About ACT for Youth

ACT (Assets Coming Together) for Youth Center of Excellence connects research to practice in the areas of positive youth development and adolescent sexual health. With generous support from the New York State Department of Health, the Center of Excellence (COE) provides:

• Resources to aid those working in the areas of youth development and adolescent sexual health: publications and presentations, the e-letter ACT for Youth Update, and the websites actforyouth.net and nysyouth.net.
   
• Technical assistance and training for Comprehensive Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention programs funded by the New York State Department of Health.
   
• A home base for the ACT Youth Network, which connects young people across New York State.

Center of Excellence Partners

Cornell University Bronfenbrenner Center for Translational Research (BCTR) leads the partnership. A multidisciplinary academic center within the College of Human Ecology, BCTR forges closer links among research, practice, and policy. BCTR projects extend research-based knowledge into practice and incorporate practitioners' needs and insights into research agendas in order to solve real-world problems. BCTR brings expertise in positive youth development, sexual health promotion, evidence-based programming, implementation research, program evaluation, and community collaboration.

Cornell University Cooperative Extension of New York City (CUCE-NYC) is a research-based educational organization that addresses the evolving needs of communities, families, and individuals by engaging them in experiential learning opportunities. CUCE-NYC brings expertise in school-based and out-of-school programming, diversity, community health and nutrition, parenting education, and youth civic engagement.

New York State Center for School Safety (NYSCSS) is a government coordinating agency and information clearinghouse based in New Paltz. NYSCSS works directly with schools and after-school programs across the state, providing training and resources to help educators and community organizations create safe and healthy learning environments. NYSCSS brings expertise in schools, after-school programming, violence prevention, and advocacy.

University of Rochester Medical Center Department of Pediatrics, Division of Adolescent Medicine, has more than 40 years of experience in providing community-oriented care to adolescents and their families. The University of Rochester brings expertise in adolescent health and development, sexual health, preventive care, program evaluation, and linking public health with positive youth development.

More on the ACT for Youth Initiative

Lessons from ACT for Youth: The First Five Years
Describes how ACT for Youth unfolded over the first five years, identifying common themes and lessons learned across the eleven community partnerships that made up the first round of the ACT for Youth initiative.

Journal of Public Health Management and Practice, November 2006 Supplement
Under the theme "Improving Public Health Through Youth Development," this supplement spotlights the ACT for Youth initiative.