Partner build grow: Resources to sustain partnerships and advance prevention initiatives

Abstract

Alignment of programs, practices, and policies by practitioners at the state and local levels can create health-promoting environments for all children. Such alignment, guided by principles of prevention science and public health, can enhance school–community partnerships involved with the mental, emotional, and behavioral well-being and positive development of children and youth. The key to success of such prevention approaches is sustaining the work over time. Partner Build Grow, an online Action Guide, supports sustainability through cross-sector collaborations and systems change to create school–community environments that promote equity. Informed by local and national experts along with field experience and application of best practices, Partner Build Grow presents a framework and provides the support to guide schools and communities through a process to build and sustain school–community partnerships. The Action Guide identifies four components critical for sustainability: Building an Action Team, Mapping Assets, Connecting With the Policy Environment, and Building a Communications Plan, and provides practical implementation tools for each area that can be customized for local contexts. Since the August 2015 Action Guide launch, we have tracked Web page views, unique users, registrants, and other analytics to measure engagement. Partner Build Grow presents Web-based resources and tools for local and state cross-sector collaboration to sustain effective practices and systems for positive and healthy youth development.