Teens in Hartford Promoting Sober Youth (TIHPSY) PDF Print E-mail

In early 2006, four Stump youth, Dyllan Leonard, Chad Ricketts, Khiree Smith, and Joseph Wilkerson were selected to serve on the national Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA)-National Youth Leadership Initiative (NYLI). The youth were required to attend a two day NYLI orientation in Washington, DC and then four day training in Henderson, Nevada of this same year. The Mission of the NYLI is “To strengthen the skills and capacity of youth in anti-drug coalitions to influence positive community change”. These trainings enabled Hartford Behavioral Health (HBH) and Hartford Communities That Care (HCTC) to compete and secure a three year ($85,000 per year) grant from the Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS). The grant is based on the Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) Strategic Prevention Framework (SPF) model to address Underage Drinking.


Shortly after securing the grant, HBH and HCTC partnered with the Community Renewal Team (CRT ) to form a coalition to address Underage Drinking in Hartford. This coalition is now known as the Teens in Hartford Promoting Sober Youth (TIHPSY) and is guided by the youth themselves and supported by the adults in the coalition. In December of 2007, 12th Grader Khiree Smith was appointed as the Director of the TIHPSY Coalition.

The process for implementing the SPF model is as follows:
  • Assessment:
    1. Analyzing Information About the Problem, Goals and Factors Affecting Them
    2. Establishing Vision and Mission
  • Capacity:
    1. Defining Organizational Structure and Operating Mechanisms
    2. Assuring Technical Assistance
    3. Developing Leadership
    4. Arranging Resources for Community Mobilization
  • Planning:
    1. Developing a framework or model of change
    2. Developing and Using Strategic Action Plans
  • Implementation:
    1. Implementing Effective Interventions
    2. Sustaining the Work
  • Evaluation:
    1. Making Outcomes Matter
    2. Documenting Progress and Using Feedback
As of December 2007, the TIHPSY Coalition has completed several of these initial steps and continue to progress toward the others. We are currently recruiting for additional youth and committed adults and our coalition meetings are held every 4th Tuesday from 6:00-7:30 (locations vary) for more information, contact 860-209-8957.