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OUR TEAM

Heather Lyons-Burney
Co-Chair

Dr. Heather Lyons-Burney , the Healthcare Sector Representative for the coalition, is a Clinical Assistant Professor at the UMKC School of Pharmacy at Missouri State University. She is a registered pharmacist and often presents to the community about prescription drug misuse within Taney County, champions the implementation of Generation Rx Trainings statewide, and received the 2018 Champion of Prevention Award from ACT Missouri.

OUR COALITION

The Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA) organization defines coalitions as a formal arrangement for collaboration among groups or sectors of a community, in which each group retains its identity but all agree to work together toward the common goal of a safe, healthy and drug-free community. Coalitions should have deep connections to the local community and serve as catalysts for reducing local substance abuse rates. As such, community coalitions are not traditional human service organizations that provide direct services; rather they are directed by local residents and sector representatives who have a genuine voice in determining the best strategies to address local problems. The twelve community sectors represented on the coalition are:

  • Youth

  • Parents

  • Businesses

  • Media

  • Schools

  • Youth serving organizations

  • Religious or fraternal organizations

  • Law Enforcement

  • Civic and volunteer groups

  • Health care professionals

  • State,local or tribal agencies

  • Other organizations involved in reducing substance abuse​

OUR HISTORY

In 2007, a major development area, the Landing, was opened in Branson and touted for its family friendly atmosphere. In August of 2007, a licensed kiosk served alcohol to a customer at the Landing who subsequently consumed the beverage outside the licensed area, thereby changing the intended alcohol-free environment of the Landing. This sparked the Branson Board of Aldermen to initiate a community needs assessment to review the city’s alcohol and enforcement codes; something that had not been done since 1996. At the same time, the Missouri Division of Alcohol and Tobacco Control (ATC) conducted an alcohol compliance check operation in Branson, resulting in only a 22% compliance rate.  Local responsible beverage service training for servers and retailers was non-existent, and compliance checks were not being conducted by local law enforcement.

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As a result of community input supportive of forming a coalition and city leaders’understanding of the benefits of the coalition after observing the Underage Drinking Task Force in Springfield, MO, the Branson Underage Drinking Prevention Coalition was formed in May 2008. During the next two years, the coalition developed and implemented a comprehensive strategic plan to address underage drinking issues in Branson, but also conducted a more comprehensive needs assessment related to youth substance use. As a result, the coalition expanded its target area to all of Taney County and its scope to address other youth substance use issues, including underage tobacco use and prescription drug misuse, and changed its name in May 2010 to the Taney County Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention Team (ADAPT). Since its change, the coalition has supported the passage of Branson’s smoke-free policy and Taney County’s prescription drug monitoring program, as well as quarterly compliance checks on Branson’s alcohol retailers with passing rates averaging 94%. Due to their positive impact on county-wide youth substance use rates, the coalition was the 2010 recipient of the GOT Outcomes Award from SAMHSA.

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Additionally, ADAPT has been the two-time recipient of the federal Drug Free Communities Grant which awards $625,000 over a five-year period to coalitions focusing on reducing youth substance use.

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