Collective Impact continues to work with Washington Drug and Alcohol Commission (WDAC) and Greene County Drug and Alcohol Program on their problem gambling initiatives. With the increased availability of legalized gambling in Pennsylvania comes increased concern regarding the individual and social costs of problem gambling. The Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs (DDAP) is addressing this concern by increasing problem gambling prevention, education and outreach efforts throughout the state. Problem gambling prevention activities are intended to increase awareness of problem gambling within the general public; inform teachers, policy makers, and other professionals about the impact of problem gambling on the family unit, schools and communities; and educate at-risk populations such as college students, youth, and older adults about risk and protective factors in an effort to prevent problem gambling.
Collective Impact facilitated an organizational assessment, adorable housing market study, and strategic planning process that resulted in the development of a five-year strategic plan for Southern Appalachian Labor School (SALS). The project better positioned the organization to realize financial sustainability while maintaining fidelity to its mission. The mission of SALS is to provide education, research, and linkages for working class and disenfranchised peoples in order to promote understanding, empowerment, and change. The Southern Appalachian Labor School is committed to developing a real comprehension of the social, economic, and legal structures which affect the lives of the Appalachian People.
"As a large center, we collectively set out to begin our strategic planning process knowing there would be many levels of detail to consider and the need for objective, thoughtful, and creative ideas and assessment processes. Immediately, Bruce Decker listened to our needs and considered what our center was “all about”. He took the time to invest in this effort so that he could respond to participants’ needs along the way. He provided detailed materials that efficiently and effectively helped us focus on what we needed to accomplish at the upcoming sessions. During the sessions, he creatively kept our attention while making all pieces of the session pertinent to our goal. In the end, people loved Bruce and what he was able to accomplish. Repeatedly, I heard that our sessions were not “typical strategic planning” sessions. Positive reviews have come in from our center team AND our partners. Finally, the summaries Bruce provided to us after each session are crucial documents to us as we build new materials and the plan for the next 5 years!!!! We are very grateful to Bruce and Collective Impact!" ~ Lesley Cottrell, Director, West Virginia University Center for Excellence in Disabilities (WVU CED), Morgantown, WV
