The 2024 Alabama Substance Abuse Youth Summit (SAYS) will be the program's most attended. More than 440 professionals who work with Alabama's youth in a variety of capacities preregistered for the free program, scheduled to be held April 9 in Montgomery.
Social workers, healthcare workers, law enforcement officers, lawyers, teachers, child advocates and State of Alabama employees representing more than 100 different state, county and local agencies and private business will spend a full day hearing from a wide range of speakers and subject matter experts.
The program will include presentations from Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall; a State of Alabama Legislative Panel featuring Sen. Lance Bell, Rep. Barbara Drummond and Rep. Andy Whitt; Sue Thau, Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA); Nathan Wray, Prevention Coordinator, Roane County (TN) Anti-Drug Coalition and Elana Merriweather, Adolescent and Adult Program Manager, Alabama Department of Mental Health.
Also speaking are Dr. Carmela Drake, Alabama State University, NAADAC U.S. Addictions Educator of the Year and former CNN, MSNBC and Fox News anchor Laurie Dhue, the Chief Brand Officer for RecoveryEducation.com.
The guiding mission of Alabama SAYS is to have decision-makers and service providers in the same room at the same time, listening to the same information, in order to forge partnerships, and develop strategies that will better protect children.The event is free of charge, provides lunch and offers Continuing Education Units (CEUs) and Continuing Legal Education Units (CLEs) to attendees.
The Alabama Substance Abuse Youth Summit is made possible by a grant from the National Alcohol Beverage Control Association and by the support and assistance of representatives from Alabama Department of Early Childhood Education, Drug Education Council, Alabama Department of Public Health, Alabama State Department of Education, Children's Policy Council, State of Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, Turning Point DV/SA Services, Mothers Against Drunk Driving, Alabama Department of Transportation, Drug Education Council of Baldwin County, Covington County Children's Policy Council, Shelby County Family Court Services, and State of Alabama Alcoholic Beverage Control Board.