PACT - Partnership of Amesbury Community and Teens

Who We Are

We are a group of youth and adults who work together to support young people and increase healthy decision making. We consist of representatives form 12 sectors: youth, parents, business, media, school, healthcare, law enforcement, youth-serving organizations, religious organizations, civic/volunteer groups, local government and substance use organizations.

Mission

To decrease underage use and abuse of alcohol, marijuana and other drugs by empowering young people and providing real world experiences that help build a healthier Amesbury for all residents.

Philosophy

PACT uses the principles of Positive Youth Development (PYD) as an approach to prevention. We believe in engaging youth within their communities, building on their strengths and promoting positive asset building. PYD is an evidence-based approach to prevention that looks at ways to prevent future harm to our youth. It has been shown that youth who have more assets are less likely to engage in risky behaviors. Specifically, it uses a whole community approach rather than just relying on schools and social services agencies. PYD engages youth with peers, family and community in a way that enhances their strengths, encourages healthy decisions and promotes positive outcomes. 

Funding

In December of 2020, PACT received a Drug Free Communities Grant from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. This is a 5 year grant (with a possible 5-year extension) totaling $625,000 which will be used to increase community collaboration and reduce substance use by addressing risk and protective factors. 

Essex County Asset Builder Network

PACT is part of a larger network of local communities (Amesbury, Georgetown, Newbury, Rowley, Salisbury and Newburyport) known as the Essex County Asset Builder Network (ECAB). Being a part of the ECAB Network brings local and regional opportunities. Locally, communities have access to trainings, data, and best practices, and receive guidance on implementation and outreach strategies that build positive youth development possibilities.  Communities also get the benefit of regionalizing efforts, where networking, combining resources, current policies, and a shared vision strengthen the towns and cities as well as the region.