United Way of Dutchess County Children's Health Initiative

Collaborations

Children's Health Initiative

Five community agencies have been awarded tobacco education grants through the Children's Health Initiative.

Dutchess County Executive William R. Steinhaus and Deborah Stein, Executive Director of the Dutchess County American Cancer Society and Chairperson of the Children's Health Initiative (an Action Team of the Dutchess County Children's Services Council), announced that five community agencies have been awarded tobacco education grants through the Children's Health Initiative.

The grants will fund eight projects that creatively educate young people about the harmful effects of tobacco use, reinforce the commitment of the majority of teens who do not smoke, and provide assistance and support to young smokers who wish to quit. Through the initiative and efforts of Executive Steinhaus, as well as the support of the Dutchess County Legislature, this is the third year that the Children's Services Council (CSC) has been awarded $500,000 to ensure that every child in Dutchess County receives prevention messages about tobacco use.

"When I first proposed the Children's Health Initiative in the year 2000, the goal was to develop new and innovative educational programming to more effectively teach children at an early age about the harmful effects of tobacco," said County Executive Steinhaus. "We have an obligation to educate our children about these harmful effects and help our children commit to making healthy lifestyle choices now and in their future."

Upon the recommendations of the Children's Health Initiative, the CSC distributes the funds to local agencies and organizations that demonstrate effective, research-based tobacco use prevention programs and strategies. Since its inception, the Children's Health Initiative has now allocated over 1.5 million dollars to fifteen different programs that have already impacted the lives of over 30,000 Dutchess County children, youth and teens.

"Reaching youth throughout their formative years is critical in reducing their likelihood of smoking," explained Deborah Stein, President of the American Cancer Society and Chair of the Children's Health Initiative. "The cancers caused by smoking alone cost our society millions of dollars every year, so the County Executive's commitment to this program is commendable, and a wise investment in preventive strategies to help our county now and in the years ahead," Stein said. United Way lends outcomes measures expertise to the Children's Health Initiative, and understands that a variety of communications methods need to be employed in order to reach people effectively. Therefore, a wide variety of programs are funded through the grants, and use multiple methods to work with and reach young people.

"The commonality is that we are reaching out to Dutchess County youth using media they engage in daily, in language they understand and respond to. These programs were written and developed for youth by youth. You can't get more on-target than that!" explained James Williamson, President & CEO of United Way of Dutchess County. "Our Children's Services Council has been recognized as a state leader in convening people and organizations to improve the lives of the people we serve," said James McGuirk, PhD, Executive Director of the Astor Home for Children and Chairperson of the Children's Services Council, referring to the recent United Way of New York State Community Building Leader of the Year award. "Today's announcements about new programs to protect and improve the health of our youngest citizens is a clear example of the great work of many council members," McGuirk noted.

The Children's Health Initiative is one of five action teams for the Dutchess County Children's Services Council. Each action team focuses on specific factors that contribute to the success and well being of children, youth and families in Dutchess County. The Dutchess County Children's Services Council was created in 1998 by County Executive Steinhaus, who invited Jim Williamson, President/CEO of the United Way of Dutchess County, to be a lead partner with him in developing the Council.

It has now grown to include over ninety parents, youth, educators, business and faith leaders who work together to improve the conditions and well being of Dutchess County children, youth, and families. In keeping with the CSC commitment to measuring outcomes and evaluating program success, the Council has contracted with Marist College to conduct an evaluation of each funded project and provide analysis of the overall impact of the Children's Health Initiative. For more information about the Children's Services Council or the Children's Health Initiative, contact CSC Coordinator Dawn Rougeux at 471-1900, extension 17, or at drougeux@unitedwaydutchess.org.

2003 Children's Health Initiative Award Recipients

St. Francis Health Care Foundation - a $94,906 grant to provide "Preventing Alcohol and Drug Abuse through Primary Education," a research-based in-school program that teaches drug resistance and social competency skills. The program will be offered in seven area elementary schools, including Cold Spring, Dover, Hagan, Nassau, Pawling, Seymour Smith, Windale school districts, reaching 2,500 students.
The Martin Luther King Cultural Center in Beacon - $23,290 for an after-school theater project. Thirty middle and high school students will research tobacco facts and issues and use the information to write, produce, and present a theatrical production with an anti-tobacco use message that will be performed before their peers and younger children.
Children's Media Project of Poughkeepsie received two grants.
- $34,182 will fund a project to engage 70 youth from Poughkeepsie, Millerton, Pawling, and Dover in the development and production of a counter-media video. Through their participation in the project, the teens will acquire new knowledge and skills that will help them abstain from smoking and understand how the media convincingly portrays smoking. The video will then be aired so that other young people can see and hear their message.
- Up to $80,000 will allow the Children's Media Project to provide training and professional support to educators in the use of a cross-curricular tobacco education textbook. The Children's Health Initiative provided funds last year for development of the textbook.
Hudson River Housing - A $16,837 grant will provide a tobacco prevention program to serve 150 runaway and homeless teens, increasing awareness of the negative consequences of tobacco use, encouraging smokers to stop, and providing opportunities for the teens to create art that conveys an anti-tobacco message to others.
Dutchess County Council on Alcoholism and Chemical Dependency (DCCACD) received three grants.
- A $69,558 grant will enable a research-based in-school prevention program to reach 6,000 students in nine middle and high schools, including Spackenkill, John Hay, FDR, Beacon, Red Hook, Webutuck, Arlington High, Linden Avenue, and Poughkeepsie Middle School. Nearly one hundred students will be served in smoking cessation classes provided by DCCACD, who will also coordinate a counter-marketing media campaign, encompassing video ads, billboard placements, and poster contest.
- A $28,000 grant will support a High School Prevention program to conduct a Teens Against Tobacco Use in Red Hook and Spackenkill high schools.
- A $32,940 grant supports teen focus groups to preview counter-smoking advertising for youth. Billboards and posters will also be developed by youth, and then all ads will be aired locally.

	Collaborations Children's Health Initiative Five community agencies have been awarded tobacco education grants through the Children's Health Initiative. Dutchess County Executive William R. Steinhaus and Deborah Stein, Executive Director of the Dutchess County American Cancer Society and Chairperson of the Children's Health Initiative (an Action Team of the Dutchess County Children's Services Council), announced that five community agencies have been awarded tobacco education grants through the Children's Health Initiative. The grants will fund eight projects that creatively educate young people about the harmful effects of tobacco use, reinforce the commitment of the majority of teens who do not smoke, and provide assistance and support to young smokers who wish to quit. Through the initiative and efforts of Executive Steinhaus, as well as the support of the Dutchess County Legislature, this is the third year that the Children's Services Council (CSC) has been awarded $500,000 to ensure that every child in Dutchess County receives prevention messages about tobacco use. "When I first proposed the Children's Health Initiative in the year 2000, the goal was to develop new and innovative educational programming to more effectively teach children at an early age about the harmful effects of tobacco," said County Executive Steinhaus. "We have an obligation to educate our children about these harmful effects and help our children commit to making healthy lifestyle choices now and in their future." Upon the recommendations of the Children's Health Initiative, the CSC distributes the funds to local agencies and organizations that demonstrate effective, research-based tobacco use prevention programs and strategies. Since its inception, the Children's Health Initiative has now allocated over 1.5 million dollars to fifteen different programs that have already impacted the lives of over 30,000 Dutchess County children, youth and teens. "Reaching youth throughout their formative years is critical in reducing their likelihood of smoking," explained Deborah Stein, President of the American Cancer Society and Chair of the Children's Health Initiative. "The cancers caused by smoking alone cost our society millions of dollars every year, so the County Executive's commitment to this program is commendable, and a wise investment in preventive strategies to help our county now and in the years ahead," Stein said. United Way lends outcomes measures expertise to the Children's Health Initiative, and understands that a variety of communications methods need to be employed in order to reach people effectively. Therefore, a wide variety of programs are funded through the grants, and use multiple methods to work with and reach young people. "The commonality is that we are reaching out to Dutchess County youth using media they engage in daily, in language they understand and respond to. These programs were written and developed for youth by youth. You can't get more on-target than that!" explained James Williamson, President & CEO of United Way of Dutchess County. "Our Children's Services Council has been recognized as a state leader in convening people and organizations to improve the lives of the people we serve," said James McGuirk, PhD, Executive Director of the Astor Home for Children and Chairperson of the Children's Services Council, referring to the recent United Way of New York State Community Building Leader of the Year award. "Today's announcements about new programs to protect and improve the health of our youngest citizens is a clear example of the great work of many council members," McGuirk noted. The Children's Health Initiative is one of five action teams for the Dutchess County Children's Services Council. Each action team focuses on specific factors that contribute to the success and well being of children, youth and families in Dutchess County. The Dutchess County Children's Services Council was created in 1998 by County Executive Steinhaus, who invited Jim Williamson, President/CEO of the United Way of Dutchess County, to be a lead partner with him in developing the Council. It has now grown to include over ninety parents, youth, educators, business and faith leaders who work together to improve the conditions and well being of Dutchess County children, youth, and families. In keeping with the CSC commitment to measuring outcomes and evaluating program success, the Council has contracted with Marist College to conduct an evaluation of each funded project and provide analysis of the overall impact of the Children's Health Initiative. For more information about the Children's Services Council or the Children's Health Initiative, contact CSC Coordinator Dawn Rougeux at 471-1900, extension 17, or at drougeux@unitedwaydutchess.org. 2003 Children's Health Initiative Award Recipients St. Francis Health Care Foundation - a $94,906 grant to provide "Preventing Alcohol and Drug Abuse through Primary Education," a research-based in-school program that teaches drug resistance and social competency skills. The program will be offered in seven area elementary schools, including Cold Spring, Dover, Hagan, Nassau, Pawling, Seymour Smith, Windale school districts, reaching 2,500 students. The Martin Luther King Cultural Center in Beacon - $23,290 for an after-school theater project. Thirty middle and high school students will research tobacco facts and issues and use the information to write, produce, and present a theatrical production with an anti-tobacco use message that will be performed before their peers and younger children. Children's Media Project of Poughkeepsie received two grants. $34,182 will fund a project to engage 70 youth from Poughkeepsie, Millerton, Pawling, and Dover in the development and production of a counter-media video. Through their participation in the project, the teens will acquire new knowledge and skills that will help them abstain from smoking and understand how the media convincingly portrays smoking. The video will then be aired so that other young people can see and hear their message. Up to $80,000 will allow the Children's Media Project to provide training and professional support to educators in the use of a cross-curricular tobacco education textbook. The Children's Health Initiative provided funds last year for development of the textbook. Hudson River Housing - A $16,837 grant will provide a tobacco prevention program to serve 150 runaway and homeless teens, increasing awareness of the negative consequences of tobacco use, encouraging smokers to stop, and providing opportunities for the teens to create art that conveys an anti-tobacco message to others. Dutchess County Council on Alcoholism and Chemical Dependency (DCCACD) received three grants. A $69,558 grant will enable a research-based in-school prevention program to reach 6,000 students in nine middle and high schools, including Spackenkill, John Hay, FDR, Beacon, Red Hook, Webutuck, Arlington High, Linden Avenue, and Poughkeepsie Middle School. Nearly one hundred students will be served in smoking cessation classes provided by DCCACD, who will also coordinate a counter-marketing media campaign, encompassing video ads, billboard placements, and poster contest. A $28,000 grant will support a High School Prevention program to conduct a Teens Against Tobacco Use in Red Hook and Spackenkill high schools. A $32,940 grant supports teen focus groups to preview counter-smoking advertising for youth. Billboards and posters will also be developed by youth, and then all ads will be aired locally.		Top 10 Reasons to Invest in United Way of Dutchess County What exactly does United Way of Dutchess County do with my investment?