Health and Fitness : ASAC Celebrates Its 46th Anniversary

The Area Substance Abuse Council (ASAC) officially marked its 46th anniversary on October 18.

Originally founded as two separate agencies addressing alcohol and drug use in the Cedar Rapids area, the two combined in 1978. Today, the organization operates 14 locations across seven counties, serving patients throughout Iowa, promoting brain health and providing substance use and problem gambling prevention, treatment and recovery services.

In 2023, ASAC served more than 90,000 people across the state.

In addition to community outreach, residential treatment and policy advocacy, ASAC is also a certified trainer and distributor of NARCAN, a vital resource to prevent death from opioid overdoses.

"This anniversary is a special milestone. It's gratifying to reflect on what we've accomplished over nearly five decades. This is also an opportunity to look ahead as we continue to grow and innovate, changing more lives for the better and strengthening our communities," said ASAC Executive Director Stephanie Boesenberg.

To underscore this commitment, ASAC is currently conducting a public survey to evaluate their presence in the community and determine how to best serve people in the future. The survey is available at surveymonkey.com/r/PartSubSurvey and will help inform ASAC's future efforts and shape services to assist people and communities in the area.

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About ASAC: The Area Substance Abuse Council (ASAC) is a private, nonprofit corporation governed by a volunteer Board of Directors. Formed in 1962, ASAC provides comprehensive substance use and problem gambling disorder prevention, treatment and recovery programs. The Area Substance Abuse Council promotes brain health and substance use recovery while fostering community well-being through individualized care, education, harm reduction, and advocacy.

With a primary service area of Linn, Benton, Jones, Jackson, Clinton, Dubuque and Delaware counties, the agency accepts patients from anywhere in Iowa