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Caring Communities

Serving Jasper & Newton Counties

The Alliance of Southwest Missouri is the State of Missouri’s "Caring Communities" Partnership for Jasper and Newton Counties. Caring Communities’ mission is to measurably improve the condition of Jasper/Newton Counties families, children, individuals, and communities. We encourage collaboration among public and privite community entities to build and strengthen comprehensive community-based support systems.

Achieving this vision is measured by six core results:

• Parents working
• Children safe in their families & families safe in their communities
• Children and families healthy
• Children ready to enter school
• Children and youth succeeding in school
• Youth ready to enter the work force & become productive citizens

Caring Communities Programs

First Families
First Families is skills training designed to increase resilience and reduce risk factors for behavioral, emotional, academic and social problems. It builds protective factors by:

• Improving family relationships
• Improving parenting skills
• Increasing youth’s social & life skills

 Guiding Good Choices
A proven effective ATOD-prevention program that gives parents the skills they need to ensure the future well-being of their children. In controlled studies, Guiding Good Choices has been shown to:

• Reduce alcohol and marijuana use by 40.6%
• Reduce progression to more serious substance abuse by 54%
• Reduce the likelihood that young people will commit delinquent acts

Communication Banquets
Mother/Daughter and Father/Son events that stress the importance of communication between parent and youth.

Safety & Health Events
Annual community events that address various safety and health issues.

Holiday Events
Annual community events such as Holiday Heroes and Helpers in Seneca that provide under-privileged children with Christmas gifts and Fall Harvest Party, in Neosho, as a safe alternative Halloween.

Building Blocks
Every parent wants their child to grow up healthy, happy … and successful. Research has identified 40 developmental assets (Building Blocks) that young people need to grow up healthy.

Coordinators