Park Hill Collective Impact

Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment (CDPHE) - Communities Organizing for Prevention (COFP): Denver Metro Community Impact (DMCI) serves as the backbone organization for two community coalitions in Northeast Denver, funded by the CDPHE's COFP grant. The coalitions, 'Steps to Success' in the Far Northeast and 'Park Hill Strong' in the Near Northeast, work to promote positive youth development and reduce youth substance abuse and violence. In 2024, the coalitions selected new priority areas, focusing on the risk factor of Economic Instability and the protective factor of Community Opportunities for Prosocial Involvement and Connection. To address these, DMCI began developing implementation plans for new systems-change strategies, including supporting affordable housing and addressing low employment. Following a significant organizational restructuring, DMCI entered a partnership with the non-profit FaithBridge to manage the community coalitions, ensuring the continuity of the work. Additionally, DMCI launched a Health Impact Assessment (HIA) focused on housing in Northeast Denver, assembling a workgroup of experts and community members to guide the effort and inform the redevelopment of three local sites owned by the Urban Land Conservancy. In partnership with the University of Colorado and CDPHE, this program also employed 13 Youth Associates for 493.85 collective hours, assisting with events, programming, and a youth-focused community engagement phone app.