History of YVPC

During the first five years of the project (2011-2016), YVPC-D implemented and evaluated the impact of a coordinated, comprehensive public health approach to reduce youth violence. YVPC-D helped start the Steps to Success community coalition in Denver’s Montbello neighborhood, trained coalition members in the Communities That Care (CTC) approach, and then used the CTC approach to prioritize Risk and Protective Factors to address. After choosing Risk and Protective Factors, the community coalitions selected and implemented evidence-based programs impacting youth and families including Strengthening Families 10-14 and PATHS social emotional learning program.

During the second five years of the project (2016-2021), YVPC-D implemented and evaluated a community-level prevention system that delivered community- and policy-level youth violence prevention strategies matched to local needs in two Denver communities. YVPC-D helped start the Park Hill Strong community coalition in Denver’s Park Hill neighborhood and continued to support Steps to Success. The coalitions followed the CTC approach again to select Risk and Protective Factors, and identified, developed and implemented four community-level strategies.

In the current grant cycle (2021-2026) the YVPC-D is developing, implementing, and evaluating three innovative strategies chosen by the Steps to Success and Park Hill Strong community coalitions to prevent violence against and amongst community youth.