Key Leaders To Assist in Addressing Risk Taking Behaviors By Young People

On Tuesday, September  20th, 34 key leaders from Putnam  Valley attended a breakfast meeting sponsored by the Putnam Communities That Care (CTC) and Putnam Valley CTC coalitions and hosted by the Putnam Valley Volunteer Ambulance Corps.

The goal of the event was to procure a snapshot of what the community leaders thought were the issues facing young people in Putnam Valley. The leaders were from all different sectors of the community. There were representatives from local government, the faith and business communities, law enforcement, the schools, parents, media, healthcare professionals, youth-serving organizations and organization that deal with substance abuse issues. The school district assisted the coalition by presenting the survey in an interactive format which enhanced the process.

With these results and the results of the student survey, the coalition will be able to effectively assess the problems facing young people in the community and work on strategies to address those problems.  Substance abuse among young people does not discriminate; it is present throughout Putnam County, as well as the rest of the state and nation.

The Putnam Valley CTC coalition was formed to address those issues and do something about it. If you live in Putnam Valley and wish to help in this effort, contact Bruce Kelly at putnamdfcgrantee@gmail.com