Adam’s County Health Department practices youth engagement that is intentional, inclusive, and mutually respectful to include young people in moving our work forward and encourage young people to create positive social change. We hold ourselves accountable for empowering youth of marginalized communities to eliminate disparities and decrease barriers for young people. We lead our youth engagement work with a social justice and racial equity lens and work towards creating concrete and sustainable change in communities. In these partnerships, power is shared, and young people’s skills, strengths, ideas, and perspectives are valued and integrated into the design and delivery of programs, strategies, policies, and organizational priorities.
Through anti-oppressive practices and meaningful engagement, young people build and develop their own skills and capacities as well as those of their communities as they disrupt the misuse of power in their lives. We use evidence-based strategies such as Social Justice Approaches to Youth Engagement, Positive Youth Development, and Social Development Strategy to foster collaboration between youth and youth-serving individuals that promote authentic and equitable youth voice and engagement.
Adams County Health Department is committed to partnering with youth and youth-serving organizations across Adam’s County. If you are a youth-serving organization in Adams County looking for support and/or partnership in youth engagement, please reach out to [email protected].
If you are looking for ways to get involved in your community, check out the following links to county and state-wide youth engagement programs:
- Teens for Change is the youth leader board of I-70 Corridor Communities That Care.
- Brighton Youth Commission (BYC) is a body of 22 youth and six adults appointed by Brighton City Council to study and investigate matters impacting youth in the City of Brighton.
Youth Prevention Resources
Sometimes, prevention resources look different in different communities. While we have listed several traditional agencies and organizations that support young people, we want to recognize and acknowledge resources and individuals such as trusted adults, libraries, and community-based organizations that provide wraparound support. To learn more about becoming a trusted adult or resource in your community, check out the following links:
- Youth Mental Health First Aid
- One Trusted Adult
- The Community Guide
- Community Standards of Practice for LGBT individuals
- Creating an LGBTQ-Friendly Practice
Adams County Health Department supports you as you support the young people in your community and lives. If you want support and/or partnership in prevention and education, please contact [email protected].
For Community Members
Adams County Health Department works to prevent substance use among young people through the Communities That Care program. The I-70 Corridor Communities That Care Coalition is an evidence-based process that addresses underlying causes of youth health problems and increases positive outcomes by targeting shared risk and protective factors.
Tobacco Free CO is a product of CDPHE’s state tobacco education prevention and cessation program.
For Youth
For youth mental health resources, please see the mental health resources above.
- Rainbow Alley
- Aurora Youth Options
- UpRise is Colorado’s social justice youth tobacco control movement.
- Rise Above Colorado is a statewide prevention organization that aims to impact teen’s perceptions and attitudes about the risk of substance use to promote youth health and empowerment.
- Forward Together
- Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids is a national organization focused on youth advocacy and tobacco.
For Parents, Caregivers, and Trusted Adults
