Arthur Levitt Public Affairs Center

Communities That Care

Oneida County Communities That Care (CTC) is a nationally recognized risk and protection model for a community mobilizing process to promote positive youth development.  New York State has adopted the CTC model and supports communities across the state with training and technical assistance through OASAS, the Office of Alcohol and Substance Abuse.

History

The Levitt Center was active in the startup of Oneida County Communities That Care, which was initially promoted by the Funders Council then County Executive Ralph Eannace, the cities of Utica and Rome, the Community Foundation, the United Way, the Utica National Foundation, Oneida County BOCES and Madison-Oneida BOCES.  The Levitt Center continues its support of CTC, now a 501(c)3, in Oneida County through:

• Participation of the Associate Director for Community Research on the Community Board.
• Administration and supervision of the VISTA grant, first for the Cornhill Caring Communities Project and now for the West Side Project.
• Engagement of students and faculty in service-learning, research and volunteer activities with community organizations.

Beginning in January, 2000, the Levitt Center hosted 4 Community Forums and Trainings for the CTC model at Hamilton College and continued to provide leadership, with the Associate Director acting as CTC Coordinator until one was hired.  Student Research Assistants are instrumental in compiling community-based research reports such as Monitoring the Community and Community Resource Assessment.  The CTC Community Board meets monthly at the Utica Public Library on the third Tuesday at 9 am and has evolved into a voluntary collaborative board.