of health organizations, law enforcement, educators, and concerned citizens who actively address the issue of the advertising of alcohol and tobacco products to children. In its third year, ACATA received the prestigious 1996 Prevention and Education Meritorious Award as the "best prevention program in the nation" from the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence. During a site visit in July 2000, The Alabama Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation, Substance Abuse Services Division received a site visit from the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention, (CSAP). The Executive Summary of findings from this site visit lists the Alliance Counteracting Alcohol and Tobacco Advertising;Targeting Youth (ACATA) as a "model (program) with the potential for replication or adaptation in other States". back to top

Alliance Counteracting Alcohol and Tobacco Advertising; Targeting Youth (ACATA) YOUTH ADVISORY BOARD

The Alliance Counteracting Alcohol and Tobacco Advertising Targeting Youth (ACATA) Youth Advisory Board was formed in March of 2000. The Youth Advisory Board (YAB) has been working diligently ever since on formulating a mission and organizing additional summits. The YAB chose a dual mission: (1) a media advocacy campaign encouraging their peers to avoid tobacco and alcohol and (2) a peer education initiative where they could teach 4th-6th grade students about the practices of the alcohol and tobacco industries. The first step in putting this mission into action was to choose a curriculum. The Region 8 YAB was given the authority by the other region's boards to make this decision. After rejecting many curricula, the Region 8 YAB chose a lesson called "What's the Message?" from a curriculum by AGC/United Learning. The YAB then worked with representatives of AGC to add lessons on tobacco and alcohol and construct a curriculum to their specifications. This curriculum then became the centerpiece of the 2001 Youth Summit, called "What's the Message?: The Youth Summit on Teen Smoking and Underage Drinking" held in March of 2001. At this gathering students from all over the state were introduced to the curriculum. Dr. Peter DeBenedittis was also brought in to teach the students about the tactics of the alcohol and tobacco industries. In addition, Professor Doug Kaback of Cal-State Northridge instructed the students in how to present skits related to the curriculum. The summit was a great success and was an excellent springboard for the campaign. The statewide YAB have been trained further in the curriculum and conducted programs throughout the state this summer. Locations for these programs included YMCA & YMCA's, Churches, Boys & Girls Clubs, Summer Camps, and other places where youth gather.  Now that the school year has begun, many programs are being conducted for after school programs.  As the programs move forward, an outcome evaluation will be conducted to determine next steps.   If you are interested in having a presentation provided for your group, please contact your local regional coordinator. back to top

Alliance Counteracting Alcohol and Tobacco Advertising; Targeting Youth (ACATA) Eleven Regional Coordinators

Region 1 AREA (Lauderdale, Limestone, Colbert, Franklin, Lawrence and Morgan) PARTNERSHIP DRUG-FREE COMMUNITY INC. Deborah Soule/Suzette Mikell-Williams 312 Randolph Avenue Huntsville, AL 35801 P.O. Box 2603 Huntsville, AL 35804 Phone: 256-539-7339 Fax: 256-539-7386 E-Mail: partner@hiwaay.net Region 2 AREA (Madison, Jackson, Marshall, DeKalb, Etowah and Cherokee) PARTNERSHIP DRUG-FREE COMMUNITY INC. Deborah Soule/Suzette Mikell-Williams 312 Randolph Avenue Huntsville, AL 35801 P.O. Box 2603 Huntsville, AL 35804 Phone: 256-539-7339 Fax: 256-539-7386 E-Mail: partner@hiwaay.net Region 3 AREA (Fayette, Marion, Winston, Cullman, Lamar and Walker) NORTHWEST ALABAMA MENTAL HEALTH CENTER Belinda Miller 409 First St South East Hamilton, AL 35570 Phone: 205-921-2186 Fax: 205-921-4740 April Miller 1100 7th Ave Jasper, AL 35501 Phone: 205-302-9061 Fax: 205-221-5911 E-Mail: wiop@pepperlink.net Region 4 AREA (Jefferson, St. Clair and Blount) GATEWAY Leslie Oskarsson 1401 South 20th Street Birmingham, AL 35205 Phone: 205-510-2676 Fax: 205-714-9951 E-Mail: kmusgrove@gway.org or loskarsson@gway.org Region 5 AREA (Pickens, Tuscaloosa, Bibb, Shelby, Perry and Chilton) INDIAN RIVERS MENTAL HEALTH CENTER/INSIGHT CENTER Jane Coleman/Veronica Richardson 3532 23rd Street Tuscaloosa, AL 35401 P.O. Box 2190 Tuscaloosa, AL 35403 Phone: 205-391-0132 Fax: 205-349-6486 E-Mail: coleman-owens@email.msn.com Region 6 WTM AREA (Calhoun, Cleburne, Randolph, Talladega, Coosa and Clay) LINC Program Robin Mackey 265 Rucker Street McClellan, AL 36205 P.O. Box 5072 McClellan, AL 36205 Phone: 256-820-5911 Fax: 256-847-0009 E-Mail: rmackey@hiwaay.net www.LINCprogram.org Region 7 WTM AREA (Dallas, Greene, Marengo,Choctaw, Wilcox, Hale and Sumter) Rebecca Smith COUNCIL ON SUBSTANCE ABUSE-NCADD 828 Forest Avenue Montgomery, AL 36106 Phone: 334-262-1629 Fax: 334-262-6725 E-Mail: csancadd@bellsouth.net Region 8 WTM AREA (Montgomery, Elmore, Lowndes, Autauga, Butler and Crenshaw) COUNCIL ON SUBSTANCE ABUSE-NCADD Char Jones / Beverly Johnson 828 Forest Avenue Montgomery, AL 36106 Phone: 334-262-1629 Fax: 334-262-6725 E-Mail: csancadd@bellsouth.net Region 9 WTM AREA (Tallapoosa, Chambers, Lee, Macon, Russell, Bullock and Pike) EAST ALABAMA MENTAL HEALTH RETARDATION CENTER Kathy Molnar 2300 Center Hills Drive, Building 1 Opelika, AL 36801 Phone: 334-742-2112 Fax: 334-742-2107 Region 10 AREA (Mobile, Baldwin, Washington, Escambia, Clarke, Monroe and Conecuh) DRUG EDUCATION COUNCIL, INC. Vandlyn Pierre 954 Government Street Mobile, AL 36604 Phone: 251-433-5456 Fax: 251-433-5457 E-Mail: www.drug.edu@mobilecan.org Region 11 WTM AREA (Houston, Geneva, Covington, Barbour, Dale, Henry and Coffee) SPECTRACARE Susie Kingry / Kelly Armstrong 191 South Oates Avenue Dothan, AL 36301 Phone: 334-677-1156 Fax: 334-712-9262 E-Mail: susiek@spcare.com back to top