The ASAP Center's mission is to assist a variety of community organizations and groups in using best practice approaches to prevent and reduce alcohol and other drug problems. Our goal is to work with groups until they develop the capacity to be self-sustaining.

Through our work with the community, the ASAP Center became aware of risk factors for alcohol and other drug problems within the Hispano/Latino community. Beginning in 2000, ASAP Center staff brought together a group of people who are members of or have connections to the Greater Cincinnati Hispano/Latino community to determine if there was local interest in addressing substance abuse prevention within the Hispano/Latino Community.

To learn more, members of this group attended the National Hispano/Latino Community Prevention Network's El Puente to the Millennium Conferences in 2001 and 2002. Following the 2002 conference, the conference attendees and other interested people from our region formed a work group to discuss next steps. The work group has met regularly since and formed "Abriendo Puertas." The Abriendo Puertas steering committee communicates ideas and needs among committee members. All members collaborate to develop local efforts to address substance abuse prevention needs within the Hispano/Latino community.

The purpose of Abriendo Puertas is to advocate for and empower members of the Hispanic community and to bridge gaps between cultures. The steering committee inspires and supports healthy attitudes and behavior that prevent the harmful consequences of alcohol, tobacco, and illicit drugs.

To accomplish this, the Abriendo Puertas steering committee members hosted 3 regional Symposia:

• Symposium I, held on October 3-4, 2003, targeted administrators; 104 people attended.
• Symposium II, held on May 21, 2004, targeted youth serving professionals and volunteers; 121 people attended.
• Symposium III, held on May 5, 2006, targeted youth serving professionals and volunteers; 81 people attended.

Click here to view the Symposium Power Point Presentations

In addition:

• Members of Abriendo Puertas provided neighborhood parent symposia in Norwood and Price Hill in 2005, and a neighborhood ¡Soy Unica! ¡Soy Latina!— targeted towards young Hispana/Latina women— in Norwood on April 22, 2006.
• Abriendo Puertas members hosted "Best Practices in Prevention" on November 9 and 10, 2006. This workshop was based on an ASAP Center training and was modified for professionals and volunteers working with Hispanic families.

The Abriendo Puertas steering committee now plans to host ¡Somos Unicos! ¡Somos Latinos! on October 13, 2007. This conference will target families (with separate tracks for boys, girls, and parents) and will provide information and improve skills that increase protective factors that support alcohol and other drug abuse prevention approaches within Hispanic/Latino communities.