Jefferson County Community Network FAQs

 

What is the Community Network?

 

The Jefferson County Community Network is a prevention advocacy organization. We bring agencies, schools, community groups and parents together to work on preventing child abuse and youth substance abuse. We are part of a DSHS agency called the Family Policy Council, which works with Networks in other counties and represents us at the state level. We also receive funding from Washington State's Community Mobilization Program to focus on the prevention of youth substance abuse and violence prevention.  The Community Network is governed by a policy board consisting of citizen volunteers and representatives from local agencies. Currently the Network employs one part time staff person.

 

Please click here to see the organizational flowchart:

 

JCCN Flowchart-Draft 2009-10.pub

 

Are you a County agency?

 

We serve Jefferson County residents, but we are not a “County agency.” We receive no funding from Jefferson County or the City of Port Townsend. We rent space at the County Health Department, and work closely with them and other local agencies to do our work. We do not report to the County Commissioners, or the Port Townsend City Council.

 

Are you a non-profit?

 

Our legal status is a “quasi governmental agency.” We are not a 501 (c)3 non-profit organization. The Jefferson County Health Department is our fiscal agent.

 

What do you do?

 

We look at the big picture of prevention in Jefferson County, and help the community identify gaps in service and emerging needs. We review data from a variety of sources, and stay abreast of the latest trends in prevention science. We convene the Healthy Youth Coalition, a 180-member group of parents, youth-serving agencies, organizations and schools. We administer various family support activities, including PT Babies, an online community forum for new parents. We provide funding to local groups promoting healthy families and a healthy community. We provide operational support and capacity building to the county’s youth centers. We research funding opportunities and write grant proposals for local programs. We provide training to local agencies and non-profits on topics such as grant writing, program evaluation, and drug identification. We keep local elected officials apprised of emerging needs in the prevention community, and strive to broaden knowledge and understanding of prevention principles throughout the community.  We offer public forums, outreach and educational programs with many community partners.

 

Contact:

Anne Dean, Contracted Program Manager          Julia Danskin, Chair

(360) 379-4495                                                         (360) 385-9420

adean@co.jefferson.wa.us                                     jdanskin@co.jefferson.wa.us

 

rev 11/09

 

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Washington State's Community Mobilization Program:

Effective prevention of alcohol, tobacco, drug use, and violence requires communities to become organized and strongly motivated to meet the challenge. Successful prevention efforts require that a community find a structure and process that encourages a variety of independent, local organizations to cooperate effectively in the delivery of prevention services. In Washington State that structure and process is the CM model. 

http://cted.wa.gov/site/355/default.aspx