Youth Substance Use
Positive Youth Development
Today's youth face many risks, including drug and alcohol use, violence and mental health concerns. Our goal is to help people understand the causes of these problems and to strengthen communities, families, and schools to help avoid these issues before they start.
Douglas County, Adams County, Aurora, Sheridan, Englewood and the I-70 Corridor have created community coalitions that support positive youth development and provide youth with opportunities to be involved, connected, and to learn skills to be successful. When we understand the causes of these problems, we can work together to come up with solutions that improve young people's ability to reach their full potential.
What is TCHD doing about Youth Substance Use?
TCHD uses two main public health processes for this community work, the Strategic Prevention Framework (SPF) and Communities That Care (CTC). SPF is used for programs in Aurora, Adams and Douglas Counties to promote youth development, reduce risk-taking behaviors, build skills and resilience, and prevent problem behaviors.
CTC is a community change process used to support healthy, positive youth development by reducing risk factors and enhancing protective factors in the community to achieve better outcomes for young people. CTC walks communities through the process of forming coalitions to address community concerns while engaging youth to help in the decision making process.
TCHD has partnered with Sheridan Health Services and the Bennett Park and Recreation District to facilitate the CTC efforts in Englewood and Sheridan and in Bennett, Byers, Deer Trail, Strasburg and Watkins (I-70 Corridor).
Check out these sites to learn more:
- SpeakNow Colorado
- Good to Know Colorado
- Rise Above Colorado
- Aurora Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition
- Douglas County Youth Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition
- Communities That Care