The event will begin at 6:30 p.m. at Germantown First Church of God, 760 Farmersville Pike in Germantown. Participants will engage in small-group discussions about their concerns and brainstorm ideas for possible solutions.
“On behalf of the Valley View Community Drug-Free Coalition, we are happy to partner with the Dayton Daily News to provide this very important listening session on mental health, specifically in our youth,” Coalition Chairwoman Shannon Cox said.
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The drug-free coalition was formed with four pillars: law enforcement, the school district, faith-based organizations and the community at large.
“We know, understand and believe mental health issues impact substance use,” Cox said. “Our hope by providing this listening session is to be able to inform our four pillars of the community.”
In addition to letting the coalition know what’s on the minds of parents and community members when it comes to their children’s mental health, the discussion will guide the Dayton Daily News’ Path Forward coverage on this topic.
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“The Dayton Daily News wants to hear directly from parents and community members what their concerns are,” said Samantha Sommer, investigative and community impact director for the newspaper. “That’s why we teamed up with the Valley View Drug Free Task Force to host this listening session.”
The goal of the Path Forward project is to have a positive impact through in-depth reporting and engaging the community, Sommer said.
The project has included a look at the rising number of teen suicides in the Dayton area and what's being done to prevent those deaths, as well as coverage of the growing psychiatrist shortage.
About the Path Forward
Our team of investigative reporters digs into what you identified as pressing issues facing our community. The Path Forward project seeks solutions to these problems by investigating the Miami’s Valley mental health. Follow our work at DaytonDailyNews.com/PathForward or join one of our Facebook Groups.
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