About Us

Vision

Our community will be healthy, safe and free from substance abuse.

Why We Exist

Because prevention is a community wide responsibility, we believe local organizations, businesses, agencies, concerned citizens, policy makers, educators, students, and parents have an important role to play in this effort. As a community coalition, we are committed to providing leadership, education, resources, and programming for our young people and those who support them.

Our Goals

  • Connect through common goals
  • Offer opportunities through involvement
  • Work together through collaboration
  • Reduce substance abuse in teens through deliberate preventative strategies

What We Do

  • Parent education programs
  • Kids in Charge: elementary school substance abuse program
  • Educational programs at middle schools and high schools
  • Survey students and parents to better understand the use of alcohol and other drugs by our youth
  • Plan and coordinate prevention activities
  • Community involvement and organizing
  • Build partnerships with other key community stakeholders and organizations
  • Collaborate with Alliance of Coalitions for Healthy Communities (ACHC) and its 19 Oakland County coalitions

What You Can Do

  • Talk to your children about the dangers of alcohol and other drugs
  • Attend our meetings and our forums
  • Volunteer at youth and teen functions
  • Support local law enforcement efforts
  • Report underage drinking or sales to minors

Executive Board

Executive Director: Lisa Berkey
President: Miriam MacLean Babbitt, Parent, KIC volunteer
Vice President: Lisa Kaplan, LMSW, CAADC, ACSW, Program Coordinator for Maplegrove Community Education
Treasurer: Alan Levenson, Woronoff, Hyman, Levenson, Sweet & Alderman P.C. CPA’s V.P.
Members at Large:

  • David Flaisher
  • Judy Lipson
  • James Pettinato, West Bloomfield Police Department
  • Jamie Glinz, Assistant Principal, West Bloomfield High School
  • Rebecca Empson, Director of Finance, Henry Ford Health System – West Bloomfield
  • Kris D’Arcy, West Bloomfield Township
  • Rebecca Heitsch, Social Emotional and Restorative Practice Consultant, West Bloomfield School District
  • Mike Bruno, West Bloomfield Public Library, K-5 Youth Outreach Coordinator

Past Presidents:

  • Staci Goldman
  • Kristen von Bernthal, Parent, KIC volunteer
  • Marc Jeffries
  • Deborah Macon

About the Webmaster

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Since the summer of 2019, the Coalition’s committed and diligent webmaster, Udit Sarkar, works around the clock to keep the website up to date and the community informed, receiving the Jack Freed Volunteer Service Award in 2021 for his efforts. As a senior at West Bloomfield High School, Udit leads a state-championed debate team, competes in international medical innovation events, and interns as a Usability Engineer at KitelyTech.