Guidelines for State Associate Centers

I. State Center Responsibilities

When establishing their Associate Network, the State Centers are responsible for…

1. Working with their governing agencies to identify appropriate State RADAR Network Associate Centers. Each State's Associate Network is limited to 50 centers;

2. Cooperating and communicating with Associate Centers;

3. Providing orientation to Associate Centers;

4. Ordering bulk materials from the National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information (NCADI) for Associate members and keeping records of these orders; and

5. Conducting periodic reviews to assess compliance with criteria.

II. State Associate Center Criteria and Responsibilities

1. An Associate State Center is selected by the State Center.

2. State Associate member selection is based on the following criteria:

a. Capacity to provide and/or coordinate prevention outreach to special target populations and/or regions within the State;

b. Ability to cooperate and communicate with the RADAR Network State Center;

c. Ability to participate on or have reasonable access to PREVLINE, CSAP's electronic communications system (available on the World Wide Web [WWW] at http://ncadi.samhsa.gov .) This includes having access to a computer equipped with Internet connection and Web browser capabilities; and

d. Commitment to a philosophy consistent with the State plan for substance abuse prevention.

3. In accordance with these Guidelines and the affiliated State RADAR Network Center's requirements, the Associate members are responsible for:

a. Providing a variety of substance abuse materials and topics that are accurate and consistent with current knowledge of sound approaches to prevention, intervention, and treatment;

b. Making materials available/accessible to the Associate Center's community;

c. Making NCADI materials available/accessible at no profit to the community they serve;

d. Actively marketing substance abuse materials to the appropriate target audiences;

e. Responding to requests for information through direct response (telephone, mail, e-mail, FAX, and walk-in);

f. Accessing PREVLINE on a regular basis;

g. Cooperating and communicating with the RADAR Network State Center;

h. Participating in the earliest orientation training offered by the RADAR Network State Center;

i. Providing feedback to the affiliate RADAR Network State Center when requested;

j. Contributing to statewide needs assessments as requested;

k. Providing and/or coordinating prevention outreach to special target populations and/or regions within the State;

l. Promoting a philosophy consistent with the State plan for substance abuse prevention; and

m. Gathering prevention materials that have been successful in the Associate's community and forwarding them through the RADAR Network State Center to CSAP for review. These materials will be included in NCADI's Prevention Materials Database (PMD).

III. Benefits

1. Bulk shipments of NCADI materials ordered through your RADAR Network State Center;

2. RADAR Network listserve;

3. Other resources in the national Network:

a. To get information; and

b. To share information.

4. CSAP grant and training opportunities; and

5. NCADI Communiqué, which includes sample copies of new inventory materials distributed by NCADI.

IV. Process of Becoming a State Associate Member

1. Applications for membership are available from RADAR Network State Centers or the RADAR Network Development Center team at NCADI.

2. The applicant submits the completed Associate Membership Application and a letter of support on letterhead from the community they serve (excluding current RADAR Network members) to the State Center. Applications will be reviewed and commented on within 30 days. If there are concerns about the appropriateness of the application, the affiliated State Center of the applicant may call the Manager for RADAR Network Center Development.

3. The State Center sends a copy of the application and the community support letter (on letterhead) with a cover letter endorsing acceptance of the Associate Center to the Manager for RADAR Network Center Development.

4. NCADI reviews and approves the application package to ensure all components are included. If the package is not complete, NCADI will contact the State RADAR Network Center for assistance in gathering the missing components.

5. Once approved, NCADI sends a welcome letter and supporting materials directly to the new Associate Center. A copy of the welcome letter also is sent to the affiliated State Center for their records. If the application is not approved, NCADI notifies the affiliated State Center stating where applicant failed to meet the criteria. The State Center then informs the applicant of the rejection and determines any alternative collaborative relationships.

6. A State Center may cancel an Associate Membership and inform CSAP within 30 days if, after technical assistance/counseling, the Associate Member cannot meet the criteria. An Associate Member has the right to resign their membership by way of written notice to the State Center. The State Center will notify CSAP and NCADI within 30 days of the cancellation or resignation of an Associate Membership.

V. Equipment and Facilities

To provide a consistent level of service among Network members to the public, each RADAR Network Center should possess or have reasonable access to...

1. A telephone and mailing address for requesters to contact them for information;

2. A display area for materials and a reading room (dependent on the Center's capabilities);

3. Adequate storage space for bulk quantities of materials (can be provided by another organization);

4. A VCR and monitor;

5. Online databases and Internet (e.g., through universities or libraries);

6. A personal computer equipped with Internet connection and Web browser, printer, associated software, back up disks, and other computer supplies; and

7. A facsimile (FAX) machine.

VI. Material Acquisition Process

1. Associate Member orders for NCADI materials will be placed through the affiliated RADAR Network State Center. NCADI will not accept orders directly from the Associate Centers. (An exception may be granted to select States due to population density and/or square mileage factors. These exemptions are contingent on State director and CSAP approval.)

2. NCADI will fill Associate Member orders by mailing directly to Associate Members.

3. NCADI will provide a copy of the order with shipments.

Schema

The schema explains the working relationships among all parties involved with the RADAR Network. The two main areas of responsibility reflected below are policy and function. The Steering Committee agreed that the primary responsibility of RADAR Network Centers is to focus on function, not policy. If policy changes are needed, the appropriate channels to follow are as follows.

• Associates work with their State RADAR Network Center.
• A State RADAR Network Center works with their State prevention representative and their State Director.
• The State Director works with the head of the NASADAD Prevention Committee, who receives input from NASADAD's representative on the RADAR Network Steering Committee. The NASADAD Executive Board, NASADAD Prevention Committee Chair, and CSAP work on the resolution of policy issues.
• The Steering Committee communicates with CSAP and NCADI on non-policy issues. CSAP should be notified regarding policy issues, but Steering Committee input on policy should be directed through the NPN/State Director/Prevention Committee/NASADAD linkages.
• Specialty RADAR Network Centers communicate directly with NCADI on functional issues, and their input on policy goes to CSAP through the Steering Committee.