BCSCC works to provide a safer and more positive community

By Shannon Weidemann (McKone) on Friday, June 18th, 2021 in Eastern/Southeast Oregon News More Top Stories

BAKER COUNTY – Do you know about Baker County Safe Communities Coalition? Do you know who they are and what they do?

The following information was issued by the Baker County Safe Communities Coalition to help shed some light on they they are all about.

“The Baker County Safe Communities Coalition (BCSCC) is a group of people from Baker County who represent different sectors of the community. These sectors include education, civic groups, faith groups, social workers, law enforcement, parents, youth and more. Our focus is to create a safer and more positive community, for everyone. Our work is guided through different funding streams.

The Drug & Alcohol Prevention & Education block grant work is based in substance abuse prevention. The goal for this grant, as it pertains to BCSCC, is to create drug & alcohol free family events (Movies in the Park) among other events. This grant also provides prevention education to schools, parents and the community as a whole.

The Mental Health Prevention & Promotion grant has been an excellent resource for community based work. This grant employs a full time coordinator to teach social emotional skills, and suicide prevention education to youth in our community. You may have seen our “You Matter” campaign around? This campaign is funded through this particular grant.

New Directions Northwest is the fiscal sponsor for both of these grants.

The Local Community Advisory Council has also awarded the coalition with funding for past, present and future coalition projects. Currently the coalition has received funding from the LCAC for a LGBTQ+ Healthcare Guide and Awareness Campaign. The LCAC has also provided funding for our coalition to purchase more medication lock boxes, for suicide prevention.

The Baker County Safe Communities coalition is a grass roots campaign. Guided by locals, and serving locals. We are working to make Baker County a safer and more positive place to live, work and play!

If you would like to be a part of our coalition please contact Haley Hueckman @ hhueckman@ndninc.org. Thanks to all our current and past members. We appreciate you all!”