Pubdate: Sun, 06 Jan 2008 Source: Times Leader (Wilkes-Barre, PA) Copyright: 2008 The Times Leader Contact: http://www.timesleader.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/933 Author: Sherry Long ENTHUSIASM SPEAKS VOLUMES New Director Of LCCC's Institute Plans Seminars, Other Programs NANTICOKE - Although she's young, don't underestimate Michelle McCabe Piazza's desire to lead the Substance Abuse Education and Training Institute at Luzerne County Community College. On the job less than six weeks as the institute's first director, Piazza has already scheduled 10 seminars to be held at the college this year. If Piazza has her way, the institute will eventually reach beyond the Nanticoke campus by holding seminars at LCCC's other satellite campuses, community centers, creating a Students Against Drunk Driving campus organization, organizing a month-long Substance Abuse Awareness Month and developing a curriculum to offer an associate's degree in drug counseling. The newly married 26-year-old Berwick native is not satisfied to focus just on educating the public regarding illegal drug and alcohol addictions. She envisions the institute will also bring awareness to other addictions including: gambling, over-the-counter medications, prescription and synthetic or club drugs. "That's our goal -- to provide information to the community and professionals at large that it doesn't have to be illegal to be harmful. We don't just stop at illegal drugs. Street drugs, over the counter and prescription drugs, they're an issue too," said Piazza, who is also a member of the Berwick Area School District Drug Task Force. She said it's important not to just serve as a regional training center for drug counselors, but also reach out to the community – to parents, school teachers and recovering addicts. "I not only want to bring people in from the outside to help with our professionals, but also to have our professionals help with the community," Piazza said. Through her efforts, the institute is partnering with the Michael Cleary Foundation to bring attention to soldiers suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder and how it relates to addictions. She hopes seminars co-sponsored by the Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs and the institute will help people suffering from gambling addictions, as well as educate counselors. The institute is also forming a bond with the state's Department of Health's Bureau of Drug and Alcohol Program to provide mini-regional training workshops throughout the year. Registrations for the state seminars are free and open to the general public, Piazza said. Talks are under way to bring in a pharmacist to present workshops to educate police officers on how to identify new street drugs, she said. In addition to setting up new partnerships, Piazza is also busy planning the institute's second annual Alcohol and Other Drug Studies conference, to be held in July. Last year, when she served as assistant to Joe Grilli, the college's vice president, Training Institutes External Affairs and Planning, she was responsible for organizing the institute's first four-day educational conference targeting professionals working in the drug and alcohol treatment field. Grilli oversees the institute. She coordinated all the training seminars, speakers' schedules and travel arrangements and ensured professionals attending the workshops received their proper certificates and continuing education credits. After working with the program as Grilli's assistant, she knew this was a career she could pour her passion into using her business administration background. So, the daughter-in-law of LCCC Board Trustee August Piazza submitted her resume and underwent the same employment review process as 19 other applicants. After several months, the hiring committee decided she would be the best director based on her business administration background and expertise at coordinating last year's conference. The institute works closely with the county's Luzerne and Wyoming Counties Drug and Alcohol Program led by Mike Donahue. He was not involved in the college's hiring process, but said he felt the committee made the right choice. "I think Michelle Piazza will do an excellent job in making the drug and alcohol institute a success that will help this area for many, many years to come," Donahue said, adding she was instrumental in coordinating last year's conference. Profile Who: Michelle McCabe Piazza Title: Director, Substance Abuse Education and Training Institute Age: 26 Bachelor's Degree: College Misericordia, Business Administration, May 2007 - --- MAP posted-by: Derek