April 25, 2013
Communities that Care program continues to thrive in Tooele City

Tooele City Communities That Care has recently finished training new facilitators for its Guiding Good Choices Program.

Facilitators were trained by Milo Berry, who is credited with bringing Communities That Care to Tooele City. The new facilitators will join our current facilitators, who are Richelle Larsen, Heidi Peterson, Mandi Murphy, Lori Thurston, Melanie Castagno, Jacqueline Motley, Shara Johnson, Brady Christensen and Jaclynn Sagers.

Our new facilitators are anxious to share what they have learned.

“When you find something that works, you want to share it,” Debbie Christensen said. “After taking the course and adapting the principles in my family, I know they work. I know I am a better parent when I am guiding my children and allowing them to make choices for themselves.”

Stacy Smart is the Tooele City Communities That Care Guiding Good Choices family program coordinator and facilitator.

Under Communities That Care, the Guiding Good Choices program offers five session workshops to families with children ranging from ages 9 to 17 at no cost. It is a fun and interactive program that helps improve family communication and bonding as well as teaching skills to children about how to stay away from drugs, alcohol and other negative behaviors.

Guiding Good Choices’ curriculum is a research-based program conducted by Dr. J. David Hawkins and Dr. Richard F. Catalano of the University of Washington. Their research showed that consistent and positive parental involvement is vital in helping children resist substance abuse and negative behaviors. The research also identified risk and protective factors which are highlighted in the curriculum.

Tooele City first began teaching the workshops in 2005 and has served more than 500 families in the community. Session topics include how to prevent drug use in your family, how to develop healthy beliefs and clear standards, how to say no to drugs, how to control and express your anger constructively, and how to strengthen family bonds.

Tooele City Mayor Patrick Dunlavy, as well as the Tooele City Council, have been great advocates of this program. With an understanding of the benefits of prevention programming, they have funded the program, making it free to all participants.

We are excited to offer summer daytime workshops. They will be held June 4, 6, 11, 13 and 18 or July 9, 11, 16, 18 and 23 at Tooele City Hall from 10 a.m. to noon. Children 9 years old and older are encouraged to attend with their parents during the third session.

For more information or to register, contact Stacy Smart at 843-2185 or email stacys@tooelecity.org.