San Antonio Council on Alcohol and Drug Awareness
A Safe and Thriving Community
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Programs and results
What we aim to solve
According to the 2022 Texas School Survey of Drug & Alcohol Use for Region 8, the average age of first use for substances are: • Tobacco – 12 • Alcohol – 12.5 • Illicit Drugs – 11.9 • Marijuana – 13.6 • Inhalants – 11.0 Substance use prevention is key to ensuring children live a safe and thriving life. The use of drugs during childhood and adolescence has more potential to disrupt brain function in areas critical to motivation, memory, learning, judgement, and behavior control, because the brain is still developing during these periods. Prevention programs in schools foster protective factors, such as school connectedness and positive peer relationships, which can help students avoid engaging in risk behaviors and help students learn skills important to promoting healthy choices, such as decision making, goal setting, and self-management. Every year that substance use is delayed, the risks of addiction and substance misuse decreases.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Youth Prevention Services
The San Antonio Council on Alcohol and Drug Awareness launched Youth Prevention Programs in 1987 as a school base program for 4th and 5th graders. At the time, statistics showed that 1 in every 4 children in any classroom had the disease of addiction in their family. Studies suggested that children of substance users, although at increased risk for developing the disease themselves, could be empowered to understand addiction as a disease that was preventable, and that they were not responsible for the behaviors of others. Over the years, SACADA's Youth Prevention program has grown to include children ages 6-18 and has become a discovery and skill-building program for all children as they are faced with negative influences in a more complex society. In 2022, SACADA acquired the Hill Country Council on Alcohol and Drug Abuse (HCCADA) located in Kerrville, Texas and have expanded Youth Prevention services to more counties.
Community Coalitions
Community Coalitions are in Bexar, Comal, Guadalupe, and Kendall counties. Coalitions seek to promote behavioral health and reduce use or misuse of substances, prioritizing the following: underage alcohol use, marijuana and cannabinoid use, tobacco and other nicotine product use, and prescription drug misuse. Strategies address underlying factors that lead to substance use and misuse including, but not limited to, adverse childhood experiences, social determinants of health, and/or other youth, family, and community risk and protective factors.
HYPE Productions
HYPE (Helping Youth through Prevention Education) is a Youth Coalition and Performing Arts group, ages 10-17. The youth ambassadors lead by example and use their talents to promote healthy, drug-free lifestyles and take proactive roles as positive agents of change with their peers and the community. This group provides youth with an alternative to express themselves. HYPE members learn from skilled Hip Hop and other dance instructors.
When many students are home during school holiday and summer breaks, you can find HYPE ambassadors at different community events teaching younger children and their peers about the dangers of substance misuse through presentations and activities.
Prevention Resource Center - Region 8
The Prevention Resource Center (PRC) is one of 11 state-wide data clearinghouses in Texas. Representing the Region 8 area, the Prevention Resource Center services the 28 counties of South-Central Texas providing community stakeholders with the most current information relative to the unique needs of the diverse communities that make up the region.
The PRC-Region 8 provides free presentations and education resources to South Central Texas. The PRC also creates an annual Regional Needs Assessment (RNA) designed to aid community stakeholders in long-term strategic prevention planning. The RNA contains information on statistics relevant to risk and protective factors association with drug use, as well as consumption patterns and consequences data, as well as insight related to gaps in services and data availability challenges. Reach out to us and get your free RNA copy
Intervention & Recovery Support
RECOVERY SERVICES: Support services to individual with a substance use disorder b providing virtual, telephonic, and face-to-face option to connect with a state-certified experienced recovery coach.
PADRES (Intervention): Program designed to help expecting, new, and current fathers and mothers overcome the challenges that often come with parenting when you have one or more risk factors for a substance use disorder.
MADRES (Intervention): To support and enhance recovery-focused community efforts by delivering evidence-based long-term substance use disorder recovery service.
MEDICATION ASSISTED TREATMENT (MAT) PROGRAM: To provide services to uninsured and under-insured adults diagnosed with an opioid use disorder in Bexar County who are seeking medication for opioid use disorder.
For detailed information, visit www.sacada.org
Education & Training
Monthly classes are offered for youth and adults whose lifestyle choices have put them at risk of addiction. These include: DWI First Offense, Alcohol Awareness/Minor in Possession , Alcohol and Drug Abuse Education Program (ADAEP) , Marijuana Awareness Education.
Assessments & Referrals: We offer the Substance Abuse Subtle Screening Inventory (SASSI) screening for adults and provides full drug and alcohol assessments for both in and out-of-state requests. SACADA is a recognized provider of drug and alcohol evaluations by the Texas Board of Law Examiners.
Mental Health Awareness Training: Mental Health First Aid and Youth Mental Health First Aid training to school personnel, emergency first responders, law enforcement, and other community members. No charge but must register.
Where we work
Affiliations & memberships
Chamber of Commerce 2023
Texas Association of Nonprofit Organizations
Texas Association of Substance Abuse Professionals 2023
San Antonio Nonprofit Council 2023
Texas Public Radio 2020
Association of Fundraising Professionals 2023
External reviews
Photos
Videos
Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Evaluation documents
Download evaluation reportsNumber of community-based organizations providing primary prevention services in substance abuse
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Number of students receiving information on alcohol and other drug use
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Children and youth
Related Program
Youth Prevention Services
Type of Metric
Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues
Direction of Success
Increasing
Our Sustainable Development Goals
Learn more about Sustainable Development Goals.
Goals & Strategy
Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
SACADA goals are to educate our youth and families on substance use prevention. Many of the youth we see come from underprivileged homes and, therefore, may be at a higher risk for substance use. Youth prevention programs empower young people to meet life’s challenges and transition into adulthood by partnering with their families and communities to promote healthy environments and behaviors. These programs are evidence based and endorsed by
the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. The programs are delivered before the onset of a substance use disorder and are intended to prevent or reduce the risk of developing a health problem.
It is also important to teach the same skills to adults, many of whom have children, in order to see them live a healthy, productive life, which will also impact their families. In our Recovery Support program, our goal is to work with those needing to enter recovery or are transitioning from formal treatment to help them find employment, housing, and stay on their path to recovery. Our certified recovery coaches work one-on-one to set up the best plan for each individual we serve.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
Our youth prevention programs are taught in grades 1-12, with evidence-based programs to accommodate different grade levels. Programs are geared by grade level and by recommendations from teachers and counselors. The programs consist of:
YOUTH PREVENTION UNIVERSAL (YPU) – Targets children and teens teaching “Too Good for Drugs.” Topics include goal setting, identifying and managing emotions, effective communication, relationships, effects of using substances, risks of tobacco/vaping, and peer pressure refusal skills.
YOUTH PREVENTION SELECTIVE (YPS) – Targets children and teens at a higher risk because of their family situation. The same principles as YPU are taught, but added emphasis on handling anger, making healthy choices, resisting negative peer pressure, and setting goals.
YOUTH PREVENTION INDICATED (YPI) – Designed for individuals who exhibit substance risk-related behaviors. These are students who have been found with substances and/or attended school under the influence. This curriculum goes into more details about the effects of long-term use and the consequences with the goal for youth to make the decision to be substance-free.
SACADA's Recovery Support Services program assists individuals with a substance use disorder by facilitating a client’s transition from formal treatment into a life of sustained recovery. Our services include: Assist with sober living/transitional housing/essentials, Medication Assisted Recovery treatment, help with health care; employment preparation/job search, probation requirements and help with CPS cases, enrollment in court mandated education courses.
Recovery Coaches are certified and all in long-term recovery. They are trained to be actively involved in the life of a recovering substance user to prevent relapse and build a life that is meaningful and healthy. They are available by phone/text/email/virtually and hold their clients accountable, assist in getting them the resources they need. Coaches share their own recovery story to help connect to others. Virtual meetings are held twice daily to share their journey with one another and give each other support. Parenting and Anger Management classes have been added. Eight annual virtual activities are hosted like painting, movie night, and games, with high virtual attendance. Interaction continues for months and even years after formal treatment concludes.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
SACADA feels it is our moral obligation to reach out to the community and offer substance prevention programs in order for our citizens to make healthier and more productive lifestyle choices. We are always looking for ways to get funding to reach many more in our community.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
SACADA is proud of the work we do each day in substance use prevention. However, currently, we have 13 schools on a waiting list requesting our youth prevention programs. This would consist of 93 groups of students with 20-30 youth in each group. The Surgeon General's Report on Alcohol, Drugs, and Health, December 2016, states that 1 in 7 people will develop a substance use disorder at some point in their lives and only 1 in 10 people receive any type of substance use treatment. It is imperative to continue to teach evidenced-based prevention programs to our schools, communities, businesses, and other settings.
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit our area, we transitioned to virtual education and presentation for youth. We have now moved back to in-person classroom settings. All youth prevention and presentations are offered to our community at no charge.
We also moved to telehealth and virtual Peer Support Group meeting via Zoom. We have continued with these programs virtually as we are able to reach many more clients who do not have transportation or funding to cover the cost of a ride. We have also seen that we are able to reach many more adults, not only in our community, but from other States.
How we listen
Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.
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How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?
To identify and remedy poor client service experiences, To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To make fundamental changes to our programs and/or operations, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To identify where we are less inclusive or equitable across demographic groups, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve, To understand people's needs and how we can help them achieve their goals
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Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?
We collect feedback from the people we serve at least annually, We take steps to get feedback from marginalized or under-represented people, We aim to collect feedback from as many people we serve as possible, We take steps to ensure people feel comfortable being honest with us, We look for patterns in feedback based on demographics (e.g., race, age, gender, etc.), We look for patterns in feedback based on people’s interactions with us (e.g., site, frequency of service, etc.), We engage the people who provide feedback in looking for ways we can improve in response, We act on the feedback we receive, We tell the people who gave us feedback how we acted on their feedback, We ask the people who gave us feedback how well they think we responded
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What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?
We don't have any major challenges to collecting feedback
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
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Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
San Antonio Council on Alcohol and Drug Awareness
Board of directorsas of 12/19/2023
Dr. Sonia Jasso, Ph.D.
St. Mary's University
Term: 2020 - 2026
Mr. Dick Coons
WellMed Medical Management
Term: 2015 - 2026
Abel Gonzales, Ph.D.
The University of Texas at San Antonio
Joe Rodriguez, CPA
BDO USA, LLP
Jeanie Murphy, D.B.A.
J. Murphy & Associates, LLC
Jordin Galbraith, CPA
Shriver, Carmona & Company, PLLC
Joseph Harrison, Jr., Ph.D.
University of Phoenix
Ryan D. Holt
Infinite Recovery
Ramon G. Reyes, M.D.
Village Medical
Justin Simone
Silicon Valley Bank
Jaime Torres
USAA
Sara E. Dysart, J.D.
Attorney at Law
Edgar Anderson
Wells Fargo
Randall S. Garcia
Christian Leadership Network, Inc.
Steve C. Henry, Ph.D.
Retired
John P. Locke
Valero Energy Corporation
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? Yes
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
The organization's co-leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
Gender identity
Transgender Identity
Sexual orientation
Disability
No data
Equity strategies
Last updated: 04/21/2021GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more
- We review compensation data across the organization (and by staff levels) to identify disparities by race.
- We ask team members to identify racial disparities in their programs and / or portfolios.
- We analyze disaggregated data and root causes of race disparities that impact the organization's programs, portfolios, and the populations served.
- We disaggregate data to adjust programming goals to keep pace with changing needs of the communities we support.
- We employ non-traditional ways of gathering feedback on programs and trainings, which may include interviews, roundtables, and external reviews with/by community stakeholders.
- We disaggregate data by demographics, including race, in every policy and program measured.
- We have long-term strategic plans and measurable goals for creating a culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.
- We use a vetting process to identify vendors and partners that share our commitment to race equity.
- We have a promotion process that anticipates and mitigates implicit and explicit biases about people of color serving in leadership positions.
- We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization.
- We have community representation at the board level, either on the board itself or through a community advisory board.
- We help senior leadership understand how to be inclusive leaders with learning approaches that emphasize reflection, iteration, and adaptability.
- We measure and then disaggregate job satisfaction and retention data by race, function, level, and/or team.
- We engage everyone, from the board to staff levels of the organization, in race equity work and ensure that individuals understand their roles in creating culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.