Substance use prevention, education, and programming should be accessible to everyone — but too often, it isn’t. Our data shows that people with all types of disabilities are using most substances at higher rates than their peers.

As a group, people with disabilities also experience increased consequences from substance use. Traditional prevention programming isn’t designed with people with disabilities in mind, so when we do reach out for help, we find that services aren’t accessible to us. CANDLE is here to change that!

Our mission is to reduce alcohol & cannabis use within the disability community by making prevention accessible to everyone.

As a program of Access To Independence of Cortland County, Inc., CANDLE is disability-led by default and places great value in the lived experience of our members. Our staff and coalition members represent a wide variety of disabilities and lived experience with substance use.

Anyone with or without a disability who is interested in supporting our mission can join CANDLE as a member or partner. See our About page for details!