Yavapai Communities for Young Children (YCYC), led by the Center for Health Equity Research (CHER) in partnership with First Things First Yavapai region, aims to improve early childhood outcomes in Yavapai County.
This initiative began in February 2022, following the Children’s Health System Change: Yavapai Region Final Assessment.
929-523-9104
CHER@nau.edu
Our mission
YCYC addresses social determinants of health to enhance the well-being of young children in Yavapai County through collective action and strategic partnerships.
Collaborative efforts
Our steering committee focuses on:
- Promoting awareness, inclusiveness, and coordination.
- Recruiting and retaining pediatric, family medicine, and mental health providers.
- Enhancing economic opportunities, affordable housing, transportation, food security, physical activity, and education.
Challenges and solutions
Challenges
Families face a fragmented health system, hindering access to services and resources.
Solutions
- Improve collaboration among health providers and community organizations.
- Empower families to address their children’s health needs.
- Increase awareness of community health resources.
Principles of practice
Serve the community through a systems-oriented approach.
We strive to change the overall children’s health system, including policies, practices, culture, and norms, to create a healthier community through structured collaboration across sectors.
Think holistically about the health of young children.
We believe supporting health goes beyond accessing health care and requires addressing the social, economic, and environmental conditions in which people are born, live, work, and age.
Prioritize diverse perspectives and promote equity and inclusion.
Our strategies must include all families with young children who may be vulnerable to health inequities. We will be mindful of race/ethnicity, culture, language, age, health literacy, income, geographical region, gender, sexuality, documentation status, and physical abilities to ensure equitable access to community services and resources.
Incorporate community voices.
The perspectives of families with young children are essential to our vision and success. We aim to ensure our actions align with community need through continuous feedback and engagement
Practice transparency.
Our processes will include open communication to ensure our accountability to the community and encourage genuine reciprocal relationships.
Communicate respectfully.
We believe that everyone has a right to express an opinion, and every view is valued for the purpose of moving the Yavapai Communities for Young Children forward.
Steering committee
- Beya Thayer, MSW: YCYC Steering Committee Member, Executive Director, Yavapai County Justice and Mental Health Coalition
- Rebecca Serratos: YCYC Steering Committee Member, Prescott Farmers Market-Vendor Development Coordinator
- Martha Baden: YCYC Steering Committee Member, Prescott Public Library, Library Manager, Public Services
- Lisa Blyth: YCYC Steering Committee Member, First Things First Regional Director
- Tamara Player: YCYC Steering Committee Member, President and CEO of Polara Health
- Wendy Watson: YCYC Steering Committee Member, Associate Professor, Anthropology
- Marney Babbitt-Pierce: YCYC Steering Committee Member, Council Member, Town of Clarkdale
- Leslie Horton, MA, MCHES: YCYC Steering Committee Member, Yavapai County Community Health Services, Director
- Dr. Ronael Eckman: YCYC Steering Committee Member, Vice President of Medical Affairs, Yavapai Regional Medical Center
This project is funded by the Arizona Early Childhood Development and Health Board (First Things First) under ISA-RC022-24-1188-01.