Communities That Care (CTC) Program
Purpose
This project uses Marijuana Tax Cash Funds to improve the health of all Coloradans by reducing substance misuse among youth. CDPHE prioritized funding to reach this outcome using an evidence-based community-organizing approach called Communities That Care (CTC).
CTC guides communities through a proven five-phase change process.
Outcomes of CTC
Using prevention sciences as its base, CTC promotes healthy youth development, improves youth outcomes, and rescues problem behaviors. This model does this by reducing the risk factors and increasing the protective factors that are linked to long-term reductions in violence and suicide in addition to substance misuse. Special attention is also focused on efforts to address racial justice and other oppressive systems within the communities of Montbello, Green Valley Ranch, Park Hill, Clayton, Skyland, Cole, Whittier, and Five Points.
Partners
As a backbone organization, we partner with community members and organizations to uplift our community voices. The communities of Far Northeast and Near Northeast Denver are our partners in this work. We are continuing the great work of Steps to Success in Montbello and Park Hill Strong in Park Hill. We are expanding geographically and are building the coalitions, key leader boards, and our youth ambassador program.
DMCI has strong and passionate leadership in place to mobilize our communities to sit on the coalitions, key leader boards, and workgroups. This includes Community Site Coordinator Brandon Pryor and Co-chairs Angel Amankwaah & Sharikia Towers-Fulcher in the Far Northeast region and Community Site Coordinator Dane Washington Sr. and Co-Chairs Jonathan McMillian & Troy Grimes in the Near Northeast region.
Some of the organizations sitting on coalition and key leader boards:
Montbello Organizing Committee
Struggle of Love
Families Against Violent Acts
Kids Above Everything
The Hills Church
City of Denver
The Denver Islamic Center
Boys and Girls Clubs
Denver City Council
Denver Police Department
Achievements
Special attention is focused on building our Youth Ambassador Program which includes eight paid youth who will lead the work under the leadership of Dane Washington Jr. This is a strong partnership with the Power of One that is a youth leadership program offered to middle and high school students who have leadership potential. The program helps develop basic skills in leadership and promotes neighborhood attachment, school engagement, problem-solving, and communication.
Another component of this grant is the Community Alliance on Racial Equity (CARE). As the CARE team, the organizations of Young Aspiring Americans for Social and Political Activism, Padres & Jovenes Unidos, Denver Indian Family Resource Center, and YouthSeen will build the coalition members’ capacity in identifying and dismantling oppressive systems and policies impacting community-led prevention. This collaborative strategy includes utilizing diverse sectors and stakeholders to elevate the impact of coalition planning and implementation alongside building authentic and sustainable bridges between targeted communities and each coalition.
For more information on how to participate please contact Darcie Ezell, Community Action Programs Manager.
