What is Communities That Care?
Communities That Care (CTC) is an "operating system" that takes communities through a well-defined and structured process, made up of five phases, to prevent adolescent problem behaviors and promote positive youth development.
CTC Links
- EPIS CTC Resources
Tools and resources we have compiled for you! - Center for Communities That Care Resources
The Center for Communities That Care is part of the Social Development Research Group, School of Social Work, University of Washington. - Getting Started with CTC Plus
Get started with CTC and access tools and resources from the University of Washington.
CTC Development and History
The Communities That Care (CTC) model was originally developed by Drs. David Hawkins and Richard Catalano of the University of Washington which includes the Social Development Research Group (SDRG) and the Center for Communities That Care (CTC) . It was based on the aggregate review of decades of etiological research aimed at identifying specific factors that were associated with either promoting or preventing adolescent problem behaviors (delinquency, substance use, violence, school failure, and teen pregnancy and high-risk sexual behavior).
Looking across many large studies, Hawkins and Catalano developed a matrix of risk factors and their associated problem behaviors. This was the beginning of the application of a risk-focused public health approach to prevention and positive youth development.
Since 1994, the PA Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD) has supported CTC. Over 125 communities have been trained in the model. Research studies both in Pennsylvania and nationally have demonstrated CTC is effectively creating population-level public health improvement, reducing delinquency and youth drug use, and improving academic achievement for youth in these communities.
Related Projects: