Back to Home Page ~> Vashon Healthy Community Network

A state-established, community-based
network acting to reduce:

*Youth Substance Abuse
*Domestic Violence
*Child Abuse and Neglect, and
*School Drop Out

United in an effort to strengthen Vashon Island families.

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Events

Community Feedback from June 5th performance

Many thanks to all of you who participated in the discussions after the performance! Here's a summary of the feedback and ideas you all shared:

Click here to open PDF file of community feedback summary

Thank you for joining us at the June 5th performance!

Now Hear This...
a performance by Truth Be Told Theater group
Held Thursday June 5th at VHS Library with Opening Remarks by Stephen Bogan, Directed by Harris Levinson, Members of Vashon Youth Council performing, Community Discussion after performance facilitated by Maryam Steffen. Thank you for joining the Vashon Healthy Community Network and the Vashon Youth Council for an evening of food, performance, and community discussion about issues affecting Vashon Island Youth. This performance was a documentary theatre presentation based on the findings of Vashon's Healthy Youth Survey.

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Summary from April 22nd Dinner Meeting

• Summary coming soon....

Review Materials for April 22nd Dinner Meeting

• Results from a 2007-8 survey of prevention programs currently available on Vashon...click here
• Results from a March 2008 survey of about 250 McMurray parents...click here

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About VHCN
We all have an interest in the health of our Vashon Island Community

For printable copy of our brochure, click here. (opens pfd file)

Maybe you are a soccer coach who has helped repair a vandalized ballfield, a single mom who would like to be able to afford to buy a house on Vashon, or a new dad who juggles job, commute, and parenthood. Maybe you are a church volunteer who serves the homeless on Wednesday nights, or a business leader who is active in several island organizations. If any of these sound like you, you can consider yourself a member of the Vashon Healthy Community Network.

The Vashon Healthy Community Network is one of about 36 grass-roots networks established by the Family Policy Council of Washington State. These networks were created in 1994 to bring a local voice into policies and programs that support youth and families. The networks are charged with improving seven “problem behaviors” identified by the state: child abuse and neglect, youth violence, youth substance abuse, teen pregnancy, domestic violence, school drop out, and teen suicide. Networks around the state are working on these issues by assessing strengths and concerns in their community, researching effective strategies, and devising local solutions to improve outcomes for children, youth, and families.

Vashon Healthy Community Network Is Reactivating

The Vashon Healthy Community Network is currently in a reactivation phase.
The Network has received funding of $70,000 for the 2007-09 biennium. The Network’s role is threefold:

• Collect data that provides a picture of Vashon’s successes and challenges in identified problem areas.
• Communicate with the Vashon community about the findings of the data collection and make decisions about Island priorities in conjunction with the greater community.
• Leverage resources to help provide funding in areas identified by the community as highest priorities.

Based on currently available data about Vashon, the Vashon Healthy Community Network has selected four focus areas: youth substance abuse, domestic violence, child abuse and neglect, and school drop out. The Network will regularly evaluate these focus areas based on new and improved data gathering and on community input..

Next Steps

Between now and June 2008, the Vashon Healthy Community Network needs to build capacity to have a fully functioning Network Board with a thoughtful plan for improving the rates of our four focus areas. The Network needs engaged Vashon Island residents and professionals in meaningful dialogue about how children and families are doing. In addition, the Network needs strategic leadership from island institutions and collective wisdom of church elders, soccer coaches, business owners, and youth themselves. Over the next few months, the Vashon Healthy Community Network will continue to gather and refine data that indicate the health of the community. The Network and the Vashon Youth Council will host a youth performance and community forum on June 5, 2008 at the Vashon High School Library at 7pm.

Vashon Community Health Indicators

Here are some of the indicators of the health of our community that were gathered during 2006 and 2007:

• Poverty 20% of all families on Vashon have incomes of less than $30,000. About 1/3 of Vashon’s female-headed households with children are below poverty level.
• Homelessness Over a three-year period, the Vashon Interfaith Council on Homelessness has responded to 104 requests from the homeless or near homeless, including 23 families.
• Substance Abuse Indicators There is a higher than expected rate of motor vehicle injury and deaths on Vashon. The annual illicit drug hospitalization rate for Vashon averaged 207 for years 2000-2004.
• Child Abuse and Neglect The number of Child Protective Services referrals of victims on Vashon that were accepted for further actions increased from 26 in 1998 to 48 in 2005.
• Domestic Violence Local social service professionals believe that domestic violence is largely underreported and hidden due to the isolated nature of housing on rural Vashon.
  

The Vashon Healthy Community Network is established by the Family Policy Council of Washington State.
The Vashon Healthy Community Network gets its staff support from Vashon Youth and Family Services (VYFS).
Interested in Vashon Healthy Community Network data or events?
Contact Sam Collins at Vashon Youth and Family Services 206-463-5511.

Mailing Address:
Vashon Youth & Family Services
PO Box 237
Vashon, WA 98070

Send email inquiry to: info@vyfs.org

Stop by in person at: 20200 Vashon Hwy SW (on the VHS campus)