Community Coalitions

Local Partnerships. Community-Led Prevention.

PREVENTION STARTS LOCALLY

Stronger Communities Start When People Work Together.

Community coalitions bring people and organizations together to address the unique needs of their communities. CCA connects and supports coalition members across Florida through collaboration, training, resources, and a shared commitment to healthier communities.

What Is a Community Coalition?

A community working together for change.

A community coalition is a group of local people and organizations working together toward shared goals that improve the health, safety, and well-being of their community.

Coalitions often bring together partners from across the community, including parents, educators, healthcare professionals, law enforcement, businesses, local organizations, prevention professionals, faith communities, and other community leaders.

Because every community is different, coalitions use local data and community input to understand their unique needs and determine which prevention strategies can have the greatest impact.

Local Voices. Lasting Impact.

What Do Community Coalitions Do?

While the work of each coalition is shaped by its community, prevention coalitions may:

Use Local Data

Identify trends, needs, risk factors, and protective factors.

Build Partnerships

Bring together people and organizations with different perspectives and resources.

Implement Prevention Strategies

Put evidence-informed strategies into action based on local needs.

Educate & Engage

Provide information, resources, and opportunities for community involvement.

Strengthen Protective Factors

Support conditions that help individuals, families, and communities thrive.

Create Community-Level Change

Address environments, systems, policies, and practices that influence health.

Prevention Is Local

There is no one-size-fits-all approach to prevention.

The challenges, strengths, resources, and needs of one Florida community may look very different from another. Community coalitions provide a way for local partners to understand what is happening in their own communities and work together to develop solutions that make sense locally.

And while the work happens locally, coalitions don’t have to do it alone.

That’s where CCA comes in.

Meet Our Members!

CCA is proud to bring together community coalitions working to make a difference in communities across Florida.

Our member coalitions lead prevention efforts at the local level while contributing to a larger network where communities can share ideas, resources, experiences, and successful strategies.

Explore our member coalitions below to learn more about the communities they serve and how to connect.

Clay Action Coalition

Clay
Clay Action Coalition brings together community partners to prevent and reduce substance use through education, collaboration, and community-driven prevention efforts that strengthen Clay County.

Point of Contact:

Stephanie Geoghagan, Project Coordinator
(904) 272-6413

Be Free Lake, Inc.

Lake
Be Free Lake collaborates with community partners to prevent youth substance abuse and violence while promoting health, wellness, and opportunities that help children and families thrive.

Point of Contact:

Delrita Meisner, Executive Director
(352) 408-2009

Prevention Coalition of St. Johns County

St. Johns
Prevention Coalition of St. Johns County empowers individuals to make healthy, informed choices that promote mental wellness and prevent substance misuse through education, collaboration, and community engagement.

Point of Contact:

Michelle Damon, Executive Director
(609) 506-9489

Dixie County Anti-Drug Coalition

Dixie
The Dixie County Anti-Drug Coalition provides education, resources, and community support to prevent substance misuse and promote a safer, healthier environment for youth and adults throughout Dixie County.

Point of Contact:

Katrina VanAernam, Coalition Director
(352)-578-8006

Nassau County Coalition for Community Health

Nassau
The Nassau County Coalition for Community Health strengthens community well-being through education, collaboration, and access to resources that support healthier, safer, substance-free communities.

Point of Contact:

Caitlin Miller, Community Director
(920) 973-6088

Thrive

Indian River
Thrive Coalition works with community partners to reduce youth substance use and build a healthier, substance-free community through education, support, and prevention efforts.

Point of Contact:

Michele Buldo, Director
(772) 770-4811

Drug Free St. Lucie

St. Lucie
Drug Free St. Lucie works to foster a substance-free, healthy community by empowering youth through advocacy, prevention, and community collaboration.

Point of Contact:

Teresa Bishop, CEO
(772) 281-9493

Martin County Community Action Coalition

Martin
MCCAC brings together community partners to advance substance use prevention, support mental health, and create a healthier Martin County.

Point of Contact:

Joanna Greene, Executive Director
(561) 844-4220

Marion County Children’s Alliance, Inc.

Marion
Marion County Children’s Alliance improves the lives of children and youth by coordinating services, advocating for their needs, and connecting families to resources.

Point of Contact:

Hilary Jackson, Prevention Director
352-438-5990

Hernando Community Coalition

Hernando
Since 2003, the Hernando Community Coalition has united community partners to prevent substance misuse and create positive, lasting change in Hernando County.

Point of Contact:

Tresa Watson, Executive Director
(352) 596-8000

Flagler Cares

Flagler
Flagler Cares and One Voice for Volusia help youth make healthy choices through prevention programs while strengthening community supports through coalition partnerships. We connect individuals and families to behavioral health and safety-net resources that build resilience and stability.

Point of Contact:

Carrie Baird, Chief Executive Officer
(386) 319-9483

Putnam County Health & Wellness Coalition

Putnam
The Putnam County Health & Wellness Coalition brings community partners together to prevent youth substance use, strengthen protective factors, and address local risk factors through collaborative, evidence-informed prevention strategies.

Point of Contact:

Nancy Castillo
(904) 368-5661

Sumter Community Action Partnership (CAP)

Sumter
Sumter CAP works with community partners to educate families, prevent substance use, and create a safe, healthy, substance-free environment for youth and families.

Point of Contact:

Rozanne Grady, Coordinator
(352) 603-4517

Anti-Drug Coalition of Citrus County

Citrus
The Anti-Drug Coalition empowers Citrus County youth to make healthy, substance-free choices through prevention, education, and community engagement.

Point of Contact:

Renea Teaster
(352) 601-6620

Hamilton County Alcohol and Other Drug Prevention Coalition, Inc.

Hamilton
Since 2003, the Hamilton County Alcohol and Other Drug Prevention Coalition has worked to promote community health and safety through prevention education, partnerships, and evidence-informed strategies that encourage healthy lifestyles.

Point of Contact:

Ruthetta Mitchell, Office Manager
(386) 792-9388

One Voice for Volusia

Volusia
Flagler Cares and One Voice for Volusia help youth make healthy choices through prevention programs while strengthening community supports through coalition partnerships. We connect individuals and families to behavioral health and safety-net resources that build resilience and stability.

Point of Contact:

Kristy Amburgey, Executive Director
(386) 947-8301

Local Work. Shared Impact.

Every CCA member coalition brings something different to the network.

One community may be addressing youth substance use. Another may be focused on medication safety, mental health, overdose prevention, community education, or strengthening protective factors.

Together, those local efforts contribute to a stronger prevention network across Florida.

Through CCA, member coalitions have opportunities to connect with one another, exchange resources and ideas, learn from shared experiences, and strengthen their capacity to create meaningful change in their communities.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a community coalition?

A community coalition is a group of individuals and organizations working together to address issues affecting the health, safety, and well-being of their community. Coalitions bring together local partners, share resources, identify community needs, and develop strategies to create lasting, positive change.

A substance use prevention coalition is a community-based partnership focused on preventing alcohol, tobacco, nicotine, and other substance misuse before it begins. These coalitions use local data, evidence-based strategies, education, and community collaboration to reduce risk factors and strengthen protective factors that support healthier individuals, families, and communities.

Community coalitions bring together people from many different sectors, including parents and caregivers, schools, healthcare providers, law enforcement, businesses, faith-based organizations, youth-serving organizations, local government, and community members. Each partner contributes a unique perspective, helping the coalition develop prevention strategies that reflect the needs of the community it serves.

Why are community coalitions important?

Community coalitions help address complex challenges that no single organization can solve alone. By bringing local partners together, coalitions can identify emerging concerns, coordinate resources, strengthen community connections, and implement prevention strategies informed by local needs. Their collaborative approach helps create healthier environments and supports long-term community well-being.

Community Coalition Alliance (CCA) connects prevention partners and member coalitions across Florida. Explore the Member Coalitions directory on this page to find participating coalitions, learn about the communities they serve, and access available contact information. You can reach out directly to a coalition to learn about local prevention efforts and opportunities to get involved.

Community Coalition Alliance welcomes opportunities to connect with coalitions and organizations working to strengthen prevention and community wellness across Florida. If your coalition is interested in becoming a CCA member, contact the CCA team to learn more about membership, available resources, and opportunities for collaboration. Visit our membership page for additional information.

Stronger Communities Through Collaboration

Local coalitions know their communities. CCA helps connect that local knowledge to a broader network of prevention partners, resources, training, and shared experience.