Coalition of Colorado Campus Alcohol and Drug Educators

Health, Safety, and Well-being Alcohol and Other Drug Wellness and Health Promotion Mid-Level

For over 20 years, the Coalition of Colorado Campus Alcohol and Drug Educators (CADE) has supported college and university prevention efforts across the state. CADE Project Staff supports Colorado institutions of higher education to implement evidence-based programs focusing on educational dissemination/programming, environmental management/policy change, or professional development.

CADE is managed by NASPA. Please email [email protected] with any inquiries.

About

From 2005 to 2020, NASPA was awarded grant funding through the Colorado Office of Behavioral Health to address collegiate alcohol and other drug abuse prevention. Now, CADE receives funding through the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment to continue to prioritize alcohol and other drug prevention on college campuses. The CADE supports collegiate prevention efforts by helping facilitate data collection surrounding alcohol and other drug use behaviors, creating online professional development opportunities for prevention teams, and providing technical assistance for all campus professionals in the state.

At the heart of CADE’s work is the understanding that every campus is at a different place in its prevention and health promotion efforts, and the coalition takes pride in meeting campuses where they are. Through resources, training, technical assistance, professional development, and networking opportunities for campuses to learn from one another, CADE can help institutions build the capacity to address the unique needs of their students and communities. CADE’s approach is grounded in upstream prevention approaches and recognizes that college students’ health and well-being are influenced by a range of risk and protective factors at the individual, interpersonal, institutional, and community levels. 

The coalition supports campuses in using the Strategic Prevention Framework (SPF) to assess their unique needs, identify priorities, build capacity, implement evidence-informed strategies, and evaluate outcomes. CADE also encourages campuses to utilize tools such as CollegeAIM to identify and select evidence-based substance misuse prevention interventions that align with their campus context, student population, and prevention goals. This approach reinforces the importance of moving beyond one-time awareness activities toward comprehensive, data-informed prevention strategies that address the conditions that influence student health and behavior. 

Mission: CADE is a coalition of Colorado institutions of higher education dedicated to creating healthier communities for college students to live, work, learn, and grow. CADE supports student affairs professionals through health and well-being training, technical assistance, partnership resources, evidence-based substance misuse prevention programming, and professional development for all Colorado colleges and universities.

Vision: To collectively foster thriving campus communities where all Colorado college students are holistically supported to make safer and healthier choices.

Benefits of joining CADE:

  • Be a part of the united and strategic statewide direction for upstream prevention efforts
  • Be a part of the cultures and environments that foster healthier choices in higher education
  • Benefit from grant funding opportunities
  • Access regional networking opportunities
  • Access professional development opportunities
  • Access to high-quality trainings and webinars for staff and student leaders
  • Access to the online coalition resource hub and monthly newsletters
  • Receive consultation with other campuses and professionals
  • Receive technical support
  • Be a part of coalition leadership opportunities

Upcoming Trainings

For upcoming CADE trainings, please visit this website

ACHA-NCHA CADE Statewide Data Report

The Spring 2025 ACHA-NCHA CADE Statewide Data Report can be found here.

 

CADE Cohort Opportunity

Through the Elevating Prevention in Colorado Grant (EPIC), CADE is able to offer a three-year cohort opportunity to support participating Colorado higher education institutions in developing and sustaining comprehensive, evidence-based approaches to prevent and reduce alcohol and cannabis misuse while strengthening overall student well-being. 

Each cohort campus will use campus-specific data, environmental scans, and student needs to select one individual-level and one environmental evidence-based strategy from an approved list of CollegeAIM strategies to implement over the three-year project. 

Individual strategies may include substance use self-screening tools such as the 360 Proof PFI, E-Check Up to Go, AUDIT, and CUDIT-R, as well as motivational interviewing interventions such as BASICS, SBIRT, and ICHAMP. 

Campuses will also select an environmental evidence-based strategy focused on reducing access and availability of substances and strengthening campus accountability systems, which may include revising or reinforcing policies, increasing awareness and education about existing policies, or partnering with local establishments and athletic venues to promote risk reduction and shift substance use norms.

This grant project is designed to host three overlapping cohorts: Cohort One from July 2026 to June 2029; Cohort Two from July 2027 to June 2030; and Cohort Three from July 2028 to June 2031. 

Cohort One campuses include: Colorado College, Colorado School of Mines, Fort Lewis  College, University of Colorado Colorado Springs, University of Colorado Denver 

Check back here for the next cohort application in Spring 2027.

 

 

CADE Resource Hub

The CADE facilitates trainings and technical assistance to support prevention professionals on campus to change attitudes and behaviors surrounding high-risk alcohol use. The CADE Resource Hub also utilizes an online system designed to help college and university prevention teams share resources, implement best practices, and learn from each other. Any member of a Colorado higher education institution can access professional development, resources, and strategies for collaborative problem solving from the CADE Resource Hub through NASPA's Online Learning Community linked here. Enrollment in CADE Collaborate is complimentary for Colorado colleges and universities.

For more information regarding the CADE, please email our project team.

Access the CADE Resource Hub

CADE Institutions

Current CADE Coalition Campuses

**=indicates active campuses; however, the CADE coalition is open to all Colorado institutions of higher education. 

  • Adams State University**
  • Aims Community College**
  • Arapahoe Community College**
  • Colorado College**
  • Colorado Mesa University
  • Colorado Mountain College- Leadville**
  • Colorado Mountain College- Spring Valley**
  • Colorado Mountain College- Steamboat Springs**
  • Colorado School of Mines**
  • Colorado State University**
  • Colorado State University Pueblo**
  • Community College of Denver**
  • Fort Lewis College**
  • Front Range Community College**
  • Metropolitan State University Denver**
  • Naropa University**
  • Northeastern Junior College**
  • Northwestern Community College**
  • Pikes Peak State College**
  • Trinidad State College**

 

  • United States Airforce Academy**
  • University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus**
  • University of Colorado Boulder**
  • University of Colorado Colorado Springs**
  • University of Colorado Denver**
  • University of Denver**
  • University of Northern Colorado**
  • Western Colorado University**
  • University of Utah**
  • University of Wyoming**

 

CADE Steering Committee

The CADE Steering Committee is composed of campus professionals who are a part of the CADE higher education coalition in Colorado. These folks volunteer their time to advise NASPA staff on current campus trends, programs, and future directions for the coalition.