About

VISION

Dutchess County has created an innovative framework, called the Path To Promise, that defines and categorizes the youth assets the community values. The County is using this framework to compare the needs of the County’s youth to current activities in the community, helping the County and community better understand the domains and/or age groups with the most resources and which areas are ripe for additional investment.

GOALS

Goal 1

Provide opportunities for positive youth development to all children across the County in the effort to reverse the life trajectory that makes it more likely for children to end up in prison due to the lack of access to opportunity.

Goal 2

Enhance the assets across Dutchess County and align efforts to provide the best mix of services to youth of all abilities.

PATH TO PROMISE DOMAINS

The 6 areas that encompass the major elements of a child’s growth process are called domains. These domains are Learning, Material Basics, Safety, Family/Relationships, Mental Health and Physical Health.

The Path To Promise framework considers specific age categories to track developmental milestones in each of the domains and age groups (0-3; 4-5; 6-12; 13-17 and 18 and 19 years old). In addition, performance indicators were developed for each domain, and data measurements identified for each group within each domain.

Path To Promise Framework by Age Group

	0-3	4-5	6-12	13-17	18-19	PERFORMANCE INDICATOR
LEARNING	All youth can access early learning resources that helps prepare them for school and with early development.	All youth have access to a quality pre-school program that helps prepare them for school.	All youth have access to a quality primary education institution in Dutchess County where they can learn in a positive environment.	All youth in Dutchess County have access to a quality middle school and high school education where they have access to resources that will help them graduate high school.	All youth in Dutchess County have access to resources that will help them prepare for their careers, including but not limited to: college, vocational programs, internships, apprenticeship, job, etc.	• Kindergarten readiness • High school graduation rates; High school equivalency completion rates • Post-Secondary enrollment, including Internship enrollment; technical program enrollment; college enrollment
MATERIAL BASICS	Age appropriate basic needs met.	Age appropriate basic needs met.	Age appropriate basic needs met.	Age appropriate basic needs met.	Age appropriate basic needs met.	• Poverty level • Access to food and shelter/housing • Economic well-being
MENTAL HEALTH	Families will understand needs of their infant and toddler and have the skills to enhance their social and emotional development.	All youth of all abilities will have foundational elements to develop empathy, sensitivity, and friendship skills.	All youth of all abilities develop self-esteem and place a high value on helping others.	All youth of all abilities develop positive peer relationships, skills to resist negative peer pressures and dangerous situations and employ peaceful conflict resolution.	All youth of all abilities will embrace diversity, have sense of purpose, and will be optimistic about their personal future.	• Resiliency rate • Percent of youths enrolled for clinical services; percent of youths with mental health diagnosis
PHYSICAL HEALTH	Maternal and youth quality health services will be accessible to all families.	Age appropriate quality health services will be accessible to all families and youth of all abilities will develop good health habits.	Age appropriate quality health services will be accessible to all families and youth of all abilities will develop good health habits.	Access age appropriate quality health services and practice healthy habits and skills to avoid risky behaviors.	Access age appropriate quality health services and practice healthy habits and skills to avoid risky behaviors while transitioning into adulthood.	•Birth outcomes, including infant mortality and prenatal care; percent of youth who have health insurance; immunization rates • Percent of youth who report participating in recreation programs and/or sports • Childhood obesity rate, usage of parks, enrollment in sport programs
FAMILY/ RELATIONSHIPS	Encourage and support secure attachment relationships between youth and their primary caregivers.	Encourage and support a nurturing environment to develop positive relationships.	All youth of all abilities are surrounded by people who love, care for, appreciate, and accept them.	All youth of all abilities continue to be surrounded by people who love, care for, appreciate and accept them, and experience positive connections in their community.	All youth of all abilities have the confidence to explore their place in the world with strong positive adult relationships.	• Percent of population involved in faith-based programs • Percent of youth with at least one caring peer • Percent of youth with at least one caring adult caregiver
SAFETY	Parent, caregivers, teachers, neighbors and the community act to ensure youth safety.	Parent, caregivers, teachers, neighbors and the community act to ensure youth safety.	Parents and community adults ensure the child safety while keeping in mind the youth's independence.	All youth of all abilities feel safe at home, school or in their neighborhood.	All youth of all abilities fell safe at home, school or in their neighborhood.	• Number of justice-involved youth • Percent of youth who fell safe in school and who feel safe in their neighborhood • Rate of youth that experience abuse, neglect and maltreatment

Path To Promise Framework Synopsis

Domain	Vision Statement	Impact Outcomes	Performance Indicators	Data Measurement Tools
Learning	All youth of all abilities in Dutchess County will have an opportunity to receive a quality education that allows for him or her to graduate high school and pursue a career.	• Increase and improve learning readiness • Increase educational success • Increase career readiness	• Kindergarten readiness • High school graduation rates; High school equivalency completion rates • Post-Secondary enrollment, including Internship enrollment; technical program enrollment; college enrollment	• Universal Pre-K Head Start enrollment; Kindergarten readiness assessment • School district graduation and equivalency rate information; IEP data • BOCES program data; Dutchess Community College enrollment; Dutchess WIB data
Material Basics	All youth of all abilities and families in Dutchess County will have their basic needs met, including food, shelter and clothing.	• Increase housing security • Increase food security • Increase access to basic material needs	• Poverty level • Access to food and shelter/housing • Economic well-being	• Homelessness statistics from Housing Information System (HIMS) • Number of SNAP recipients; free/reduced lunch program participants • Census poverty rate, Kids Count data center economic well-being indicators, including cost of living data and employment statistics
Safety	All youth of all abilities in Dutchess County will feel safe and protected in their home, school, and community.	• Increase safe and supportive environment in the community • Increase safe and supportive environment in the school • Increase safe and supportive environment in the home	• Number of justice-involved youth • Percent of youth who feel safe in school and who feel safe in their neighborhood • Number of youths that experience abuse, neglect and maltreatment	• Crime/Police statistics; Probation statistics • School district statistics on attendance and discipline rates; CAPE Survey • CPS-hotline calls; CPS intake statistics; Domestic violence statistics
Family / Relationships	The social and interpersonal domain; all youth of all abilities in Dutchess County will experience positive relationships with a caring adult within their family and/or community.	• Increase positive infant caregiver attachment Increase positive family relationships • Increase opportunity for positive adult and peer relationships	• Percent of youth with at least one caring adult caregiver • Percent of youth with at least one caring peer; Percent of population involved in faith-based programs	• Head Start - Infant attachment data; CAPE Survey; YASI probation assessment • Mentorship Program enrollment; CAPE survey; YASI probation assessment; Youth connection to faith-based or spirituality components in programming
Mental Health	Dutchess County will support all youth of all abilities to realize their psychological and emotional well-being.	• Increase skills for coping, thriving and connecting in a healthy manner • Increase access to appropriate clinical services for diagnosis and treatment	• Resiliency rate • Percent of youths enrolled for clinical services; percent of youths with mental health diagnosis	• ACE assessments / number of ACES; MAYSI probation assessment; CAPE Survey • Community Mental Health Center provider data on diagnoses & enrollment numbers
Physical Health	All youth of all abilities in Dutchess County will experience positive relationships with a caring adult within their family and/or community.	• Increase access to appropriate clinical services for diagnosis and treatment • Increase opportunities for physical activity • Increase healthy habits	• Birth outcomes, including infant mortality and prenatal care; percent of youth who have health insurance; immunization rates • Percent of youth who report participating in recreation programs and/or sports • Childhood obesity rates, usage of parks, enrollment in sport programs	• Pediatricians; Hospitals; WIC • CAPE Survey; Parks Dept. utilization statistics • Community Health Assessment and Status Reports; Dutchess County DBCH data

MOTTO

The Path To Promise framework development process included comprehensive and strategic outreach to youth to better assess their needs — and ways for the county to deliver services.

The motto “Nothing About Me Without Me” emerged as an unbending reminder of our commitment to youth — all of them.

THE YOUTH OPPORTUNITY UNION

The Youth Opportunity Union (YOU) will be a visionary new community center for all Dutchess County youth and families, located in the heart of Poughkeepsie, New York at the former Dutchess YMCA site. The YOU will be a welcoming and inclusive space for all of Dutchess county, where children can play, learn, and grow — from infancy to young adulthood. It will be a fixture for Dutchess County’s Path to Promise initiative that employs strategic ways to ensure all young people in the county have the assets they need to realize their full potential as they grow into young adults. For More information please visit The-you.org