News & Events
Much of our work involves measuring the difference others make. Getting involved and making our own difference is also an important part of who we are as individuals and as an organization.
To our partners, community members, and friends,
As we mark our 15th year, it is with great joy and appreciation for all of you!
Reflecting on our journey since 2009, all of us at the Center for Community Research (CCR) are humbled by the incredible people we work with.
Our Journey
CCR was founded to bridge the gap between community needs and evidence-based solutions. From a small but ambitious start, we have grown substantially, not just in numbers but also within the breadth and depth of our reach.
Our work began and continues throughout San Diego County, and our impact spans nationally now as well. Our incredible and talented team utilizes informed strategy, useful data, and lived experiences to save lives and prevent impacts associated with substance use, impaired driving, and community health issues.
Our staff have been recognized at the local, state, and national levels – not as a testament to our own achievements, but as evidence of the change that can occur when committed professionals and passionate communities unite.
Honoring Our Partners
Our success is not a solo endeavor. It has been built on the trust, collaboration, and vision we share with our partners. More than just funders or stakeholders, you have been collaborators in the truest sense. Your unwavering dedication to fostering safe and healthy communities has consistently inspired us. The partnerships we have nurtured over the years have been instrumental in achieving our shared goals, and for that, we are tremendously grateful.
Looking Ahead
As we commemorate this milestone, it’s also an opportunity to look ahead. While celebrating our collective achievements, our eyes are firmly set on the future, ensuring that we continue to be at the forefront of facilitating positive change. Committed to excellence and progress, we aim to continually refine our offerings to meet the dynamic needs of our communities and partners.
Together, we will continue our collective journey towards building even more vibrant, inclusive, healthy, and safe communities.
With profound gratitude,
Kristen Donovan, Ph.D.
Founder & Executive Director
For the past 15 years, it has been an honor to serve San Diego County and work with such committed and incredible partners. We thank the County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency and all of our partners in prevention, behavioral health, public health, education, treatment, child welfare, and public safety for the opportunity to have made a difference in the lives of so many of our community members.
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The CCR Team
We finally have all of the recorded Western States Marijuana Summit Sessions up on the NMI website.
Sessions are numbered & follow the flow in the agenda.
Here’s the sharable link:
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December is National Impaired Driving Prevention Month, and the holidays are an important time to emphasize safe driving messages with teens.
The Training, Research and Education for Driving Safety (TREDS) Center at UC San Diego has developed a program for teens that addresses DUI prevention. The free, online class “Steer Clear – Decide to Drive Sober” covers:
- Facts about alcohol and cannabis
- Risks of impaired driving
- California DUI laws
- Strategies to stay safe
This self-paced, 40-minute class can be integrated into existing ATOD prevention curriculum - an essential facet of youth education, especially during this important safety month!
- Watch Preview – https://youtu.be/5u2F98BDAck
- Access Course – https://tredslms.ucsd.edu/steer-clear
A flyer with this information is also attached.
If you have any questions about the class, or would like to arrange a meeting to learn more about this new offering, please email treds@ucsd.edu.
Your role in preventing underage impaired driving can make a difference!
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The city of San Diego is directing retailers selling synthetic hemp-derived products to dispose of such items within the month or face possible enforcement actions, it was announced Friday.
Following a law enforcement investigation into alleged illegal dispensaries operating near schools and homes that led to multiple arrests, the city sent letters this month to local retailers suspected of selling cannabis unlawfully or selling synthetic cannabis products. Prohibited synthetic products include those claiming to be "Delta-8 THC," "Delta-10 THC" or "other similar synthetically derived `hemp-based' products, as well as those hemp products which may be inhaled," according to the city.
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"On October 11th, at about 11 a.m., four students were evaluated by the District's school nurse after they reported feeling ill after consuming a food product that may have contained THC, the controlled ingredient found in marijuana," according to a statement from the Escondido School District. "Emergency responders were called to the school as a precaution, and the students were taken to a hospital for further evaluation."
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