Members of the Bulloch Alcohol and Drug Council (BADC) Bulloch Game Changers attended the Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA) Leadership Forum in Washington, D.C., and Substance Abuse Prevention Day at the Georgia Capitol to advocate for the prevention and reduction of substance use among youth.
The BADC has been serving Bulloch County for 48 years, and in 2015 the organization was awarded the Drug Free Communities (DFC) Grant, which worked to create a team of students known as the Bulloch Game Changers. The Game Changers are led by local high school and middle school students committed to living a drug-free and alcohol-free lifestyle. The team focuses on reducing substance use with a focus on alcohol, nicotine, and marijuana.
Two BADC staff members, Belle Mathis and Charlotte Spell, recently traveled with two Game Changers, Ivana Casuso and Adricia Shipman to the CADCA Forum at National Harbor, Maryland. At the CADCA Forum, the Game Changers participated in courses related to substance use prevention specific to the youth. More than 800 youth from all over the world attended the conference.
During the conference, Adricia, Ivana, Belle, and Charlotte met with GA representative Rick Allen to discuss substance use prevention legislation and what Georgia is doing to address vaping, marijuana, and alcohol among the underage population.
The team also traveled to the Georgia Capitol for Substance Abuse Prevention (SAP) Day. SAP Day at the Capitol was held on February 23rd, 2023, in the Georgia State Capitol building. The purpose of SAP Day is to create awareness of substance abuse and mental health issues and to provide education and resources related to prevention advocacy at the state and community level.
Ivana Casuso and Adricia Shipman were invited to be keynote speakers at SAP day after their advocacy efforts, and the two youth advocates each gave a 3-minute speech at the GA Capitol on SAP day.
"We are reaching out to you today because you have the power to hear our stories and our struggles and make a change. A change that will prevent the next generation of youth from facing the same struggles we face now," said Ivana Casuso.
"Advocacy is the super power of this generation. I have experienced and heard stories of [community members] who have turned away from substance use because [the Bulloch Game Changers] brought awareness about the harms of those substances. You can make a difference [through advocacy] by changing and shaping the future," said Adricia Shipman.
During this special event, the youth were also able to speak with Senator Billy Hickman to share their concerns regarding youth substance use.
