The Fall Mountain Area Healthy Youth Initiative is a coalition of parents, youth, educators, coaches, community members, clergy, business people, and others from the six communities of the Fall Mountain region.

Using the research and framework developed by Search Institute, FMAHYI is committed to helping our entire community apply the Developmental Assets approach to positive youth development, prevention, and community-building.

The Developmental Assets model:

• helps a community address a wide-range of youth "problems" (like school failure, bullying, alcohol use, etc.) through one common, community-wide plan rather than separate approaches to dealing with each individual issue;
• promotes an approach that not only aims to prevent problems but also to help young people "thrive";
• provides concrete -- and often simple -- ways people of all walks of life in a community can make a significant positive impact on the health and well-being of young people;
• has a strong research base behind it.

We believe that the Fall Mountain region is rich in youth, family and community activities and supports. So, rather than focusing on creating and providing programs, the Fall Mountain Area Healthy Youth Initiative has as its mission to support and encourage others that want to have a positive impact on youth. We do this through presentations, training workshops, consulting services, community education, and a mini-grant program. The aim of these efforts is to help others use the Developmental Assets approach in their relationships with youth.

We encourage you to check out the rest of this website to learn more about the Developmental Assets, the Fall Mountain Area Healthy Youth Initiative, and ways you can build the assets of our local youth.