New Member Packet
I chose to be on this council because it seemed interesting and I have never been a part of something like this. This council is different because you get to express yourself. James M. Youth Council Member Vision To foster an inclusive community that is informed, caring and driven to ensure youth wellbeing. I joined CARE to support the mental health and education community on the west side. Our current students and graduates are on the front line, doing their best to help the area and youth make good decisions. I want to support that. Mary C. CARE Member Mission Statement The mission of the CARE Coalition is to unite, inform, and empower the community to make a positive impact on youth in the West Valley through collaborative planning and action. Community Alliance for Resources and Education
Welcome to CARE History and Coalition Structure The CARE Coalition (Community Alliance for Resources and Education) is a group of collaborating community members, youth, local agencies, schools, and other invested individuals that aim to improve the health and wellbeing of adolescents in the West Valley. CARE originally began as the Local Advisory Committee for the Teen Pregnancy Prevention Program (TPPP) managed by Touchstone Health Services in 2010. Committed agencies joined the LAC to help provide input and support into the TPPP program. The LAC continued to grow and develop. As funding for the TPPP program was ending its first cycle, the group decided to become a coalition. They would take a more active approach to making change in their community and become a more formal entity. The CARE Coalition was officially launched in 2015. Touchstone Health Services is the fiscal agent for the coalition and Touchstone currently has prevention funding to address youth issues such as teen pregnancy, substance abuse, dating violence, and mental health for youth in the West Valley. The CARE Coalition is vital to the success of these programs as they offer insight and action to address these central issues. The CARE Coalition meets quarterly and provides opportunities to network, trainings to the community, social media and community awareness campaigns, and participates in events to further the coalition s Mission and Vision. Often in the quarterly general coalition meetings, there are Agency Spotlights where local agencies have the opportunity to present an overview of their services to CARE members for a better understanding of local resources that can be utilized to help youth or community members in need. Moreover, during the general coalition meetings, members meet in designated subcommittees to address the central issues of the coalition, which include: teen pregnancy, healthy relationships, youth mental health, and youth substance abuse. These topics reflect the various subcommittees that meet during coalition meetings. In addition to the aforementioned groups that meet during quarterly meetings, CARE has additional delegations that support group cohesiveness and coalition sustainability. These teams are the CARE Welcoming Subcommittee and the Community Relations and Funding Subcommittee. The Welcoming Subcommittee is for new attendees who are interested in learning about CARE and is designed to inform a potential new member to the purpose and structure of the coalition. The Community Relations and Funding Subcommittee is a group of CARE members who are actively recruiting business partners in the valley and effectively networking, communicating, and researching new funding sources to further the coalition s efforts and to provide sustainability. As mentioned previously, CARE has specific topics it addresses in the West Valley that serve as a guiding platform for the coalition and provide focus on generating positive change for youth wellbeing. These issues are outlined on the following pagethe CARE Coalition utilizes strategic plans and activities to carry out its Mission and Vision statements. General coalition meetings are open to the public and are invaluable events that keep members, leadership, and community connected.
STATISTICS YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH Suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death among young people ages 15-24. Depression and bipolar disorder is the #1 cause for children being admitted into a hospital. Source: www.nami.org TEEN PREGNANCY About 1 in 4 teens in the U.S. will get pregnant by age 20. Only 38% of teenage girls who get pregnant before age 18 receive their High School Diploma Source: www.thenationalcampaign.org SUBSTANCE ABUSE Arizona ranks 6th highest in the nation for prescription drug abuse. National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 2012 Underage drinking cost the citizens of Arizona over $1 billion in 2014. Arizona Youth Survey 2013, National Institute of Drugs and Alcohol, 2015 Habitual, or chronic, marijuana use by Arizona youth is on the rise. Chronic marijuana use in adolescence can cause permanent brain damage and contribute to various emotional and psychological problems like depression or psychosis. AYS 2013; NIDA, 2015 Without a sense of caring, there can be no sense of community. Anthony J. D Angelo
Where do you fit in? The 12 Sectors of a Community The 12 Sectors The CARE Coalition strives to be diverse and inclusive in nature. We use the principles of the 12 Sectors, outlined by SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration), as a guideline in recruitment and framework for effectiveness and sustainability. The Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America, or CADCA, which is a leading national institute that assists in coalition support and advocacy, states that the 12 Sectors help coalitions increase their potential power by ensuring that they include not only the movers and shakers, but also the grassroots folks who have strong links within neighborhoods and informal institutions. An individual may fall under several different sectors and it is important on how you identify yourself within your role in CARE. One may not need to attend coalition meetings to be part of the membership but can be a member by supporting CARE in various other ways (i.e. providing space for a fair, food donation, or media campaigns). To help determine what sector you represent think about your profession or what ways you would carry out strategic activities for CARE. Youth (persons <= 18 years of age) Parents Business community Media Schools Youth-serving organizations Law enforcement agencies Religious or fraternal organizations Civic and volunteer groups Healthcare professionals State, local or tribal agencies with expertise in the field of substance abuse, mental health, or teen pregnancy Other organizations that play an At Large role for the coalition
CARE Members & Coalition Structure CARE Advisory Board: In addition to general coalition members and subcommittees, CARE has several councils and leadership teams for guidance and act to support the goal that all 12 Sectors of the community be involved in change. These councils are outlined below. The leadership of the coalition is steered by the CARE Advisory Board, which is a group of voluntary individuals from the coalition who have taken an active role in how CARE is governed and functions as a whole. They commit their leadership for a minimum of a one year term and act on the behalf of the constituents to make informed decisions about the direction and actions of the coalition. The Advisory Board also aids in developing a sustainability plan for the coalition so that CARE can be self-sustained and have prolonged success for years to come. Board members meet quarterly and take active roles in the general coalition meetings and subcommittees. There are youth and adult community members represented on the board as well, ensuring there is balanced leadership. Youth Leadership Council: The Youth Leadership Council (YLC) is what drives the coalition and is comprised up of adolescents from ages ranging from 12-18. Creating effective messaging to youth is always more successful when it comes from their peers with their insight. Youth empowerment lies at the core of CARE values and the youth are recognized as the true agent of change. Youth provide direct feedback on programming, participate in leadership development in community education topics and leadership development, engage in comprehensive media campaigns, and participate and organize community events. The Youth Leadership Council meets quarterly and is involved in critical decision making for the coalition and have representation on the Advisory Board. Community Leadership Council: The Community Leadership Council (CLC) is comprised of adult community members from the West Valley who meet quarterly about how to accomplish change at a grassroots, or local, level. They address and discuss issues that are affecting their community and also learn positive approaches in interacting with youth. They take an active role in connecting the coalition to the communities and are crucial partners in communicating the communities needs back to CARE. The Community Leadership Council members are also advocates and one of their goals is to help increase community awareness on critical issues youth face. The CLC also has representation on the Advisory Board and are recognized leaders. Together we are uniting and mobilizing support to make a positive impact on youth wellbeing in the West Valley. CARE aims to ensure youth advocacy and support for generations to come.
What s Next? Community Alliance for Resources and Education CARE Coalition 12409 W. Indian School Road Avondale, AZ 85323 www.carecoalitionaz.org FB: @carecoalitionaz TW: @carecoalitionaz Inst: @carecoalitionaz #CAREaboutit #CAREcoalitionaz Touchstone Behavioral Health dba Touchstone Health Services 15648 N 35th Avenue Phoenix, AZ 85053 www.touchstonehs.org FB: @TouchstoneHS TW: @TouchstoneBH LinkedIn: Touchstone Health Services Teen Pregnancy Prevention www.touchstonetppp.com FB: @TPPPtouchstone TW: @TPPPtouchstone If you are interested in becoming a CARE member please see an Advisory Board member, a Welcoming Subcommittee leader, or a Touchstone Health Services staff. They will provide you with a contact sheet and a CARE Coalition Agreement Letter in order to obtain official membership. We sincerely hope to have you take part in our coalition and join us in making a difference in the lives of families, communities, and youth in the West Valley. Benefits for CARE Members: Access to coalition website and its resources, educational events, available CARE products and promotional items, ability to present for Agency Spotlights during general coalition meetings, and promotional advantages through our CARE social media platforms. This project is funded by Mercy Maricopa Integrated Care. This program was made possible by Grant Number 1 TP1AH000107-01-00 from the Office of Adolescent Health, Department of Health and Human Services. Contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the Department of Health and Human Services or the Office of Adolescent Health.