About Us
Quick link: A contact list of CAC members and staff is available here.

Our Mission

To identify and coordinate comprehensive, research-based community programs for positive life span development and the prevention of problem behaviors, beginning with reducing substance abuse among our youth.

Our Action Statement

Prevention builds healthy families and healthy communities.

Our Vision

The Central Kenai Peninsula is a community of respectful stewards who nurture our resources, both human and material, for the health and well-being of all citizens.

Our Progress

Since its inception as a Coalition in July 2004, our diverse membership of non-profits, community leaders, members of law enforcement, the faith community, parents, educators and students, has held true to its name and has completed several “actions” that support the achievement of the identified mission “to identify and coordinate comprehensive, research-based community programs for positive life span development and the reduction of identified risk behaviors, beginning with the decrease of substance abuse among our youth.” A training series offered through Channing-Bete as a part of the Communities That Care ® process was initiated in early January, 2005.

Working together, the Coalition has achieved the following:
  • Refinement of a mission, vision and action statement that reflect the intent of the Coalition
  • Completion of the first three training phases of the Communities That Care ® Program
  • Increased membership from an initial 12 to a roster of 68 with six active committees and a diverse board representing local non-profit agencies, parents, law enforcement, clergy, health care, education and youth.
  • Identification of the three priority risk factors of the community, with two additional factors identified as consistent “threads” to consider at all times.
  • Creation of a working board, with the complete draft of by-laws.
  • Establishment of an interview/survey process for developing a profile of community resources.
  • Planning of a Prevention Needs Assessment to be conducted February 22, 2006, involving 1900 students in grades 6-12.
  • Initiation of a media campaign to include the local radio stations and the local newspaper. Full page ads announcing the Coalition and the focus on prevention of drug abuse for better mental health have been running in the local paper throughout the summer. A website will be up by January 2006.
  • Initiation and coordination of a collaborative effort among eleven community agencies, culminating in the successful application for a State Early Intervention and Prevention Grant which was executed in mid-August, 2005. This grant application received the highest score in the state and represents the integration of non-profit and community services which are a result of the Central Peninsula’s recognition that working together benefits everyone.

Our Challenges

Prioritization of Risk Factors

Available archival data from the Alaska state website (census driven) and various reports from the school district (drop out rates, suspensions) the local police and state troopers (arrest history) and the 2003 YRBS were used to evaluate the risk factors in terms of priorities for our target communities. The CAC has identified the following as Priority Risk Factors facing the communities of the Central Kenai Peninsula:

Community
Availability of drugs - Top Priority
It was determined that the ready access to drugs, as reported by participants who are parents with kids of all ages, the data from the YRBS and the trend toward earlier ages using ATOD, that availability of alcohol, tobacco, and drugs (prescription drugs as well as others) is a number one issue of risk in our communities.

Extreme economic deprivation - Long-term focus
Because of the high unemployment rate and the low median income of the area population that this risk factor would be a continuing long term focus, as it significantly affects the community although there will be no short-term correction. Changes, if any, will be made over time and with continued recognition that economic factors are a part of the data that must be considered at all times.

Family
Family Management - Top Priority
Several issues were joined in this discussion, with recognition of overlapping effects of family history, family conflict and favorable parental attitudes (permissiveness) toward the problem behaviors. It was felt that addressing family management as a priority would result in positive changes in these additional factors as well.

Peer and Individual
(Kids) favorable attitudes toward the problem behavior - Top Priority
The anecdotal trend of a belief that kids are more accepting of drug, alcohol and tobacco use is also supported by YRBS data indicating that these behaviors are increasing at younger ages. It has become a cultural norm to use these substances, creating the attitude of “everybody does it” and therefore it was felt to be a priority risk factor.

Constitutional factors - Secondary focus with ongoing support long-term
Constitutional factors are defined as anything that results in brain injury, which is then thought to increase the risk of problem behaviors. Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, shaken baby, concussions, ADD, etc are all contributing factors. Frontier Community Services reports FAS Intake assessments routinely being done ask the question of whether or not the respondent has lost consciousness or had a concussion have an almost 100% affirmative response.

School
Lack of commitment to school - Possible future focus
Reports on the YRBS demonstrate that 1 in 5 high school students does not identify support from someone in the school, and “feels alone.” This lack of commitment is a conditional factor that is another important aspect to consider.

The Community Prevention Team:
A Success Story

The Coalition was an integral participant in the collaborative effort of eleven different agencies who came together to jointly apply for the Alaska Behavioral Health Prevention and Early Intervention Grant. In early April, 2005, the Coalition took the lead in the community, meeting with various agencies to identify potential need and interest in sharing programs, projects and budget processes to create a collaborative community effort that would lead to the improvement in our suicide rates, improve overall family wellness and reduce drinking among teens and adults - essentially targeting the three main priorities that our research has identified as specific to our area. The specific priorities include family management, availability of drugs and the perceived attitude of our youth that drug use is acceptable coincide with the overall goals of the RFP, and the Coalition leadership felt that this grant would be an excellent source of funding for many of the project ideas that community agencies had identified.

Responding to a compressed timeline, the Coalition extended an open invitation to all interested parties of the membership, and facilitated additional planning sessions in order to move the planning of the grant application forward. As a result, eleven agencies joined together to create a budget, overall plan and commitment to a collaborative process of shared services. The hospital (Central Peninsula General Hospital), Central Peninsula Counseling Services (mental health) and Central Peninsula Community Health Centers (clinic) are three of the major participants sharing services in an integrated effort to improve behavioral health assessment and intervention community wide. Other agencies (and their programs) joining this collaborative prevention team include:

  • Community Action Coalition- Strengthening Families Trainer Training
  • IONIA-Common Sense Project
  • Frontier Community Services- Fetal Alcohol Early Intervention
  • Boys & Girls Club- Project Lead
  • Kenaitze Headstart- I Can Problem Solve
  • Kenai Peninsula Community Care Center
  • Kenai Public Health Nursing- Prenatal/Early Childhood Initiative
  • CICADA-Strengthening Families Program Sessions

The CAC would have continued the lead in this grant application, however the majority of participants felt that lacking independent 501(c)3 status (Bridges currently serves as the fiduciary agent for the Coalition) it would be better to utilize the accounting and management services of Central Peninsula General Hospital. Nevertheless, the efforts of the Coalition were applauded by the group and recognized as the driving force of this integrative and cutting-edge community effort. The application was accepted and the eleven agencies are now working together following the execution of the grant in mid-August. All members of the prevention team are looking forward to measurable impacts which demonstrate an improved community environment for all ages.

CAC Funding Sources

  • Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority
  • Purdue-Pharma, LLP
  • Central Peninsula General Hospital
  • Alaska Behavioral Health Prevention and Early Intervention Services Grant 2005

Drug Free Communities Grant, Year One (SAMHSA). Funds are being used to underwrite the cost of the Prevention Needs Assessment (grades 6-12, all schools), to develop a community specific profile of resources and to continue the media campaign for prevention awareness. Efforts will culminate in a coordinated community plan for supporting our protective factors while working to reduce our risk factors. Assessments of progress will be performed every two years using the Prevention Needs Assessment.

Staff have been hired to coordinate the volunteer group, and the application for our independent non-profit status will be completed soon.

 

A contact list of CAC members and staff is available here.