Communities That Care (Overview of the CTC Model) is an internationally accepted approach to help communities develop an action plan to prevent unhealthy behaviors such as juvenile delinquency and substance abuse, and to promote healthy youth behaviors. Ours is a pro-active, positive approach!
CTC is a process, not a program. Our goal is to identify the needs in our community and develop ways to address those needs. In order to accomplish this goal, we follow the CTC Process and the Strategic Prevention Framework. This involves assessing our community’s risk factors, which are the conditions that increase the likelihood of a young person becoming involved in unhealthy behaviors, and protective factors, which are the conditions that buffer youth from exposure to risk factors.
After the risk and protective factors have been identified, we work to develop a strategic plan that involves the entire community in our prevention work. Every two years, the CTC Prevention Board updates our strategic plan. We use community information, such as crime, health and educational statistics. We also use local information from the PA Youth Survey, which is given every other year to the 8th, 10th and 12th grade students in our school district.
We believe that all youth have individual characteristics and strengths that help make them who they are and that can help them become healthy, successful adults. We also believe in the Social Development Strategy to Promote Positive Youth Development, which recognizes the importance of nurturing our youth and bonding with them. If we work together to protect our youth and show them that they are valued for who they are, we will empower our youth and they may be more likely to choose healthy behaviors.
The evidence-based or local innovative research-based prevention programs that are being offered in Mifflin County include:
- Big Brothers Big Sisters
- Project YES (Youth Excellence Services)
- Second Step
- Healthy Families America
- Strengthening Families Program (5th grade)
- Life Skills Training (to begin in 7th grade in 2017-18 academic year)
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