Silver City, New Mexico, April 14, 2016: The Youth Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition (YSAPC) has named Michael M. McGee, LADAC, MSW, as their new Program Coordinator. The new coordinator joins as the Coalition celebrates its fourth anniversary of serving Grant County.

A lifetime resident of Grant County, McGee has a Masters of Social Work and, additionally, is a Licensed Alcohol and Drug Abuse Councilor (LADAC) from Western New Mexico University where he is an adjunct professor for the Social Work department. McGee says, "My mother was born in Space, otherwise known as Santa Rita, and a street in Hurley is named after my family." McGee is very proud of his roots in the community, including being Cobre High alumni. He also served in the U.S. Navy during Desert Storm.

Most recently, McGee worked with the Grant County DWI Program educating local youth on the perils of driving under the influences of alcohol or other drugs and teaching them life skills. McGee credits the students with, "keeping me young."

McGee says, "I always envisioned myself working at an inpatient treatment center, like Yucca Lodge at Fort Bayard Medical Center where I interned under Eddeana Ueland, but then I worked in youth prevention programs under Cindy McLean at the DWI Program, and here I am." McGee hopes to apply his background in substance abuse treatment to the YSAPC program, which has received national recognition for a series of youth town halls and the 101 Things for Youth To Do In Grant County program.

McGee sees the YSAPC as a positive influence in the community by protecting youth from substance abuse. "There are gaps in policies we can address, like the need for a prescription drug drop off site to safely dispose of unused medication to keep it from being misused and polluting our environment."

Currently, the YSAPC is administering the New Mexico Community Survey to adults in Grant County. The survey will be available at Earth Day, Saturday, April 23, in Gough Park from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. McGee urges the adults to participate, "The survey helps YSAPC better focus our strategies, and gives you input on where your tax dollars go to help our community."

YSAPC's Community Representative, Paul Sattery says of McGee, "I'm glad to have a life-long resident onboard as coordinator."

The YSAPC is a program of the Town of Silver City and funded by a grant from the New Mexico Office of Substance Abuse Prevention.

For more information on the YSAPC call (575) 597-7118 or email: ysapccoordinator@silvercitymail.com.