Sacada.org :: San Antonio, Texas Council on Alcohol and Drug Abuse. State-of-the-art prevention programs, Education, Training, Employee Assistance, a Prevention Resource Center, Community Coalition, Prevention Arts and 24 Hour Access to Help

The Circles of San Antonio Community Coalition (COSA) was formed in 1998. The vision of the Coalition is to promote multiple strategies across the multiple sectors or "Circles" that comprise the Bexar County community in order to prevent and reduce substance use, to strengthen the prevention, intervention and treatment continuum, and to impact community processes in order to effect environmental change. The first phase of the Circles of San Antonio saw the success of bringing diverse circles together to reach the coalition-defined, shared goal of changing community policy.

The Council arose from a community need and was established as a grass-roots effort. The San Antonio Council has coordinated the "Network", "Youth", "Leadership" and "Community" circles of the Coalition for the past 10 years and operates the Prevention Resource Center- Region 8, which is a valuable resource for the work of the Coalition.

The Circles of San Antonio Coalition is designed with a "systems approach" to avoid the duplication of efforts and maximize the effectiveness of existing community resources and programs. The Coalition provides linkages for the Leadership Circle (Public and private sector leaders, military, organizations and media led by District Attorney, Susan Reed), the Youth Circle (college leadership and HYPE - a prevention performing arts group comprised of performers from San Antonio Middle and High Schools), the Network Circle (Alamo Area Association for the Prevention and Treatment of Addiction) and the diverse Community Circles (such as the Alamo Heights Community Coalition and Southside United Against a Violent Environment) to forge new partnerships and motivate the San Antonio community to take action for the prevention of substance use and abuse by youth.

The Circles of San Antonio Community Coalition addresses the universal population and targets all the members and communities of San Antonio and Bexar County.

For more information about the Circles of San Antonio Community Coalition, or becoming a member, please contact Vickie Adams at 210-225-4741.