Leaders within the DeWitt County Substance Abuse Coalition recently made a presentation at a special conference in Springfield and received some encouragement.

Vice President of the Coalition, Paul Skowron explains the coalition realigned a few years ago and since that time, they have felt as though they are not progressing as quickly as they had hoped. After hearing from groups well established in their communities, they left encouraged about where they are.

Skowron's message to his peers simply highlighted the way they are using community partnerships to reach people. He explains they are focused on prevention and education while maintaining their relationship with treatment centers.

For Skowron, the biggest takeaway from his time in Springfield was to have the right people in the room. He feels they have done a good job of this by collaborating with DeWitt County's neighbor to the east, Piatt County.

The leadership of the coalition is looking for more community members to join their coalition. They believe those in the community are more aware of what is happening to their family, friends, and neighbors.

You can learn more about the DeWitt County Substance Abuse Coalition by finding them on Facebook or attend their meetings on the third Tuesday of each month at 10 am at The Vault in Clinton.