Our Community Coalition
Since 2005, Mercer Island Healthy Youth Initiative has led efforts to prevent local youth from using alcohol & other substances that impact healthy development.
Why a Community Coalition?
Community coalitions are an effective organizing force for improving community outcomes. The Healthy Youth Initiative’s vision to promote “Every Mercer Island teen thriving with a foundation of physical and mental health, free of substance abuse and high risk behaviors” is achieved by bringing together members of the community - parents, teachers, youth, health care professionals, public safety officers, faith communities, business and civic leaders, and others - motivated to respond to underage substance use and engage the community in collaborative problem solving.
The Healthy Youth Initiative Coalition is a voluntary partnership within the Mercer Island community that works collaboratively to promote a safe and healthy culture for local youth to succeed. The efforts of the Healthy Youth Initiative are directed by residents and local representations that are motivated to respond to underage substance use and engage the community in collaborative problem solving. Together we champion for the health and well-being of local youth.
“If we want health, we must promote health.”
— Dr. Jeff Linkenbach, Montana Institute, Science of the Positive
Why focus on prevention & promotion?
Mercer Island Healthy Youth Initiative utilizes science that is accurate, relevant, and credible to overcome existing misperceptions and achieve positive outcomes for Mercer Island youth. Behavioral health science has an important role in defining the Coalition's approach to community change.
The Institute of Medicine’s continuum of care is a classification system that we use within the Healthy Youth Initiative to define the scope of our work. The HYI follows that promotion is a part of an overall continuum of care that targets a whole population. Promotion interventions are designed to support a community to cultivate conditions that enhance an individual’s ability to realize and actualize their full potential.
In addition, promotion-based strategies optimize an individual’s well-being to build resiliency to cope with stress, and make meaningful contributions to their social environment. Since childhood experience can have a lasting impact on a person’s life, the Healthy Youth Initiative focuses on promotional activities that foster positive childhood development from infancy through young adulthood.
According to the National Research Council, prevention strategies are about striving to optimize health and well-being by reducing the burden of mental, emotional, and behavioral disorders on the healthy development of children and young people. Prevention strategies are intended to prevent substance use disorder and reduce the risks and consequences associated with underage substance use.
These strategies are designed to address (1) universal interventions for the general public, (2) selective interventions to focus on individuals at higher than average risk of underage substance use, and finally (3) indicated measures support individuals that are actively experiencing early indications of underage substance abuse disorder. In all cases, prevention is intended to build individual and community strengths and assets.
The HYI utilizes the Strategic Prevention Framework developed by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and Positive Community Norms Model from The Montana Institute to inform our work.
When applying the steps of SPF to the HYI, sustainability and cultural competence are central. These guiding principles ensure that all HYI related activities are respectful and responsive to the cultural portfolio of Mercer Island. Cultural competency or humility is not just about being respectful of the beliefs, practices, cultural and linguistic needs of the diverse people and groups in our area. In practice, the HYI Coalition customizes prevention and promotion in a way that reflects and fits with the cultures and groups on Mercer Island, and offers inclusive language and messaging including the use of translation services.
What we can achieve with the HYI Coalition:
Increase community engagement to promote healthy youth development.
Encourage adults to model healthy, low-risk behaviors for youth.
Support policies that promote healthy behaviors specifically among youth.
Promote help-seeking and reduce stigma around mental health and other support services.
Address community misperceptions regarding underage substance use.
Enhance family support services that promote positive parenting practices and discourage underage substance use.
Increase youth engagement and leadership opportunities.
Improve public recognition of healthy, developmentally-appropriate youth behaviors.