ESCANABA — Public Health Delta and Menominee Counties (PHDMC) is reaching out to the local community through its recently formed Delta County Communities that Care (CTC) program. It is an effort to use research and collaboration to solve issues facing the community and promote healthy youth development.

According to Jenni Grabowski, prevention specialist at PHDMC, CTC uses a coalition approach to address issues at the community level. The program has been a work in progress since last year.

The coalition consists of stakeholders concerned with youth development including youth-serving agency staff, school representatives, health professionals, city leaders, law enforcement, the United Way, other funding entities, media outlets, faith community members, and more. Grabowski said the work group is encouraging other community members to join the task force and have their voices heard.

“Never before have changes and the implications of decisions, attitudes, experiences, crime, violence and policy been more dramatic and impactful in our community,” said Grabowski.

The CTC meets quarterly with the next gathering taking place on Thursday, March 15, from 9 to 10:30 a.m. at the Delta County Service Center in the county board room. The public is invited to attend.

During Thursday’s meeting, Brian Wibby from Michigan State University Extension, will talk about youth-adult partnerships and how organizations can incorporate youth into their governance and decision making-processes, explained Grabowski.

CTC is mostly data driven and science based, noted Grabowski. The science aspect is grounded in research from various disciplines including public health, sociology, psychology, criminology, and community psychology, while the data collected is drawn from the local area. This helps measure risk and protective factors, select priority on what to focus on for a strategic plan, and progress towards change.

“Many of you, if not all, also realize the critical significance for the integration of services between community service and civic organizations, behavioral and mental health care, school systems and substance abuse services as a means to bring about improved health and wellness outcomes to perhaps even prevent future problems before they happen,” said Grabowski.

To help gather data, the CTC is looking to conduct a youth survey. The survey is a confidential, school-wide survey for students appropriate for grades sixth through 12th. It measures a majority of the risk and protective factors identified to predict youth problem behaviors.

Work groups then assess the data from the community students, as well as archival data, to best determine a strategic plan for preventative measures. The survey is re-administered every two years to monitor progress.

Work groups in the CTC are also developing and taking inventory of the different resources in the community that could help reach towards the goal and missions of the program, including reducing adolescent problem behaviors such as substance abuse, depression/anxiety, suicide, violence, school dropouts and teen pregnancy, explained Grabowski.

While the program is making headway, Grabowski said she encourages the public to reach out and attend meetings to get the community working together.

“I am pleased to invite you to join me as for what I envision to be an important and worthwhile undertaking to move forward with a new Communities that Care initiative in Delta County and throughout the entire Upper Peninsula,” said Grabowski.

For more information regarding the CTC or to get involved, contact Grabowski at (906) 789-8109 or find the group on Facebook at DeltaCTC.