Our mission is to partner with communities in Allegany, Cattaraugus, and Steuben counties in New York State to develop trauma-informed approaches to support substance use disorder (SUD) prevention for rural youth. We aim to accomplish this by linking and supporting rural communities’ schools, pediatric practices, and community organizations in relevant and meaningful ways.
We realize there are unique challenges facing rural communities today and if we want to make a difference, our support must be defined by the people and communities we hope to help.
Solutions you define—capacity we support
This community-first approach will lay the groundwork for a cross section of your rural community to advise on the design, implementation and support of a sustainable, trauma-informed intervention for youth.
What we bring to the table
We will leverage our resources, share our expertise on trauma-informed interventions for youth, and connect systems of care to build capacity for trauma-informed prevention and early intervention initiatives for youth at risk for substance use and SUD.
We value your insights and expertise
All individuals who choose to join a Community Action Board or focus group will be compensated with a small stipend for their time and insight. This stipend will be determined by the length and level of commitment, and a detailed explanation of payment will be provided if selected for participation.
View a "road map" for this community-based project:
For more information about the background and methodology, please see our project overview:
Contact us
For more information about this project or to learn how we can collaborate, reach out to the project manager, Chris Cretelle, MBA, PMP: Christina_Cretelle@urmc.rochester.edu
Interested in other UR Medicine Recovery Center of Excellence projects? Contact our Program Assistance.
Our team
Melissa Heatly, PhD: Principal Investigator (PI) Specializing in School Based Mental Health Initiatives
Allison Stiles, PhD: PI Specializing in Family Engagement and Integrated Primary Care
Kenya Malcolm, PhD, IECMH-E®: PI Specializing in Early Childhood and Family-Focused Care
Linda Alpert-Gillis, PhD: Senior Advisor Specializing in Innovation in Child Mental Health Service Delivery
Chris Cretelle, MBA, PMP: Project Manager
