Contacts
Kelly McCue
Mark Remiker

Yavapai Communities for Young Children
Since February 2022, research staff from the Center for Health Equity Research have been guiding a collective impact collaborative in partnership with First Things First Yavapai region in response to a recent regional needs assessment (see Children’s Health System change: Yavapai Region Final Assessment).
The collaborative, Yavapai Communities for Young Children (YCYC), includes a steering committee of motivated stakeholders with a vested interest in early childhood. The YCYC steering committee is comprised of 10 individuals who live in Yavapai County from various agencies in the Yavapai region but do not distinctly reflect the diverse demographics or lived experiences of the community.
YCYC is working to identify and prioritize goals and undertake forward-thinking collective action to address social determinants of health that improve outcomes for young children in the Yavapai region by:
- Prioritizing and strategizing opportunities for awareness, inclusiveness, and coordination.
- Supporting efforts to recruit and retain pediatric, family medicine, and mental health providers.
- Improving economic opportunity, affordable housing, transportation, food security, physical activity, and educational opportunity in the region.
Problem Definition
Families with young children in Yavapai County experience a fragmented health system which makes it difficult to recognize health needs and
identify/access existing health services and resources
Solution
The Yavapai Communities for Young Children (YCYC) intends to support systemic efforts that:
- Improve collaboration & coordination among providers, community-based organizations, public health groups, and government agencies.
- Strengthen families’ confidence and preparedness to recognize and respond to their children’s health needs.
- Increase families’ access to and awareness of community health resources to address the health and wellness needs of young children and their families in Yavapai County.
Principles of Practice Accordion Closed
- 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.
Yavapai Communities for Young Children—Steering committee Accordion Closed
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
Leslie Horton, MA, MCHES
YCYC Steering Committee Member
Yavapai County Community Health Services, Director
Shawn Hatch, LCSW, CCS, AADC
YCYC Steering Committee Member
Spectrum Healthcare Group, Regional Vice President of Northern Arizona
Dr. Ronael Eckman
YCYC Steering Committee Member
Vice President of Medical Affairs, Yavapai Regional Medical Center