By Shannon Lukens.

 

The Craig-Scheckman Family Foundation held an open house recently, to announce that they are expanding their support of youth in Routt County to support the mental health and well-being of local young people.

Here is Executive Director of the Foundation, Mark Andersen.

 “The idea behind this whole project is listening to our community on how they would like to address this critical issue in our community.”

 

From the power point presentation.

Why are they doing it? “We are here to make a positive difference in mental health for young people in our community.”

 

Andersen says a Community Advisory Group met for the first time last week. There will be 12 to 15 people on it throughout the process. That group will work with a Wellbeing Champions Group who are experts working with youth and mental health experts in the community. Guiding the process will be a consulting company out of Omaha, Nebraska, called Gilbert + Chittenden.

Here’s Dan Gilbert with Gilbert + Chittenden.

“We’re capable of creating solutions that make sense in this community that are connected with the strengths that the community has. We see this as a real opportunity.”

 

Andersen stressed the importance of hearing directly from youth in Routt County on what they want.

“We’re taking our time through this process because it’s very important to hear all voices in our community especially those that are often not heard. Youth voices, certain populations in our community. They’re not at the decision-making table and we want to bring that opportunity to them to be part of the decision-making process.”

 

Andersen expects the process to take ten months to a year.

The mission of the Craig-Scheckman Family Foundation is to engage “with communities to equipment them with the tools necessary to improve pathways towards equitable access to wellness and quality of life.”