Community Connections Coalitions

Community Connections Coalitions

YOU, Inc. serves as the fiscal agent for two DCF-funded Community Connections Coalitions, one located in Worcester and one in Southbridge. The intent of a Community Connections Coalition (CCC) is to develop and sustain a community infrastructure that mobilizes and aligns effective, collective responses to the identified needs of families, with the goal of preventing child abuse and neglect. Four core coalition functions are identified as essential to work of CCCs:

• Family Support Services
• Family Preservation Services
• Time Limited Reunification Services
• Adoption Promotion and Support Services

In their work toward building local family support systems and preventing child abuse and neglect, coalitions are expected to establish a new, or enhance an existing, community-based infrastructure that provides a safe and neutral setting for residents and service providers, including DCF, to communicate, make decisions, share resources, and coordinate action planning. Funds for Community Connections Coalitions are expected to be used to provide facilitative leadership and to coordinate collaborative work.

The Community Connection Coalitions in Worcester and Southbridge provide a safe and neutral setting for residents and service providers, including DCF, to communicate, make decisions, share resources, and coordinate action planning.