Alcohol & Drug Awareness Council Serves Families in Jasper, Newton, and Tyler Counties

ADAC teamed up with Armstrong Family & Friends in Jasper for a back-to-school event, sharing school supplies, snowcones, and resources to encourage positive choices and a drug-free start to the year. (Photo courtesy of ADAC)

EAST TEXAS – For nearly five decades, the Alcohol & Drug Awareness Council (ADAC) has been working to prevent substance misuse, support recovery, and strengthen families across Deep East and Southeast Texas. Since 1978, ADAC has provided prevention, intervention, and recovery services in 15 counties — including Jasper, Newton, and Tyler — where addiction continues to be one of the most pressing community challenges.

At the heart of ADAC’s mission is prevention. Through school-based programs, community events, and age-appropriate education, ADAC equips children, teens, and parents with the tools they need to make healthy choices and recognize the risks of underage drinking, vaping, and drug misuse. Mascots like Leo the Drug-Free Lion bring that message to youth, while partnerships with educators, law enforcement, and local leaders help extend it throughout the community.

ADAC’s presence in Jasper, Newton, and Tyler counties has been visible at recent community events, including the Stand Down for veterans in Jasper. There, ADAC staff and volunteers distributed resources, offered support, and connected with those who have served. (Photo courtesy of ADAC)

Backing those efforts is the Prevention Resource Center Region 5 (PRC 5), based in Lufkin. PRC 5 collects and distributes behavioral health data, tracks emerging substance trends, and provides resources to schools, law enforcement, and local organizations, creating a network of informed prevention across the region.

For families already touched by addiction, ADAC offers deeply personal support. Programs like PADREs (Parenting Awareness & Drug Risk Education) combine parenting strategies with peer support to help expectant mothers and young parents break cycles of misuse. The OSAR team (Outreach, Screening, Assessment & Referral) connects uninsured individuals with compassionate treatment resources, while licensed outpatient services for youth and adults provide recovery plans tailored to individual needs.

ADAC also serves individuals through court-mandated programs such as DWI Education, DWI Intervention, and Drug Offender Education, designed not just as requirements, but as opportunities for participants to reflect, learn, and “rewrite their story.”

Beyond counseling and education, ADAC remains a visible community partner. Annual initiatives include Prom Project, which provides students with safe options during prom season, Drug Take Back days, youth activities, and large-scale recovery rallies that unite families, providers, and advocates.

“Our goal is simple: serve the community with clarity and compassion,” said Kim Bartel, PRC-5 Manager. “By sharing real-time data, building relationships, and offering guidance, we spark positive change across East Texas.”

ADAC serves Angelina, Hardin, Houston, Jasper, Jefferson, Nacogdoches, Newton, Orange, Polk, Sabine, San Augustine, San Jacinto, Shelby, Trinity, and Tyler counties.

For more information or to connect with ADAC’s services, call 936-634-5753 or visit www.adacdet.org