By Ally McCabe, CANDLE Coalition Director
It’s that time again! CANDLE’s community survey is now available* for 2025.
This ongoing data collection project helps our coalition stay current on local alcohol & cannabis use trends among people with disabilities in our area. Your responses support our efforts to reduce substance use rates by providing valuable insight into the risk & protective factors that make someone more or less likely to use (or misuse) substances.
By anonymously sharing your experience, you help us determine which prevention strategies will be most appropriate and effective at reducing substance use rates here in Cortland County. Those strategies are then adapted by CANDLE to be universally accessible, ensuring that people with disabilities have the same access to prevention services as everyone else.
Help ATI Make Prevention Accessible: COME TO ATI TO TAKE THE SURVEY
*CANDLE relies on community partners to help support our survey efforts. If you can assist with survey distribution through your agency, group, or business, please reach out to Ally McCabe, Project Director at [email protected].
Frequently Asked Questions
What is CANDLE?
The Cortland County Coalition on Cannabis & Alcohol – Neighbors with Disability & Lived Experience (CANDLE) is a group of community members dedicated to reducing substance misuse within Cortland County’s disability community. CANDLE is led by and for people with disabilities and aims to reduce alcohol & cannabis use rates by implementing universally accessible, community-based prevention strategies right here in Cortland.
CANDLE is a program of Access To Independence of Cortland County, Inc. Our coalition receives technical assistance from NYS OASAS, data & media support from The Rural Health Institute of New York and is funded by an OASAS Partnership for Success grant via the Research Foundation for Mental Health (RFMH).
How long is the survey?
It is 22 questions long and takes about 10 minutes on average to complete.
Who can take it?
Anyone 18 or older who is currently living in Cortland County. If you took our survey in a previous year, you can take it again!
Are my answers anonymous?
Yes. All responses are voluntary and will remain confidential. Responses are analyzed as a group, not identified by individual. Following analysis, the collective results will be compiled into reports and made available for public viewing. CANDLE’s Community Survey is administered by The Rural Health Institute of New York.
What if I need the survey in a different format?
Accessibility is one of CANDLE’s biggest priorities! Our survey is available in multiple formats – please reach out to Ally McCabe, Project Director at [email protected] or call ATI at 607-753-7363 for assistance.
Where can I find more information about CANDLE?
To learn more or get involved with the coalition, visit our website at candlecoalition.org.