Alicia Reddin is attending the National Leadership Forum in Washington, D.C.
BY BRIDGET TURCOTTE
SAUGUS — Saugus Veteran Service Officer Alicia Reddin is one of more than 2,500 substance abuse specialists and advocates from across the country attending the Community Anti-Drug Coalition of America’s 26th annual National Leadership Forum in Washington, D.C.
Reddin also works as a veteran service officer in Wakefield.
The forum is the nation’s largest training conference for community prevention leaders, treatment professionals and researchers.
The conference, which began Monday, is taking place at the Gaylord National Hotel and Convention Center until Thursday.
At the event, Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy Michael Botticelli and Congressman Hal Rogers (R-Ky.) will both receive a Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America’s National Leadership Award and will each give a talk to the coalition.
Attendees will also have the opportunity to meet with United States representatives and senators during the forum’s Capitol Hill Day event, which will take place today.
The forum covers a wide range of topics, including prescription drug abuse prevention, reducing the risk of suicide among veterans and the development of policies to reduce underage and excessive drinking.
Reddin is representing Saugus, Wakefield and Melrose at the leadership forum and will spend several days near the nation’s capital with similar organizations from across the country.
“I am so excited to be able to spend time learning and honoring our prevention skills, so that we can help make our community a better place,” Reddin said. “One in which the suffering from the harms of drug and alcohol abuse is reduced.
“I plan to come back reenergized with new strategies to tackle the substance abuse epidemic in the veteran population,” Reddin said.
Reddin said she is looking forward to discussing the ways in which she can reach out to and support the many senior citizens in the community who may be struggling with medication abuse and addiction.
“This is often a population that goes unnoticed because their addictions are fed with opiate medications and have not led to heroin,” she said.
“The town is extremely supportive of our veteran services officer and her continued efforts in working with local veterans in need,” said Town Manager Scott Crabtree, who applauded Reddin for her participation in the conference.
Reddin, who served eight years in the Navy as a combat engineer, has worked in the Veterans Office in Saugus for one year and serves approximately 45 to 60 people each month.
“On average throughout the year we work with about 1,400 individual inquiries,” she said.
“Substance abuse is a topic that touches everyone in one way or another,” Reddin said. “Professionally, we’re seeing an uptick in veteran suicides and substance abuse.”
“I’m hoping to come back with new techniques of how to identify the problem before (it) gets to a critical level,” she said.
Bridget Turcotte can be reached at [email protected].