Coatesville to Become Communities That Care Site

Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency Awards Coatesville Youth Initiative Funding to Establish a “Communities That Care” Site in Coatesville

December 8, 2009

COATESVILLE, PA –The Brandywine Health Foundation announced today that the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD) voted this morning to approve $50,594 in funding for the Coatesville Youth Initiative (CYI). The Initiative will use the funding to establish a Communities That Care (CTC) site in Coatesville, similar to those in other Chester County communities including West Chester and Kennett Square. The funds will be administered by the Brandywine Health Foundation, the official grant applicant.

According to Chaya Scott, Director of the CYI, “We’re pleased that PCCD recognized the strong planning process we undertook last year, collecting data, scanning youth serving programs, and conducting focus groups and interviews throughout the Coatesville Area School District (CASD). We documented that there is a need for a network of youth-serving activities in the community, assistance for high school students so that they graduate with a plan, and opportunities to assist parents, and train mentors and those working with youth so that they can effectively help young people grow into productive, contributing adults.”

Scott went on to note that CTC programs require documentation not only of risk behaviors that young people engage in, but of the “protective factors” in a community that they can build on with evidence-based programming. “We have a fabulous group of five “key leaders” who have made a commitment to implementing the CTC model in Coatesville: CASD Student Services Director Angelo Romaniello, District Attorney Joseph Carroll, local minister Linwood Smith, Coatesville Weed and Seed Director Allen Smith, and CASD Board Member Bob Knecht. They are looking forward to working with The COAD Group, the CTC technical assistance provider, as well as the Chester County Department of Drug and Alcohol, and the other CTC sites in the county: http://www.caringcommunitiescoalition.org/about.htm

Coatesville Youth Initiative Employment Opportunity (PDF)