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Clifton Municipal Alliance (CASA)
Who We Are
Clifton Against Substance Abuse (CASA) is dedicated to bringing awareness of the dangers of misusing alcohol, drugs and other substances to students, parents, employees and faith based organization in Clifton.
Goals
- Coordinate and provide resources and funding support for other Clifton non-profit organizations wishing to implement a substance misuse prevention program to help accomplish our mission
- Develop and sustain educational programs dealing with the prevention of substance misuse
- Provide a single information resource for Clifton residents, service, civic and religious organizations in their efforts to combat substance abuse
Management
Clifton Against Substance Abuse (CASA) is a grass roots organization comprised of members of the business, professional, governmental and educational communities. All are volunteers, contributing their experience and expertise to work at prevention education and awareness.
Funding
CASA receives grant funding from the City of Clifton and the Governor’s Council Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse https://gcada.nj.gov
Defining the Substance Abuse Problem
Substance misuse in Clifton is a fact. Found in every section of our community, it is becoming commonplace in schools, homes and industry, affecting young and old alike. Often, substance misuse co-occurs with other mental health challenges whose stigma prevents individuals from seeking help.
Drug Laws
Drug laws are designed to help control the problem but they do not eliminate or prevent it. Before there can be effective control, there must be widespread education and understanding in the community. The tragic effects of substance abuse must be made abundantly clear and that the use of drugs does not solve any problem.
In these times, it is particularly important that responsible people throughout Clifton — especially parents, teachers, members of the faith community, governmental officials and employers — know and understand the impact of substance abuse and the long-term effect it has on the mental and physical health of our community.
How You Can Help
You can help by speaking up. Speak up to children early and often about coping with disappointment and other issues like peer pressure. Speak up through your actions that build a strong self-esteem and the understanding that:
- It is important to ask for help of a trusted adult
- Even one dose of today’s dangerous substances can be fatal.
Parents, teachers, firemen, policemen, employers and others in supervisory positions should learn the signs of substance abuse in order to recognize the problem early enough to take effective action.
Addictions can occur at any age and it is important to learn about the signs and symptoms in adults and senior citizens as well.
We can start by responding as a group. If the community comes together, neighbor helping neighbor, our individual voices can become a choir of care.
Become a CASA volunteer.
Here is a sample of the many programs that our grant currently funds:
- B.A.B.E.S. Beginning Awareness Basic Education Studies
- Drunk Driving Reenactment at Clifton High School
- Schools Out After School Program (Boys and Girls Club)
- Hero’s & Cool Kids & Side Kicks
- Jr. Police Academy
- #notevenonce Program (Clifton Police)
- National Night Out Community Awareness (Clifton Police, Clifton Recreation)
- Family Campout (Clifton Recreation)
- Community Outreach and Resource Information Distribution
- Project Graduation
Find Local and Passaic County Resources Below.