During the past year, NHADACA has continued to evolve. We began the year with another strategic planning session and became committed to working towards legislation that would help with the prevention efforts of an all out methamphetamine epidemic here in NH. Members of the Board of Directors were directly part of the Governors Commission treatment task force and helped to draft the methamphetamine strategy plan. If you have not had the opportunity to read this please take a copy with you. They are available at the registration desk or from the Office of Alcohol and Drug Policy.

NHADACA has also during the past year played a major role in insuring that the State Substance Abuse Conference was held. At a time when a State budget shortfall was discovered and the funds that were to be awarded for the conference through the NH Training Institute on Addictive Disorders (NHTIAD) (NHADACA's professional development project) were in jeopardy, members of the Board worked with the Director of Public Health to find a solution. This effort allowed NHTIAD and the Office of Alcohol and Drug Policy along with other stakeholders to hold the successful conference in October. This meeting also played a direct role in gaining a seat at the planning table for the "Plan for the State". This plan that is in its first draft stage is expected to be the blueprint for substance abuse prevention, intervention, treatment, and recovery services for the State of NH. NHADACA is also represented at committees looking at workforce development issues as well as generating HIV/AIDS policy recommendations. Membership of the Association has also grown. We now have over 150 members and welcoming more each week. This is an increase of about 9% over the last year and includes a number of Prevention Professionals. I want to congratulate the first 18 Credentialed Prevention Specialists (CPS).

During the past year I have had the opportunity to attend NAADAC events in both Washington DC and Burbank California where NAADAC's annual Board of Director's meeting was held. In Washington, Pat Dutton, Jacqui Abikoff, and myself were able to meet with staff members from Sen. Gregg's, Sen. Sununu's, Cong, Bass, and Cong. Bradley's office. We were able to stress the importance of workforce development, parity, and the need to defeat SB 1955, which was a health insurance bill that would have affected substance abuse coverage. NAADAC officials wrote that the "provision of this bill that would have allowed small business owners to circumvent state parity requirements for mental health and addiction treatment will not become law.

Those who did favor this bill are bound to try and pass another version, possibly in the next few months, possibly next year. When they do, NAADAC and the rest of the addiction treatment community will be ready to take on the issue again. Of course, the fight for parity on the national level continues to be one of our top priorities."

These meetings as well as a campaign by NAADAC that many of you may have played a role in helped to defeat this bill. This shows the strength in the voice of NAADAC on a national level. In Burbank the Board of Directors made major revisions to NAADAC's bylaws. As a result of these changes NHADACA's bylaws that I had hoped to present today for our own revision has been delayed. Catey Iacuzzi, the By-laws committee chair and myself will send our new recommendations to the new Board President by the end of this year for discussion at the January 2007 strategic planning meeting.

When reflecting about the past two years that I have had the honor to serve as your President, I have had the opportunity to have been a part of a transformation. I inherited the Training Institute that Jacqui Abikoff and Dianne Pepin had begun when Jacqui was President and watched as these two remarkable people raised it to a higher level. Although Jacqui is leaving the Board of Directors following this meeting because her term has expired, she has been chosen by the Board to continue with the oversight of the Training Institute. Dianne Pepin has continued to recruit some of the finest trainers available and her work has not gone unnoticed. The NH Licensing Board of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Professionals voted to automatically accept all NHTIAD trainings for CEU's. I believe that NHADACA is a better organization because of the work of these two people.

I also want to thank Margaret Smith. Margaret is a former Board member who volunteered throughout the past year to handle the difficult task of keeping up with our web page. WWW.NHADACA.COM The page is continuing to grow and the Board has enlisted the aid of an agency to host and maintain the page. During the next few months we expect to have even more information posted on the page so please check it out. An example of this is the NHADACA annual Awards. The new criteria for the awards accepted by the Board of Directors will be posted on the web page in January and we ask that throughout the year, if you wish to nominate someone for an award please do so following the instructions.

New initiatives that I have the pleasure to announce this morning.

1.	Over the past couple of years NHADACA has witnessed events in the lives of some of it's members and felt the need to help. The Board has voted to begin a fund to help with members who may have suffered a hardship. Up to $2,500.00 per year will be set aside for this fund and it will be overseen by the Executive Committee. If you know of a member that is in need please contact any Board member.
2.	Workforce development is a major issue for our profession. This issue is not only for recruiting new people for the profession but also for retaining those that are already committed. As a result I want to announce that NHADACA has committed for the next five years to a full tuition scholarship to the New England Institute Best Practices School of Addiction (NEIAS Advanced School) held each August in Waterville Valley. The Executive Committee are still working on the final details however to be eligible, the candidate must have been a NH LADC for 5 years, and have be a continuous member of NHADACA for at least the past 5 years. Further information will be posted on the web page as well as announce with other NEIAS scholarship opportunities.
3.	A mentorship program that will assist new members in our profession through the licensing process. The mentors we envision will be available throughout the State and enlisted by NHADACA's regional directors. They will not be "Clinical Supervisors" they will be similar to "Sponsors" that can act as guides.
4.	The growth of NHADACA has shown the need to hire additional part-time consultants. Becky Moss who has worked tirelessly for the past two years as an assistant to the Boards Secretary will be the Administrative Assistant to the Board for 10 hours a month. We are also in the process of hiring a financial consultant to assist the Board's Treasurer.

I want to thank the Board of Directors for their support over the past two years. Someone mentioned to me once that she questioned NHADACA's commitment to the profession. She questioned why she should even join. She asked "what's in it for me?" I thought about this and the role the Board plays. I began to think back to President Kennedy and his challenge for people to get involved. The NHADACA Board of Directors I am proud to say has gotten INVOLVED. Each member in their own way has committed to "being part of the solution"! Their commitment goes beyond this board however comes back to this Board. Their commitment:

NHADACA's Board of Directors, NH Licensing Board of Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Professionals, NH Licensing Board's Peer Review Committee, NH Alcohol and Other Drug Service Providers Board of Directors, Governor's Commission Treatment Task Force, NH Teen Institute Advisory Board, NH Teen Institute Summer Program Co-Director, Treasurer of the Board of Friends of Recovery-NH, Manchester Board of Alderman and Mayor's Drug Task Force and on the Advisory Board for the Child and Family Services Intensive Outpatient Program in Manchester, NH Community Planning Group For the Prevention and Care of HIV/AIDS, The Network of Legal and Mental Health Professionals Manchester District Court, MCHTP Health Center Advisory Board, NH Association of Forensic Counselors, Investigator for Licensing Board, State of NH

Governor's Commission Workforce Development Committee, Dartmouth ICARE Advisory Board, Nashua Task Force on Alcohol and Other Drugs, Northern Hillsborough County Coalition, Little League Baseball, Soccer, Boys and Girls Scouts, Boys and Girls Clubs, just to name a few. Your Board of Directors are to be thanked for their dedication to the Addiction Profession and the community.

I want to announce the election results. Your new Board President is Pat Ristaino Dutton. The new President -Elect is Denise Devlin. Secretary is Mary Dube, Central Rep. Is Alex Hamel, Seacoast Rep is Susan Latham, Student Rep is Catey Iacuzzi, and 2 new At Large Reps are Barry Timmerman and Lindsay Freese. The remainder of the Board are listed in your packets.

In closing, I have some individual people that I have to thank. First, I need to thank my mother Ruth who I lost this passed August. She instilled in me at a very young age the ideal of volunteerism. She stood by me at the darkest point of my life and through her strength, compassion and love I was able climb to new heights. My wife Sue, who has supported me through this journey as President of NHADACA. Next, I need to thank Mary Dube. Her wisdom, guidance, and genuineness that she's given me is so greatly appreciated. Jacqui Abikoff has provided me over the past four years with her knowledge and wisdom about this profession and this organization and I will forever be grateful to her. Lastly, I need to thank Pat Dutton. I got to know Pat as a learning partner when we were in the first cohort of the NEIAS-ATTC Leadership Institute. Pat has encouraged, pushed, supported and been there as a mentor, friend, and colleague. I have the strongest belief that she will take NHADACA to even higher levels. I challenge all of you to meet her and experience some of what I have been fortunate enough to have witness. Finally, I wish you all the safest of Holidays and again humbly whish to thank all of you for the faith that you had put in me. I hope I did not let you down.

Respectfully submitted,

Peter DalPra LADC,LCS