The Youth Health Equity Collaborative (YHEC) brings Nashville-focused stakeholders together to review and respond to local needs identified through the bi-annual Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS). Using an equity lens, YHEC will identify priority focus areas to address as a collaborative. Additionally, YHEC will serve to build and sustain relationships and communication between stakeholders across the community. Finally, the YHEC also serves as the School Health Advisory Council for the MNPS 1807 CDC grant.
Co-Chairs:
Shannon Key, MNPS
Melissa Gordon, MNPS
Latissa Hall, Metro Public Health Department
Members:
Dawn Bennett, The Table
Simyka Carlton, Metro Nashville Public Schools
Joan Clayton-Davis
Adrienne Doaks, Mental Health Cooperative - MSHS
Luke Finck, Vanderbilt University
Meghan Gwaltney, American Foundation for Suicide Prevention - Area Director
Alex McCandless, Hope Clinic for Women
Maria Heerdt, MNPS - Family Engagement Specialist
Whitney Salyer, Centerstone
Kyle Stockard, Planned Parenthood of Middle and East Tennessee
Brook McKelvey, Metro Public Health Department
Bryan Currie, Big Brothers Big Sisters
Thomas Lavallais, TN Safe Schools
Sarah Cermack, MNPS trauma informed
Amy Kraus, MNPS behavioral specialists
Sheldon Walker, MPHD
Sara Tuttle, MNPS SEL Director
Makeda Watson, MNPS Community Achieves
Kathy Gracey, Vanderbilt
Paige Trollinger, MNPS Coordinated School Health
Nicole Boyle, MNPS Coordinated School Health
Shatina Marshall, MNPS - Dept. of Justice Grant Manager
Catherine Sakarapanee, MNPS
Vanessa Lazon, MNPS - EL Department
Kathy Gracey, Vanderbilt
Monica Coverson, Metro Nashville Public Schools
Mary Crnobori, Metro Nashville Public Schools
Kay Higgs, STARS Nashville
Joseph Wilson, STARS Nashville
Tracy Glascoe, Vanderbilt University
Charity Ingersoll, Vanderbilt Institute for Medicine and Public Health
Michael Kirshner, Mental Health Cooperative
Debra McAdams, Metro Nashville Public Schools
LaSeanda Sanders, Metro Nashville Public Schools
Marion Smyser, Centerstone
Derrick Williams, Metro Nashville Public Schools
Exploring Data for Youth Health Equity
In the December 2023 Youth Health Equity Collaborative (YHEC) meeting, co-chair Melissa Gordon from MNPS took us through a workshop to explore how to look at data using an "equity lens" to understand why some things are different for different young people. This helps us find the real reasons behind the differences and come up with good solutions for all children and youth. As Gordon reminded the group, “Some students make good choices, while some students have good choices.” The goal of the YHEC is to ensure that ALL students have good choices.
In early 2024, the YHEC will be looking at some new information called the 2023 Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) data. We want to find out if there are patterns, differences, and reasons we might not see right away. By using the equity lens, we hope to create plans that help all youth in our community.
The idea is to use the equity lens to make sure we include everyone and respond to what all kids need. We want to use what we learn to make things better for every young person in our community. We're eager to see the new information in the 2023 YRBS data, and we think what we learn will help us find new and better ways to help all kids be healthy and successful.
