Superintendent of Schools Lynn Mackey announced April Rovero, founder and executive director of the National Coalition Against Prescription Drug Abuse, as the Contra Costa County Education Champion for the month of November 2022.
Rovero was awarded the honor at the November meeting of the Contra Costa County Board of Education.
Rovero and the National Coalition Against Prescription Drug Abuse have been valuable community partners for schools and communities throughout Contra Costa County.
While also doing work across the country, NCAPDA is an active member of the countywide Tobacco Use Prevention Education (TUPE) Collaborative and regularly seeks out opportunities to promote professional development and events. This has helped TUPE leverage its work to support school-based substance use prevention, staff professional development, and parent/family education throughout Contra Costa County.
Rovero is an active adult ally for the CourAGE Youth Health Coalition and is a trusted resource for information and resources related to prescription drug safety.
Many of the school districts in the county invite Rovero to speak to students, staff, and families, where she shares her powerful personal story, as well as practical strategies to address prescription drug misuse and abuse.
Most recently the Contra Costa County Office of Education has partnered with the National Coalition Against Prescription Drug Abuse and the Contra Costa MEDS Coalition on the development of a guide for parents and other caring adults on the topics of substance use, mental health, and teens.