Initiatives
Teens For a Better Tomorrow(T4BT) is the youth advisory board for the Chambersburg Cares coalition. This is a group of high school students from Chambersburg Area Senior High School and the Chambersburg Career Magnet School. These students are working to reduce risk factors among their peers to encourage healthy behaviors. T4BT students will lead projects such as the "be kind." campaign, poverty simulations, town hall meetings, etc. There are many leadership and resumé building opportunities available. Click here for additional information.
Alcohol is the leading drug problem among youth in Franklin County. Underage drinking is strongly linked to delinquent behaviors, including stealing, illicit drug use and problems at home and at school. But yet, parents remain the #1 source of alcohol for Franklin County youth. Youth who begin drinking before age 15 are five times more likely to develop alcohol dependence or abuse alcohol later in life than those who begin drinking at or after age 21. Additionally, heavy alcohol use by adolescents has long-term effects on brain development. Help us change this attitude and protect our youth. It is not okay for parents to provide alcohol and open their home to underage drinking. Click here for more information.
Kindness has been shown to cause a ripple effect. Research shows if you show kindness to one person, that person will show kindness to four people and those four people will show kindness to four more people and so on. These exchanges of kindness can change the world. The "be kind." campaign is led by our youth advisory board - Teens For a Better Tomorrow. Click here if you would like to learn a little more about this years kindness campaign.
Studies show that girls tend to drop out of sports at a higher rate than boys when they reach 4th through 6th grades. The Go Girls Go! program is designed to increase emotional health and develop the love of running for girls in the program. The GGG program is offered at 4-5 different locations each spring and fall season.
This program is directed by Healthy Communities Partnership. Click here for additional information.
The opioid epidemic continues to hit Pennsylvania particularly hard. Although the U.S. as a whole is in the midst of an epidemic of opiate addiction and overdose, Pennsylvania has a much higher overdose rate than most states. PA Stop is designed to educate Pennsylvanians about the risks of prescription painkiller and heroin use, the relationship between painkiller and heroin use, and what to do when you need help. We are working to prevent non-medical use of prescription painkillers and, in so doing, to break the connection between heroin and prescription painkillers. Together, we can stop opiate addiction before it starts. Click here for PAStop information.
Do you know someone that is prescribed painkillers? Do you know someone that abuses prescription meds, heroin, or other opioids? What if there was a way for you to be prepared to save their life if they were to overdose? Operation Save A Life can help. By the end of OSAL training, participants will be able to recognize opioids, know how to prevent and respond to an opioid overdose, and be trained in the administration of Naloxone, a medication that reverses an opioid overdose. Training is FREE and has saved lives in our area. Registration is required and space is limited. This program is directed by Healthy Communities Partnership. Click here for more information.
The coalition can provide educational material for servers, managers, and patrons of alcohol retailers. Whether you own a distribution center or a restaurant, we will assist in providing you the tools and materials necessary to handle underage and high-risk drinking. Click here for additional information.
Chambersburg Cares staff and members can be present at various events to provide education and training related to the vision and mission of the coalition. To find out more, click here.
Now is the time! Many smokers are thinking about quitting, but not knowing how to be successful can add another roadblock in preventing the quit attempt from ever starting. You can help yourself and those you know find the road to success with tips, tools and support from a trained tobacco cessation counselor and support group.
This program is directed by Healthy Communities Partnership. For additional information, click here.
The Chambersburg Cares coalition can only be effective with the assistance of community volunteers. We need representation in the following 12 sectors: business, civic/volunteer organizations, healthcare professional, law enforcement, media, parents, organizations involved in substance abuse, state/local government, schools, religious/fraternal organizations, youth-serving organizations, and youth. If you're interested in learning more or becoming a member, click here.
Strengthening Families Program: For Parents and Youth 10-14 is a parent, youth, and family skills-building program that:
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Prevents teen substance use and other behavior problems
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Strengthens parent/youth communication
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Increases academic success in youth
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Prevents violence and aggressive behavior at home and at school
Get the tools, skills, and strategies to build a stronger family in seven sessions!
This program is directed by Healthy Communities Partnership. Click here for additional information.
Check & Connect is an intervention used with K-12 students who show warning signs of disengagement with school and who are at risk of dropping out. At the core of Check & Connect is a trusting relationship between the student and a caring, trained mentor who both advocates for and challenges the student to keep education salient. Students are referred to Check & Connect when they show warning signs of disengaging from school, such as poor attendance, behavioral issues, and/or low grades.
This program is directed by Healthy Communities Partnership. Click here for additional information.
For over 25 years the Student Assistance Program has worked in Pennsylvania to help troubled students. In some situations we are a first line of support for students dealing with any drug & alcohol, sadness, peer drama, family, or bullying issues. We support students in school, but we also connect students and families to outside resources to help them negotiate some of life’s most tumultuous storms. HCP provides Student Assistance Program trained liaisons that serve in all of the middle and high schools in Franklin and Fulton County. Liaisons provide one-on-one student screenings for mental health and substance abuse concerns, group sessions with a variety of themes, and SAP Team consultation within each school. This program is directed by Healthy Communities Partnership. Click here for more information.