Community Engagement

Healthy Kids Colorado Survey (HKCS)

Partners relies on data and the HKCS to identify risk and protective factors, understand substance use trends among our youth, and develop community level prevention goals. The HKCS takes place every odd year, and all schools in our service region (Grand, Routt, and Moffat) participate in the survey.

This local data gives us a better understanding of the specific Risk and Protective Factors that our youth are facing. We work alongside other youth serving agencies and community partners to analyze the HKCS data and to create community wide substance use goals.

Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) Healthy Kids Colorado Dashboard.

Being able to share this data with our local youth helps to reinforce Positive Social Norms, and to break the belief that “everyone is doing it.” When we ask youth how many of their peers they think are using drugs, alcohol, or tobacco; they always believe that the majority of their peers are using these substances when in reality it is a small percentage of the youth population.