It is often cliché to say that a group is being proactive by addressing a certain community issue and trying to solve a particular problem. However, with MEADA it is anything but cliché to best describe our approach in creating a safer community, one without Methamphetamine and other drug abuse. To effectively implement drug prevention initiatives it often takes a thought process which ‘thinks outside the box’, this is seen throughout many of MEADA initiatives.

Our updated website will expand on these areas below to help others understand the work MEADA has done in the past, what we are doing now and our plans for the future.

1. Methamphetamine education has been provided on a community wide level, throughout every city in Wright County. From this, local task forces have formed and are the backbone of the MEADA Coalition.
2. Offering educational materials for free at numerous statewide speaking opportunities. All materials can be accessed through our new site, simply e-mail, haggertys@maplelake.k12.mn.us, for more information.
3. Implementing Creative initiatives to get people involved in our mission. Some examples include the Pay it Forward (PIF) Academy which serves as a mentorship and guidance program for high risk middle school females. Movies in the Park also have become a very popular event which brings families together in safe environment.
4. Creation of radio psa’s on the drug Methamphetamine, series of 3 posters all related to meth all with unique messaging. (Youth, Community, Law Enforcement). Showing MEADA ‘commercials’ in our movie theatres, and working with WCCO on a psa campaign in the summer of 2006.
5. Members have been very influential at the state level in the passage of laws restricting the sale of pseudoephedrine along with pushing for making drug paraphernalia illegal.
6. With an outlook to providing hope to people dealing with substance abuse, we first looked at how to best equip our medical providers with the latest information on Meth and other drugs. The result was the highly successful, first ever, MEADA sponsored, Medical Minds & Meth Conference on Oct. 18, 2006.
7. Becoming a 501c3 organization, electing board members to allow for official MEADA business to occur. It only adds to our credibility and felt is was an important step in the sustainability of the MEADA Coalition of Wright County.