Coalitions | TALK 2 Healthy Choices
Take Action Link Kids 2 Healthy Choices
NorthEast Support Team (NEST) Coalition
TALK 2 Healthy Choices Coalition is located in Spokane County, serving both the Cheney and Airway Heights communities. The coalitions boundaries as defined by CPWI are coterminous with the boundaries of serving youth within the Cheney School District catchment area. The Cheney School District has 5 elementary schools (Betz, Salnave, Snowdon, Sunset and Windsor), 2 middle schools (Cheney and Westwood), 1 high school (Cheney), 1 alternative high school (Three Springs) and 1 parent partnership home school program (Home Works).
Take Action and Link Kids to Healthy Choices Coalition (TALK 2 Healthy Choices) was established in January of 2019 with service to families in Cheney and Airway Heights to bring positive change and to create a protective network of prevention services for youth and families. Strategies selected by the coalition to combat risks within the community include parent education sessions and information nights, youth education such as Project Success, Positive Social Norms campaigning, and drug take back events. The coalition has an active youth coalition at Cheney High school, High school Health Helpers (H^3), that work to promote and educate their peers and community on living positive healthy lifestyles. As well as coalition members who are actively involved in meetings, events and decision making to help represent the 12 sectors of our community, such as – local school districts, youth leadership, parents, local government, health care, youth serving organizations, faith-based organizations, other substance abuse serving organizations and law enforcement.
Our Commitment
TALK 2 Healthy Choices is committed to helping build healthier communities by providing evidence-based practices and promoting positive changes within the community. Our priorities include reducing underage drinking, marijuana use and opioid misuse/abuse among Middle and High School aged youth. Coalition members are most concerned about the following risk factors:
- School performance, youth delinquency (substance use and driving under the influence of substances) and mental health/depression
- Any underage drinking, current tobacco use, and current e-cigarette (any “electronic nicotine delivery systems” also known as vaping devices) use, current marijuana use, and current prescription drug use to see consumption pattern/trends
- Community disorganization and community connectedness, availability, youth perceptions: lack of enforcement and risk, early initiation of use, low commitment to school and lack of prosocial skills, parent attitudes tolerant of substance use and poor family management
Contact: Jessica Deutsch, TALK 2 Healthy Choices Community Coalition Coordinator
Vision
Uniting the Cheney and Airway Heights communities for a safe, healthy and drug-free environment for youth.
Mission
Linking and empowering the communities of Airway Heights and Cheney to reduce substance abuse primarily among youth through action, education, and collaboration.
