RCCMHC formed in 2018 to address the overlap between chemical and mental health among community members. The coalition merged the efforts of the former Rice County Chemical Health Coalition (established in 2004) and the Rice County Mental Health Collective (established in 2011). The resulting coalition welcomes representatives from all sectors of the community.
Several action teams made up of professionals and/or community members work closely with the Coalition. Learn more about them here:
The Advisory Board is made up of Rice County Social Services and Public Health staff, public school and health care workers, and other direct service individuals. The board provides advice, support, and guidance as the Coalition implements strategies to meet its mission goals. This group meets quarterly.
Contact: rccmhc@healthycommunityinitiative.org
Current Advisory Board Members:
- Dante Hummel-Langerfeld, Rice County Behavioral Health Services, dhummellangerfeld@co.rice.mn.us
- Dawn Steffan, Allina Medical Faribault, dawn.steffen@allina.com
-
Deb Purfeerst, Rice County Public Health, dpurfeerst@co.rice.mn.us
-
Janet Lewis Muth, Faribault Public Schools, jlewismuth@faribault.k12.mn.us
-
Kelli Nowak, Rice County Social Services, kelli.nowak@ricecountymn.gov
- Kelli Podracky, Northfield Union of Youth – The Key, kelli@unionofyouth.org
- Heather Stanton-Ims, Northfield Public Schools, hstantonims@
northfieldschools.org
Northfield Alliance for Substance Abuse Prevention (N-ASAP) seeks to raise community awareness about local youth substance use and to make recommendations for community interventions to reduce youth use. The board consists of local residents, including youth representatives. The group meets monthly.
Partners: High School Youth, Parents, Law Enforcement, and Community Members
Staff Contact: Meleah Follen, meleah@healthycommunityinitiative.org
The Opioid Response Council works to identify and address gaps in opioid use prevention, treatment, and crisis services. The council uses a harm reduction approach that is evidence-based and emphasizes engaging directly with people with substance use disorder to improve their outcomes. This group meets quarterly. Learn more here.
Partners: Law Enforcement, Health Care, Behavioral Health, Emergency Response, Corrections, Human Services, Youth Services, Judicial
Staff contact: rccmhc@healthycommunityinitiative.org
The purpose of an Overdose Fatality Review (OFR) is to effectively identify system gaps and innovative community-specific overdose prevention and intervention strategies. In practice, OFRs involve a series of confidential individual death reviews by a multidisciplinary team. This group meets quarterly.
Prevention Partnerships for Healthy Youth (PPHY) is an action team of the Rice County Chemical and Mental Health Coalition who work to empower youth and families of color to drive, inspire, and own community efforts to prevent and reduce substance use. This partnership is a made possible by a grant from the Minnesota Department of Human Services. Learn more here.
Partners: Faribault Public Schools, Rice County Chemical and Mental Health Coalition
Grant Coordinator: Angie Ramirez Saucedo
aramirez@faribault.k12.mn.us
The Provider Team works to determine gaps and increase access to mental and chemical health prevention, early intervention, and treatment services for all populations in Rice County. The Provider Team meets quarterly.
Partners: Mental Health, Chemical Health, Health Care, Human Services, Transitional Housing, Youth Services
Staff Contact: rccmhc@healthycommunityinitiative.org
The Substance Misuse and Suicide Prevention Coalition is multi-sectored and community driven. The coalition has a focus on prevention while taking a comprehensive approach to prevent substance misuse and suicide experiences in youth ages 10 – 24. As a community driven comprehensive prevention plan is developed, the coalition will assist with its implementation.
Contact: Molly Titchenal, molly@healthycommunityinitiative.org