Community Partnership for
Healthy Adolescents

In January 2003, the NJ Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS), Child and Adolescent Health Program, announced a Request for Application (RFA) for provide funding for the Community Partnership for Healthy Adolescents (CPHA) - an initiative to strengthen a community’s ability to promote health and reduce harmful risk-taking behaviors in adolescents.

On July 1 st, eight (8) agencies, located in various communities throughout New Jersey, were funded to implement this grant initiative. The grants utilize the infrastructure of a community-based, adolescent-focused Partnership. The goal of the Partnership is to engage community collaboration to develop a comprehensive plan for coordinating the education and resources needed by adolescents to attain and maintain positive health habits.

Each grantee employs a full- time coordinator for the Partnership and also provides oversight and direction to the Partnership. The Partnership involves a broad network of community stakeholders representing youth and family-serving organizations, school administration and educators, family planning, local/county health departments, law enforcement, mental health and substance abuse, the business sector and policy makers. The stakeholders are recognized for their expertise in the adolescent issue areas that have been specifically identified by the Partnership.

The Partnership coordinates, implements and evaluates activities and interventions to address two of the following adolescent issues:

• preventing pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs);
• promoting nutrition and physical activity;
• preventing violence and injury;
• preventing substance abuse.

The issue areas selected by each CPHA were identified by the needs assessment of their adolescent population. Programs and interventions implemented by the CPHA incorporate positive youth development and utilize “best practices” or “model” programs.

These grantees also work closely with schools in their community to develop mentoring programs; foster youth leadership programs and to encourage young people to get involved through community service projects.

Lastly, the CPHA grantees work to improve and strengthen referral and follow-up mechanisms between providers of community-based adolescent services. Each CPHA maintains a resource inventory of adolescent service providers in their targeted area.

For additional information about the CPHA grantees, contact Elaine Eldred, Program Officer or Cynthia Collins, Adolescent and School Health Coordinator at 609-292-1723. If you are interested in a specific community served by one of the Partnership grantees, contact information is provided below.

COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP FOR HEALTHY ADOLESCENTS