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TASK FORCES OF THE
FOCUS ON OUR FUTURE COLLABORATIVE BOARD

Click on the Task Force name for more information.

  • Caring Habits
  • Communities That Care
  • Dental Task Force - The purpose of this task force is to increase the availability of dental care for children and families with the medical access card or who are uninsured and to educate the overall community about the importance of proper oral hygiene. The hopes are that children and families in Venango & Crawford counties have access to affordable dental care and that community dental providers will work with the task force to achieve the task force goals.
  • Diabetes Task Force - The mission of the task force is to reduce the rate of death and complications due to diabetes, cardiovascular disease and obesity, and to prevent the onset of these chronic diseases through the promotion of healthier lifestyles. The hoped for outcomes are: 1. To reduce the incidence and complications of diabetes and promote cardiovascular health through prevention strategies, early indentification, education and advocacy. 2. To serve as an active partner with industry, schools, healthcare agencies, and commuity members in achieving healthy lifestyles. 3. Promote the optimal health of our community while reducing the need for healthcare. Some of things being done to acieve this mission is: 1. Provide community educational programs targeting diabetes, cardiovascular health and obesity. 2. Provide educational opportunities for physicians and other allied health professionals. 3. Promote and advocate for improved access to care and services. 4. Raise awareness of the availability of diabetes and cardiovascular educational services and screenings.
  • Early Care and Education Task Force - The purpose/mission: Quality Child Care Matter Because... The early years really do matter! Research has shown that children enrolled in quality early childhood programs tend to be more successful later in schooling and more competent socially and emotionally. The hoped for outcomes is that every child wins when high quality child care is provided. Parents know that their children are happy and experiencing the joy of learning. Employers know that their employees are more productive and focused on work. Teh community knows that there are long lasting economic and social benefits produced by high quality early childhood programs.
  • Faith-Based Task Force - Our vision is of communities where: (1) every young child will have the unconditional love and support of a bonded family posessing the healthy beliefs and parenting skills to help each child realize their potential (2)every growing child will have the support of a responsive community that will provide the opportunities and recognition to build on individual strengths (3) every family will have the support of churches, schools, agencies and neighborhoods to assure that healthy beliefs and clear standards are conveyed to each generation (4) churches, govenment agencies and other service providers are able to respond to changing needs and risks quickly and effectively.
  • Families First Network - The purpose of the Families First Network task force is to monitor program activities, review program polices & procedures, workplans, budgets and funding proposals and make recommendations to the FOOFCB for approval.
  • Family Group Decision Making (FGDM) Implementation Team - Purpose/Mission: To design the FGDM process in Venango County by November 2004, and implement this as a working model by May 2005.
  • Fatherhood Initiative - The mission of the Venango Fatherhood Initiative is to empower fathers to grow in their capacity to nuture by supporting, counseling, educating, and challenging fathers to become a strong positive force within their families. Workshops will meet the psychological and physical challenges of parenting, negative behaviors will be changed and social development of bother fathers and children will be accentuated; these are the hope for outcomes.
  • GENERAL FOCUS ON OUR FUTURE MONTHLY MEETING
  • H.E.L.P - Help Eradicate Lice Program - The purpose/mission is to ensure continued support and operation of the HELP Program in Venango County. The hoped for outcome is to decrease the number of days children are absent from school by performing headchecks and providing follow-up in home referrals to families with re-occuring problems.
  • Healthy Youth/Healthy Communities - This task force is promoting community awareness about the Search Institute's 40 Developmental Assets. Our mission is to create a community-wide commitment for "Asset-Rich" youth!! Our hopes are to have healthier children and fmailies. Objective: To establish a School Health Advisory Council in every Venango County School District and to encourage our youth to develop their own artistic skills through various methods.
  • Juvenile Delinquency Prevention Task Force - This task force is in active as of 10/14/04.
  • Parenting 101 - This task force's mission is to increase the number of parents participating in a parent education program in Venango County. We also help parents become more competent caregivers, increase knowledge of child behavior, and strengthen communication skills.
  • Planning Task Force - The Mission of the Integrated Services Planning Task Force is to eliminate barriers for children and their families through seamless access to assessment and referral, and act as a resource to service providers as they develop and implement an outcomes oriented evaluation process. Goals: 1. Development of a plan that: Integrates indicator data from FOOFCB, CYS, JPO, MH/MR and D& A; Includes a gap analysis- What services exist in VC, What services are working (producing desirable outcomes), What services are not working; Determines service priorities for children and families in VC. 2. Indentification of additional potential corridors of service integration. 3. Development of centralized entry access to the categorical human services system. 4. Development of an evaluation culture among human services providers (continuous learning organizations), including those funded by categorical funding streams and those funded by other sources, including the ability to "return on investment". What is being done to achieve these goals: 1. Evaluation Training 2. Update of Indicator Report 3. Development of Community wide Performance Measurement System 4. Pursuing the development of integrated services to include development of assessment of community treatment for families involved in multiple service systems 5. Planning towards the development of a single entry port to county human services 6. Development of a stakeholders groups to increase parent/consumer involvement in planning efforts
  • Sex, Drugs, Rents and Raves - Focuses on educating the parent/adult community on the issues facing their teens.
  • Together We Can Prevention Council - The mission: The TWC Prevention Council strives to alleviate, to the greatest extent possible, the risk factors leading to substance abuse and/or illegal substance use through community organization and development, public education training and a coordinated collaborative system of quality services for our youth and their families. The purpose: All children deserve to live and grow in a supportive family environment which enables them to develop to their fullest potential as individuals, family members and community citizens. The overall purpose of this council is to mobilize a network of school and community individuals who will identify and change the conditions that lead to alcohol and other drugs use among the youth in Venango County. The overall goals of TWC include: (1)Becoming knowledgeable about the research in the prevention field, (2) developing an outcome-oriented plan and continually updating it, (3) coordinating the efforts of many organizations as partners for prevention in their community, (4)haveing a shared view of the current situation through needs assessments and other resources with a vision through the prevention and tobacco plans for ways to improve that situation, (5) drawing on members complimentary skills and resources, (6) reducing community disorganization and changing community norms favorable toward drug use and (7) meet on a monthly basis to monitor and evaluate the goals and objectives of the prevention and tobacco plans.
  • Venango County Safe Kids - The purpose / mission is to increase public awareness that injuries can be prevented; to initiate injury prevention policies at the local, state and national level; to educate parents and caregivers to provide a safer environment for children; to promote safety education to children and youth in the major risk areas of traffic safety, water safety, fire safety, poison prevention, falls and other unintentional injuries. The hoped for outcomes is a reduction in childhood death and disability due to injury. To achieve the purpose / mission we have monthly meetings to plan activities specifically designed to improve safety in the areas of traffic injury, fire safety, water safety, fall, poisoning, choking, playground safety and animal bite prevention.