2006-2007 Community Teams
Barron County Safe and Stable Families Coalition focuses on methamphetamine and other substance abuse and addiction. Team members represent:
- Barron Co. DHHS
- Barron Co. Board of Supervisors
- Children's Service Society of WI
- Marshfield Clinic Community Outreach
- St. Croix Tribal Mental Health
- Barron Co. Drug Court Advisory Board
- Chetek Community Drug Awareness Group
- Barron Area Schools
Substance abuse along with the growing problems associated with methamphetamine, are affecting every aspect of life in Barron County. Team members hope that the Leadership Institute program will help them create strategies to tackle this large and complex issue. Because of an existing culture of alcohol use and high-risk drinking in Western Wisconsin, team members feel their task is even more difficult. They hope to transform the goal of reduced methamphetamine and other substance abuse into effective policies and strategies that can lead to changes within their community.
Healthy People Portage County is addressing the problem of obesity and lack of physical activity. Team members represent:
- Portage Co. HHS
- SAINTS Health Services for Business
- Saint Michael's Hospital
- UW - Stephens Point
- Portage Co. Planning and Zoning
- Stevens Point Area School District
The Obesity and Physical Inactivity Team of the Healthy People Portage County coalition has successfully implemented a number of interventions over the past six years. Most have been educational in nature and successfully raised awareness about this growing health issue. The team hopes that through their participation in the Community Teams Program, they will learn more about how to affect environmental (social and physical) and policy changes that will have a lasting impact on their community.
The La Crosse Area Dental Care Advocacy Coalition is working to create access to affordable dental are. Team members represent:
- La Crosse County Health Dept.
- Scenic Bluffs Community Health Center
- Western Wisconsin Technical College
- St. Clare Health Mission
- Franciscan Skemp Healthcare
- Gunderson Lutheran Medical Center
- La Crosse County DHHS
Dental care access is a large and growing problem throughout the state and the recently formed La Crosse Area Dental Care Advocacy Coalition is focusing attention on finding solutions. Although team members are successful in their field individually, most do not have experience working together as a coalition to solve a complex problem. They hope that participation in the program will enhance their skills in bringing the community together around this challenge.
The Milwaukee Partnership for Reducing Adolescent Risky Sexual Behavior team members represent:
- New Concepts Self Development Center Inc.
- Milwaukee Adolescent Health Program/MCW
- City of Milwaukee Health Department
- Milwaukee Health Services, Inc.
Four agencies form this collaborative and are united around the goal of reducing adolescent health disparities due to high-risk sexual behavior. The newly formed team faces challenges related to team development, leadership and role identification. Members hope that the Community Teams Program will provide a structured and formal team building opportunity that will enhance their ability to move forward together to achieve lasting community change.
The Wisconsin LGBT Youth Health Initiative team represents a community of interest working to decrease tobacco, alcohol and drug use as well as injury and mental health problems among lesbian, gay, bi-sexual and transgender youth in Wisconsin. Team members represent:
- Diverse and Resilient, Inc
- UW Dept. of Professional Development
- Wisconsin DHFS
- Milwaukee LGBT Community Center
- Gay, Lesbian, Straight Education Network
- Chris Doerfler and Associates
Diverse and Resilient, Inc. and the Rainbow Alliance for Youth are the springboard for the current workgroup. Partners want to address the ongoing health promotion and disease prevention needs of LGBT youth beyond HIV/AIDS, simultaneously accounting for the discrimination that promotes risk-taking and the limited community support for these efforts. Through participation in the program, team members hope to increase ties to the public health community, hone planning skills, increase saturation of programming in current service areas, and discover ways to challenge complacency and misinformation about LGBT youth.
