DLN Consulting Coordinates 3rd Annual Alcohol Forum

On February 22^nd-23^rd, 2006, DLN Consulting, working closely with Sandy Wilson, North Dakota Department of Transportation, Office of Traffic Safety, Alcohol Program Manager, coordinated the North Dakota Office of Traffic Safety 3^rd Annual Alcohol Forum. The theme "Building Bridges for a Better Future" brought campuses, communities, and law enforcement together. The idea of this forum was to gather all groups working in the fight against alcohol problems faced by all. Social Work CEU's and POST Credits were available to those who qualified.

Seven Educational presentations were scheduled during the two-day conference:

The Heat is On: Major Jim Wolfinbarger, Colorado Highway Patrol
Merging Community Coalitions: Mayer's Council for a Safe Community-Minot, North Dakota Coalition members
Project ACE: Becky Byzewski, Coordinator of the Southwest Coalition of Safe Communities, and a Panel of coalition members
Parents Lead Program: LoAnn's Marketing and Anne Buchannon
North Dakota Campus Alcohol Problems-CORE College Survey: Karin Walton, North Dakota Higher Education Consortium for Substance Abuse Prevention
NHTSA State and Regional Updates: Bill R. Watada, NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) Regional Manager
Alcohol Enforcement Training and Compliance Checks, The Surprising Benefits of Youth Access Enforcement: Sergeant Bruce R. Talbot (retired)

*10 Hot Topics discussions were also available to participants. Hot Topics are group discussions facilitated by an expert in the area being discussed. The group interacts with each other exchanging ideas, best practices, and procedures and programs that work.

Displays were set up to educate participants about acute alcohol intoxication, items confiscated from college parties, the alcohol metabolic clock, what alcohol the high school and college goers are drinking, and current drinking games (cards, dice, board games, and some inventive, original TV and music drinking games). Participants could also obtain free catalogs, pamphlets, and program materials from the publications and resources table.

One hundred and nine people from the fields of Law Enforcement, High Schools, Higher Education, Prevention, Social Work and Human Services, Health, MADD, Community Coalitions, and Substance Abuse and Prevention attended from CO, IA, MN, and ND, including NDDOT and NHTSA Rocky Mountain Region staff. North Dakota attendees were from Ashley, Bismarck, Burlington, Devils Lake, Dickinson, Fargo, Grand Forks, Hazen, Jamestown, Kulm, Mandan, Mayville, Minot, New Town, Rolla, Towner, Valley City, Wahpeton, West Fargo, Williston, and Wilton.

The participants truly did represent the communities, law enforcement, and educators coming together to better our communities.

Posted: 4-27-06