Youth Connections Foundation

YC Magazine: The organization produced 4 magazines & distributed 7,000 copies per issue to families in our area to help families with resources & information to raise substance-free kids. It also highlights kids & adults doing noteworthy things in the community.

During the year, 8 roundtable discussions, 15 regional trainings & 790 virtual training sessions were held. New prevention specialists receive approximately 200 hours of onboarding each. Sixteen days of substance abuse prevention training occured, educating 69 people from across the state. Two online live ethics trainings were presented. YC was instrumental in getting the cerficiation for prevention specialists up & running in Montana.

Colation work: The organization works with the DUI Task Force on reducing drunk/drugged driving; distributing parenting Montana materials to families at multiple events & health fairs; helped with the senior all night aprty to keep graduates safe; collaborated with multiple community partners including elevate Montana-helena affiliate, school district wellness committe & suidide prevention workgroup; provided substance use prevention information at health fairs; worded to distribute PAX social emotional learning tools to parents & community members; developed an escape room to educate youth on the dangers of substance use, coordinated a training with tall cop to train law enforcement, teachers & parents on drug trends & signs of use; educated lawmakers & the public of the dangers of marijuana.