County Coalitions

Cheyenne County Kids Making a Connection

• Meeting Time KMAC meets the first Monday of every month at 7:00 p.m. in the basement of the Cheyenne County Clinic.
• Vision:
  To be caring and supportive individuals focused on making Cheyenne County a viable place to call home with healthier community members.
• Mission:
  To provide educational opportunities which includes early childhood development, abuse, neglect and drug-free life styles which encourages citizens of all ages to become self-directing, contributing members of society through community-based prevention and alternative programming.
• Background
  The Kids Making a Connection (KMAC) group was formed as a product of the CHAP process during the fall of 1999. Near the end of this process, Regional Prevention Center staff was invited to join the group as a resource for coalition building. The group was led through the Communities That Care process, and identified problem behaviors by assessing the KCTC student survey data report from the previous year. Substance abuse was identified as one of the top five concerns in the county, and the KMAC group chose to target this problem area. Time was spent recruiting new members and out of this, the county attorney’s office became involved with the group.

• Meeting Time Decatur County Interagency Team meets the last Thursday of every month at 12:00 p.m. at the Landmark Inn restaurant.
• Vision:
  A safe, stable community.
• Mission:
  To promote and strengthen positive actions that enhance our community.
• Background
  The Decatur County Interagency Team was formed in the spring of 2000 by High Plains Mental Health Center staff with the purpose of identifying ways to support the children and families of Decatur County. In the fall of the same year, Regional Prevention Center staff was invited to share with the team, information regarding mini-grants coming available to community coalitions which were doing strategic planning. Three groups were combined: the Interagency Team, the original JJA Planning Team, and the newly-formed Community Mobilization Team. The group chose to keep the Interagency Team name.

• Vision:
  A caring and supportive community where people are making safe, healthy and productive choices.
• Mission:
  Identify and increase protective factors and reduce risk factors for all ages in Gove County by providing education opportunities, skill development, and recognition for positive behavior.

• Vision:
  The citizens of Logan County and its surrounding communities making responsible choices for healthy lifestyles.
• Mission:
  To provide prevention and information resources to reduce adolescent behaviors and increase early childhood education and healthy involvement in Logan County and its surrounding communities.

• Meeting Time Rawlins County Community Prevention Board meets the second Monday of every month at 12:00 p.m. at the Rawlins County Courthouse.
• Vision:
  A community where caring citizens make consistently healthy decisions regarding alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs.
• Mission:
  Educate the community and initiate preventative actions regarding alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs, and related issues.
• Background:
  The Rawlins County Community Prevention Board was formed in the winter of 1997. The group was initiated by Regional Prevention Center staff after the community of Rawlins County was identified as having sufficient risk and having shown community readiness for change. The RCCPB applied for and received two years of funding through the State Incentive Cooperative Agreement: October 1, 1999 – September 30, 2000, and October 1, 2000 – September 30, 2001. In addition, the coalition has also applied for and received funding through the Kansas Health Foundation and JJA (twice), in the form of mini-grants. The coalition has received literally thousands of dollars of in-kind support from the community of Rawlins County, mostly soft-match type donations. The RCCPB has also received around $1400.00 in monetary donations from the community over a four-year period. The RCCPB has been accepted by the community as a resource for addressing youth ATOD use.

• Meeting Time Sheridan County Interagency Council meets the second Wednesday of every month at 11:30 a.m. at Trish’s Steak House.
• Vision:
  A community where residents actively participate to improve their lives and the lives of others.
• Mission:
  To have a healthy, safe community to raise families by creating on-going awareness, community and/or policy changes as needed. And have identified community risks to include but not limited to: violence prevention, teen pregnancy, parenting, substance abuse, early childhood education, child abuse and neglect.

• Meeting Time CPPE meets the second Tuesday of every month at 3:30 p.m. MT at Gambino’s.
• Vision:
  Community Partnership for Prevention and Education-Sherman County shall respond in meeting the needs of Sherman County families by providing quality education and awareness regarding issues which promote a healthy family life.
• Mission:
  To provide all families with quality services from a variety of community stakeholders that strengthen family relationships and promote individual growth and focus on substance abuse, juvenile delinquency, teen pregnancy, child abuse and neglect, youth with problem behaviors, strengthening early childhood education and enhancing parenting skills.
• Sherman County Afterschool Project:
  The Sherman County Afterschool Project is offered to 1st-4th grade students. Students ride the shuttle bus to Central Elementary School. The Afterschool Program starts at 3:30 and ends at 5:00. The project is a collaboration of several agencies including the following: Big Brothers Big Sisters of Sherman County, Goodland Public Library, NW Kansas Technical College, Sunflower Extension District-Goodland, USD 352, Regional Prevention Center, Goodland Arts Council, Goodland Activity Center, and Sherman County Farm Bureau. The program is held Mondays through Thursdays for four five week sessions starting in October and ending in March. A drug prevention curriculum (Too Good For Drugs and Violence) is incorporated as part of the Afterschool Project as well. Too Good For Drugs and Violence offers activities that build skills and strengthen healthy development in eight key areas including: goal setting, decision making, managing emotions, bonding and relationships, communication, conflict resolution, drug awareness, and community involvement. For additional information please contact the Sunflower Extension District Office at 785-890-4880.

• Meeting Time TCIC meets the second Thursday of every month at 11:30 a.m. at Montana Mike’s.
• Vision:
  A county where all people make lifelong, safe, and healthy choices and provide a strong environment for learning, work, and leisure.
• Mission:
  To collaboratively strengthen and unite individuals, families, and the community. To include: strengthening early childhood education and reduction of substance abuse, youth with problem behaviors, juvenile delinquency, teen pregnancy, violence, school drop-outs, child abuse and neglect.
• Thomas County Youth Advisory Board (YAB)
  “It’s OK to Say NO WAY!” Campaign
  “It’s OK to say NO WAY!” is a community wide, multi-year campaign to help kids say no to drugs, alcohol, and other destructive choices. The campaign has been spreading its message throughout Thomas County since 2004. TCIC helps spread the message by: Partnering with KXXX/KQLS 100.3 (The Ride) radio station to reach thousands of people in Western Kansas during the “NO WAY Minute.”
• Thomas County Children’s Report Card
  The Kansas Children’s Report Card is part of a 10 year project. It is funded by the Kansas Health Foundation to provide a regular, consistent measure of how Kansas children are progressing toward becoming healthy and productive citizens. The report card evaluates the quality of life for Kansas children in five categories: Safety and Security; Health; Education; Teen Years; and Child Care.
  We all understand report cards and the meaning of grades. This report card helps us look beyond the numbers to evaluate local conditions that affect the well-being of our children and youth. In 2004 Thomas County received the overall grade of B.
  To view the Thomas County Report Card click on the link below. http://www.kac.org/crcard.html
  
  
• Thomas County Afterschool Project
  The Thomas County Afterschool Project is offered to 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade students. USD 315 provides transportation from Colby Grade School to the Colby Community Building. The Afterschool Program starts at 4:00 p.m. and ends at 5:15 p.m. The project is a collaboration of several agencies including the following: Colby Recreation Department, Pioneer Memorial Library, K-State Research & Extension, Presbyterian Church, Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect, Colby Girl Scouts, Colby Fire Department, Colby Police Department, United Methodist Church, First National Bank, and the Regional Prevention Center. The program is held on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays for two ten week sessions starting in September and ending in March. A drug prevention curriculum (Too Good For Drugs and Violence) is incorporated as part of the Afterschool Project as well. Too Good For Drugs and Violence offers activities that build skills and strengthen healthy development in eight key areas including: goal setting, decision making, managing emotions, bonding and relationships, communication, conflict resolution, drug awareness, and community involvement.

• Currently, this is not an active coalition in Wallace County; however the RPC does provide services whenever needed. If you are in need of services or information and you live in Wallace County, please contact the Regional Prevention Center at 785-460-8177.