Our Approach
We seek to create effective community health engagement models by involving the community to make change.
Community engagement for healthy change begins at the grassroots. We believe that the foundation of any successful project is getting to know the communities or groups that we are working with, and designing programs as a trusted partner. We have close ties to and partnerships in western Massachusetts communities for this work.
Please learn more about the many projects and partnerships that make up our work by visiting the links below.
Strategic Planning Initiative for Families and Youth (SPIFFY) Coalition
The Strategic Planning Initiative for Families and Youth (SPIFFY) Coalition is a Hampshire County coalition that collaboratively engages in data-driven prevention efforts with a health equity lens to reduce youth substance use and build healthy communities.
Healthy Hampshire
Healthy Hampshire is focused on improving people’s health in Hampshire County and the Hilltowns by collaborating with municipal leaders, elected officials, public health departments, planners, businesses, community organizations, and residents.
Hampshire-Franklin Tobacco-Free Community Partnership
The Hampshire-Franklin Tobacco-Free Community Partnership is part of a statewide network of programs funded by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health to support communities’ efforts to help people quit using tobacco, prevent youth from starting, and protect everyone from secondhand smoke.
Community Health Solutions
Community Health Solutions helps nonprofit organizations, local and regional public and private health institutions and departments, government, schools, colleges and universities, community organizations and groups, youth and adult leaders to gather research and assess community needs, and facilitates strategic planning and implementation for programs that can increase healthy behaviors and support healthy communities.
Redesigning Power Structures
The Redesigning Power Structures initiative will intervene at the level of governance or decision-making in institutions to craft more inclusive structures that welcome people most impacted by health inequities to be involved in governance decisions that directly affect their lives.
Youth Mental Health First Aid
Youth Mental Health First Aid is designed to teach parents, family members, caregivers, teachers, school staff, peers, neighbors, health and human services workers, and other caring citizens how to help an adolescent (age 12-18) who is experiencing a mental health or addictions challenge or is in crisis.
Youth Mental Health First Aid is primarily designed for adults who regularly interact with young people. The course introduces common mental health challenges for youth, reviews typical adolescent development, and teaches a 5-step action plan for how to help young people in both crisis and non-crisis situations.