Healthy Youth Central Area Network (HYCAN) focuses on this geographic area:

520 to the North

1-5 to the West

Lake Washington to the East

Massachusetts to the South

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Strategic Prevention Framework

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Strategic Prevention Framework (SPF), is a systemic community-based approach that aims to ensure that substance abuse prevention programs can and do produce results. The idea behind SPF is to use the findings from public health research along with the evidence-based prevention programs to build capacity within the States and the prevention field. This in turn will promote resilience and decrease risk factors in individuals, families, and communities. The SPF has sustainability and cultural competency as overarching areas for the 5-Step Framework:

1. Assess Needs   Priority risk factors are identified, informed by the Healthy Youth, Community, and Coalition Surveys. Local conditions and community data from Network Coalition are additionally considered.

2. Building Capacity  Community organizations with similar issues are engaged in cooperative efforts to address priority concerns and identify strategies to reduce risks. Neighborhood volunteer groups, community councils, local government representatives, and other area entities are also invited to support HYCAN goals and objectives by participating in the Network Coalition.

3. Plan  Strategies that are targeted to reduce priority risk factors are evaluated and considered in the planning process. Relevant evidence-based programs/practices from the Athena Forum  “Excellence in Prevention” recommendations, as well as other innovative practices, are selected as strategies to reduce risk and increase protection.

4. Implementation   With the support of HYCAN’s Network Coalition, as well as community partner collaborations, strategies and programs are then implemented to target populations.

5.Evaluation Select programs and strategies are evaluated for effectiveness and reducing risk factors, informed by the annual and biennial surveys, feedback, and community-level change.

Stephanie Tschida, PREVENTION COALITION NETWORK COORDINATOR

Stephanie comes to HYCAN with diverse experience in youth prevention and intervention initiatives. She was the Founding Executive Director of Panels for Progress, a non-profit organization positively empowering adjudicated youth through the creation of public art. As a member of the start-up team for Seattle Community Court, she helped to reduce chronic use of the criminal justice system for misdemeanor offenders through a national problem-solving justice initiative. In the heyday of youth gangs, she worked in several prevention initiatives to provide positive alternatives to negative behavioral activities. 

Stephanie also served in the past, as a Seattle Public Schools ReEntry/Intervention Specialist at South Lake Alternative High School. Active as a community volunteer, she is the longtime chair of the East Precinct Advisory Council and is a member of the Central Seattle Neighborhood District Council.

XP has joined us!

XP: Lyricist, R&B Artist, and Rapper Extraordinaire

We are so excited to work with XP, our teaching artist for our Hip Hop 2 Prevent (H2P) Program.

Raised in Detroit and now a staple of the Pacific Northwest music scene, XP (short for Xperience) is a multifaceted musician with deep roots in hip-hop and R&B. After moving to Olympia, WA in 1995, XP began crafting his unique sound, solidifying his dream of a music career.

XP’s breakout moment came in 2004, opening for Brother Ali and collaborating with Macklemore on The Language of My World. He became an integral part of Macklemore’s global tours and contributed to platinum hits like "Good Ol’ Days," "Marmalade," and "Glorious." A member of the renowned Oldominion collective, XP has also released acclaimed solo projects, including The Durden Papers Vol. 1, Chasing Grace, and Picsean.

Currently touring worldwide, XP is gearing up to release his most personal and ambitious project yet, continuing to inspire and captivate audiences with his music and story.

Born and raised in Seattle, Washington, Lacey Lemon is a performing dance artist who specializes in rhythm tap. Lacey has grown up dancing at Northwest Tap Connection Dance Studio, training in various styles of dance including modern, ballet, house, and hip-hop. She is currently a teacher at Northwest Tap Connection and continues her training at Kollective8 and The Garden Dance Company. Lacey has performed with world renowned all-female tap band Chloe Arnold’s Syncopated Ladies, and continues to perform on various locally acclaimed stages such as the Paramount and The Moore Theatre.