What's NEW? 

New Training Opportunity!

Choosing the Best Prevention Strategy for Your Community

Offered FREE at three locations:

January 24, 2003 in Boston
January 28, 2003 in Western Mass.
January 31, 2003 in Worcester

"Choosing the Best Prevention Strategy for Your Community," sponsored by the NCHC and several statewide partners, is the first in a series of trainings designed to support communities in their health improvement efforts.   The training will provide important information on science-based prevention providing valuable information for upcoming funding opportunities in the field of health promotion.  This FREE training is open to all youth program coordinators, substance abuse providers, school health personnel and anyone interested in learning more about programs proven to be effective in preventing substance abuse.

Click here for more information and for registration information.

New Grant Opportunity!

Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), and the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP)

Drug-Free Communities Support Program

ONDCP and OJJDP are collaborating through the Drug-Free Communities Support Program to reduce substance abuse among youth; help community coalitions strengthen collaboration; enhance intergovernmental collaboration, cooperation, and coordination; enable communities to conduct data-driven, research-based prevention planning; and provide technical assistance, guidance, and financial support to communities. 

Deadline: March 11, 2003

Funds: Approximately 150 grants of up to $100,000

Click here for information on grant writing.

The Northeast Center for Healthy Communities

As of July 1, 2002 we have changed our name to Northeast Center for Healthy Communities. As you can see we have not had a chance to change our website yet, but hope to get to it soon.

What has changed:

• Our service area has expanded.  In addition to the current 24 communities in the Merrimack Valley, we will serve an additional 29 communities from the North Shore area.

• Our work with six Community Health Network Areas, CHNA�s (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, and 16) will focus on developing leadership for regional health planning.  We will collaborate with communities to reduce alcohol, tobacco and other drugs.  We will work with all coalitions and programs to mobilize youth and young adults for leadership and civic action.

• The Library that was located in Beverly will be moving to the North Shore Community College (information on how to access these materials will be sent out shortly). Our Resource Library in Lawrence will be limiting its hours from 1PM to 5PM.

What will remain the same

• We are still hosted by the Greater Lawrence Family Health Center.

• We are still located at 101 Amesbury Street, 4th Floor, Suite 405, Lawrence, MA  01840.

• You can still access our website for information on services and resources.

• We will continue our work with Substance Abuse/Prevention coalitions, Community Health Network Areas, Massachusetts Tobacco Control Programs, youth serving programs and coalitions.

• We will continue to maintain a Resource Library in Lawrence.

We have a job opening so please visit our Job's Page.

What you need to strengthen your 
work....

Merrimack Valley Prevention Center's Grants Guide

The Grants Guide provides helpful information to nonprofit organizations on researching and writing for smaller prevention-oriented grants (up to $5,000).

Five-Year Health and Social Service Plan for the City of Lawrence
A draft of the health plan the Greater Lawrence Community Health Network Area (CHNA) has been developing for Lawrence.

Youth Services Directory of the Merrimack Valley 
The Youth Services Directory provides you with helpful information on organizations throughout the Merrimack Valley that provide prevention services to youth.   

Tobacco Free Network of the Merrimack Valley Website

The Tobacco Free Networks are active groups of concerned citizens and community programs working in Northeast Massachusetts to address the problem of tobacco use.

Lawrence Resident Environmental Tobacco Smoke Survey

The results of a survey of 426 Lawrence voters conducted in the summer of 2001 by the Lawrence Board of Health Tobacco Control Program and the Prevention Center.

The latest health data 
you need...