Members of the Communities That Care group were joined by Allison Frantz and David Zimmerman from the Lehigh County Suicide Prevention Task Force during the May 15 CTC meeting.

Frantz and Zimmerman introduced the group to a new website called Lehigh Valley Community Hub.

According to its website, “The Lehigh Valley Hub is a tool that can help support leaders working toward community change with a focus on cross-sector data-driven collaboration. The intent is to encourage the sharing of data and the use of data to effect change throughout the life span of an initiative.”

It is filled with research, articles and resources on a number of topics, such as behavioral health, housing and health, education, nutrition and food access and more. There are a variety of different measures of health by county, town or region to give community leaders an idea of what sort of assistance is needed where to be most effective.

“We would like our community to have a conversation,” Frantz said. “We try to keep everything current.”

She noted the site is free and available for everyone to use.

Denise Continenza, CTC moderator, reminded the group the results from the 2019 Pennsylvania Youth Survey are now available. The group analyzes the survey results to identify areas they should focus on moving forward.

Middle school students take the survey every two years to allow administrators and groups like the CTC to see what areas of concern they can address. Identifying these risk factors early allow for preventive measures to be taken before larger problems occur. It also provides the opportunity for administration to see the effectiveness of any previous preventive measures.

It was reported the survey will be administered in the high school as well in the future.

The CTC members will split into smaller groups, and each will focus on a specific chapter of the survey. According to Continenza, the results are 112 pages long.

The groups will come together and share their insights and observations about their designated chapter. This information will be used to determine the group’s next steps in forming programs and initiatives.

Continenza asked for an update on the end of the school year. Whitehall-Coplay School District Superintendent Dr. Lorie Hackett noted the guidance counselors and mental health professionals in the district are still meeting with students, food service workers continue to provide food for students and the administration is working on any curricular changes needed for the 2020-21 academic year, based on the sudden unexpected alteration to the end of the current year.

Hackett noted they are looking at three possible scenarios for the next year: complete face-to-face in-person instruction, a hybrid of online and face-to-face instruction and all online learning.

“We are planning for the worst but hoping for the best,” she said, reporting they are waiting on more guidance from local and state government officials.

She noted they are working on a more robust system if online learning is required.

Chad Stefanyak, guidance counselor at Whitehall High School, mentioned he has been sending emails to check in on students and see how they are mentally and emotionally handling the sudden changes and lack of peer connection.

“They are handling it surprisingly well,” he said, noting the resiliency of youths.

He said he is receiving minimal complaints and very few reports of mental health concerns.

Some members of the group noted they are seeing more and more groups of youths gathering, despite the stay-at-home and social-distancing orders. It was mentioned they are frustrated with the distancing, and parents might be feeling guilty about not letting them see their friends.

Continenza noted these meetings might lead to underage drinking or substance abuse, especially during these stressful times. It was also noted the COVID-19 virus is likely to continue spreading if people meet in groups.

The CTC next meets June 19.