Caring Communities

Mission

To build healthy communities through creating strong, healthy families.

Caring Communities is a program focused on empowering and strengthening youth and families. The Community Social Worker will help identify the needs of the family and work with the family to access the appropriate need based service. We provide guidance and resources through prevention, intervention and education in the areas of Family/Parenting; Substance Abuse/Use;and Social Issues/Peer Relationship.

Caring Communities' Krista Walker meeting with a client

How Can We Help You?

The social worker at Caring Communities can meet with you to provide confidential referrals for whatever your needs may be. She can help you navigate your mental health benefits and/or refer you to the most appropriate local resource. She can also provide these resources over the phone.

Community Forums

Each year we present four community forums. Last year we had over 230 parents/students attend the following forums:

“Current Drug Trends of Teens”
“Child Trafficking”
“Exploring Futures: Get A Grip”
"Love & Logic Parenting”

Forums scheduled for this year include:

“Internet Safety” November 1, 2012
Rick Miller: Founder of Kids at Hope and Award Winning Speaker - January 24,2012 at the Fine Arts Center
“Explore: Get a Grip” for Middle School Students January 31, 2012 at the Fine Arts Center
“Talking to Your Kids About Sex” February 21,2013 at STMS
“Current Drug Trends of Teens” April 18,2013 at the Fine Arts Center

Last year we sponsored a speaker for all Freshmen girls on the topic “Healthy Relationships”

Second Step

We support Second Step, a bullying prevention program that focuses on building essential competencies: empathy, impulse control, problem solving and anger management. Classroom use of this program helps provide children with skills they need to create safe environments and become successful adults.

4,000 students, grades 2-8 take part in this program

Results show a 43% improvement from pre-to post testing on knowledge-based items and behavior change as measured by responses to scenarios. Visit www.cfchildren.org/second-step.aspx for more information on this researched based skill building program.

Students volunteering at the Triple R Horse Rescue

Student Volunteer Club

We facilitate a Student Volunteer Club where students, grades 4-7, can get involved with community service projects which leave lasting impressions and build foundations for future community involvement. In the Fall of 2012 we helped at The Scully Learning Center, Triple R Horse Rescue & the Foothills Food Bank.

In 2011/2012: Caring Communities Served:

52 Elementary students
12 Middle School students
9 High School students
15 adults/seniors

What people are saying about Caring Communities

Our last forum: ”Great info! Very informative and good speaker!”

Second Step: ”I learned so much about making good choices!”

Referrals: ”The social worker, Krista, helped me find a therapist in our area that worked with kids and accepted our insurance. I couldn’t have done this without her. “