Learning Journal – week three– CTC Phase 3

University of the People

Course: HS 3814 - Community Health

Instructor, Jade Wiles

April 24, 2023

CTC phase 3

Introduction

The Communities That Care (CTC) is a systematic approach to help communities work

together to reduce and prevent youth problem behavior such as crime and violence. Thus, by

identifying the high risks and weak protective factors, the CTC aids to promote the positive

growth of both children and adolescents (Cahir et al., 2003), which contributes to strong

cohesive communities, vibrant societies, and economic upturns.

There are five phases to the implementation of the CTC process and involves a diverse

range of programs, initiatives, and people working together to promote community-wide

CTC development (Cahir et al., 2003).

Phase three of the CTC process involves developing a community profile and the

purpose is to evaluate current policies, Community Resource Assessment Training (CRAT),

and Community Assessment Training (CAT) which helps to identify gaps in existing

responses and prioritize prevention measures. It also involves gathering data from CTC Youth

Surveys, student surveys, and other methods. Both the risk and protective factors are measured

and evaluated and the whole data is examined in order to complete the actions to be prioritized

(Hawkins & Catalano, 2005).

The 3 items learned about phase three of Communities That Care.

The three core elements I learned about the effectiveness of the implementation of the

CTC are that epidemiological data is used to plan and evaluate strategies which are the key

factors to determine what action to take. The importance of working groups and CTC board

members having the correct skills, knowledge, and expertise in their fields that help interpret the

data and analyze the risk factors and predictors. The usefulness of the established and effective
CTC phase 3

programs and the revision of the CTC plan helps to prioritize target intervention programs

(Jonkman et al., 2009)

Describe how easy or hard you believe it is to implement steps in this CTC phase 3.

I do not think it is difficult to implement the steps in the CTC phase three if the tasks are

followed through in a systematic order. Different working groups can be assigned different tasks

which will make the process both efficient and effective.

It is easy to conduct surveys and research which can be carried out in the classroom,

where the students feel safe, door-to-door surveys, or at the young people’s centers for example.

The data can be analyzed by qualified professionals from various backgrounds.

Describe the terms or processes in this unit that you did not understand.

At first, I wasn’t sure what the milestones and benchmarks related to but now I

understand that milestones are the goals to be achieved when implementing the CTC system and

benchmarks refer to the steps to be taken to achieve the goals. Both are used as planning tools,

which help to understand what is required in the planning stage, assessment and evaluation tools

help identify any technical issues or changes that need assistance, and checklists help to clarify

that all the appropriate steps are taken (Hawkins & Catalano, 2002). All the rest is quite

straightforward.

Conclusion

There are 5 phases to the CTC system and each part has different needs. Phrase 3 is

important as it analyses data from previous or current time which can be used to predict, target,

and prioritize young people or children who are at high risk of problematic behaviors and

therefore implement interventions more efficiently to change their habits and promote healthy

behaviors.
CTC phase 3

References

Cahir, S., Davies, L., Deany, P., Tange C., Toumbourou, J., Williams, J., & Rosicka, R. (2003).
Introducing communities that care. Retrieved April 22, 2003, from
https://www.communitiesthatcare.org.au/sites/default/files/files/images/
introducing_communities_that_care.pdf
Hawkins, J. D., & Catalano, R. F. (2005). Investing in your community's youth - social
development. Retrieved April 23, 2023, from
https://www.yumpu.com/en/document/view/29534087/investing-in-your-communitys-youth-
social-development-
Hawkins, J. D., & Catalano, R. F. (2002). Tools for community leaders - communities that care.
(n.d.). Retrieved April 14, 2023, from
https://www.communitiesthatcare.net/wp-content/uploads/tools-for-community-leaders.pdf

Jonkman, H. B., Haggerty, K. P., Steketee, M., Fagan, A., Hanson, K., & Hawkins, J. D. (2009).
Communities that care, core elements and context: Research of implementation in two countries.
Social development issues. Retrieved April 23, 2023, from
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2712284/