Communities That Care Coalition
Promoting health, well-being, and equity among young people in Franklin County and the North Quabbin
Ahmad Esfahani interviewed Leigh-Ellen Figueroa and Ilana Gerjuoy on his series on GCTV titled “Perspectives on Trauma”. On the series Esfahani interviews people from around Western Massachusetts about the topic of trauma. You can watch the interview HERE.
The US Surgeon General, Dr. Vivek Murthy, has called for Congress to act to require Warning Labels on social media platforms like we have for tobacco and alcohol. Dr. Murthy argues that the mental health crisis among young people is an emergency — and social media has emerged as an important contributor. He says that adolescents who spend more than three hours a day on social media face double the risk of anxiety and depression symptoms, and the average daily use in this age group, as of the summer of 2023, was 4.8 hours. Additionally, nearly half of adolescents say social media makes them feel worse about their bodies.
Read the full article in the New York Times HERE.
The Spring Full Coalition meeting will be held on Thursday, May 30th from 2:30-4:30pm at Camp Apex! Here are a few details:
Register now at: https://tinyurl.com/CommunitiesThatCareMay2024.
This issue brief on School-Based Peer Support Programs to Enhance Student Well-Being is a great resource from the Child Health and Development Institute.
We released our newly updated Community Action Plan on October 27, 2023, at the Fall Full Coalition Meeting. The plan will guide our work until we formally update it again in 2026. The new plan strengthens the Coalition’s vision, mission, values, and strategies to reflect our commitment to health equity and social justice. Each of our 5 workgroups (Racial Justice, Parent & Family Engagement, Policy and Norms, School Health, and the NEW Community Supports for Young People Workgroup) has updated their goals, their membership, and the strategies they focus on. The Community Action Plan is constantly evolving, and we always welcome your input! Check out the new 2024 Community Action Plan!
Please join us for the Communities That Care Coalition’s Fall Coalition Meeting on Friday, October 27th, from 11am to 1pm at the beautiful new Greenfield Public Library, in their large community room.. Register at https://tinyurl.com/CommunitiesThatCareOct2023 ASAP (by 10/18 if you would like childcare or Spanish translation) and join us!
We will share the 2023 Student Health Survey Data (with a focus on screen time and social media), vote on our three-year Community Action Plan (check it out in advance HERE and send corrections to kallen@frcog.org), and we will present our Mike Fritz Community Builder Award to the unstoppable Amy McMahan of Mesa Verde!
Lunch will be a combination of Mesa Verde and Chef Tina’s Haitian Food!
While the meeting is old-school IN PERSON, masks are of course welcome and to-go boxes will be available for those who want to keep their masks on and bring food home.
Our partners at the Greenfield Safe Schools Safe Streets Coalition have put together this great list of Camps and Activities for Children and Youth for Summer 2023. Take a look and share where you see fit!
The Communities That Care Coalition developed this presentation for parents, families, youth, and people who work with youth. Please contact kallen@frcog.org if you would like us to come give this presentation to families at your school or in a group you are a part of!
WWLP Channel 22, the largest news station in Western Mass, covered the Coalition’s efforts at promoting quality family time on the evening news on Family Day! Check out the coverage HERE.
