About Us

In July 2006, Holmes County was one of six Ohio counties selected to receive a Partnerships for Success (PfS) grant from the Ohio Department of Youth Services. The Holmes County Family & Children First Council, a diverse partnership of organizations and individuals committed to improving the well-being of local children and families, engaged in the PfS strategic planning process to build capacity within the county to prevent and respond effectively to child and adolescent problem behaviors.

Three key components were completed during the 1st year: 1) Needs Assessment, 2) Resource Assessment, and 3) Strategic Action Identification. As a result of the PfS Needs Assessment process (including a community survey completed by over 1,000 county residents), reducing substance abuse was identified as the county’s highest priority. The Family & Children First Council recognized that starting a diverse community prevention coalition would be the single most effective action it could take to ensure a long-term comprehensive approach to youth substance abuse.

The Holmes County Prevention Coalition was created in July 2007 to develop and implement a long-term plan for reducing local substance abuse. Nearly 40 individuals, representing 12+ community sectors, joined the coalition during its first year of existence.  

The Prevention Coalition has strategically engaged several resources to help it become an effective community coalition. The Coalition joined Ohio’s Statewide Prevention Coalition Association (to learn from existing anti-drug coalitions) and the Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA) in mid-2007. The Coalition enrolled in CADCA’s National Coalition Academy Cohort 8. Two coalition members participated in this year-long training program to help communities start and/or sustain a highly effective anti-drug coalition. Topics covered included community assessment, problem analysis, logic modeling, strategic action planning, coalition evaluation, and sustainability planning.

The Holmes County Prevention Coalition was recognized as the most outstanding 2008 graduate of the National Coalition Academy and was awarded the Chairman’s Award at CADCA’s National Leadership Forum in February 2009.