An organization in Clinton is being recognized with a state award for its efforts to reduce substance abuse in the eastern Iowa city. The Governor’s Office of Drug Control Policy (ODCP) today presented an IDEA award to the Gateway ImpACT Coalition of Clinton.
Coalition interim director Kristin Huisenga says her organization is fortunate to receive broad based community support. “We have a very strong coalition with a lot of dedicated partners who come to the table and are really working to make a difference here in Clinton,” Huisenga says.
The IDEA award — which stands for Innovation, Determination and Excellence in Action — is presented annually to one organization and one individual for their public service efforts.
Huisenga says the Gateway ImpACT Coalition relies on a community based approach to tackle problems that are common to many cities. “Clinton, like a lot of the United States, is always dealing with underage drinking. We’re also seeing an increase in prescription drug abuse…and we’re finding that youth perceive marijuana as not as harmful as they used to,” Huisenga says.
The Gateway ImpACT Coalition, formerly known as the Clinton Substance Abuse Council, was formed in 1989. In a press release, Iowa ODCP Director Steve Lukan praised the Gateway ImpACT Coalition for being “a model for how members of a community can successfully tackle important issues of mutual concern.” Another Governor’s Office of Drug Control Policy IDEA award will be presented to an individual honoree later this year.