Our Projects, Products, and Portal
Read below to learn more about the topical projects we run, the public health products we offer, and our partner portal. Whether you're interested in getting involved with one of our topical projects or interested in using tools or resources we have for partners, this page should get you where you need to go.
Partner Portal
On the Portal, you can access our data and strategy reports, our dashboards, and the evidence-based health communications campaigns that we have designed and built messaging for.
Cortland County Youth Survey
Every year since 2002, RHI has surveyed 7th-12th grade students in Cortland County about substance use behaviors and risk and protective factors that predict adolescent problem behaviors using a validated survey tool, the New York State PFS Youth Survey. The Youth Survey shows us what the most prevalent social, mental, and physical health challenges are and what groups have the greatest need. We can then work together to better serve those groups, improve their support systems and protective factors, and write grant applications for more funding to support these efforts.
We worked with a consultant–Dan Webb, of Catalyst Insights–to develop a new survey for the 2023-2024 school year. This new survey is designed to better match the evolving needs of youth in rural New York. The new survey is focused on more holistic health behaviors, not just substance use prevention.
We added questions about things like sleep, nutrition, social connectedness, disability, mental health care, and social media use.
Looking forward, we hope to work with neighboring counties to administer the same survey at the same time of year to collect regional data that can be compared to better understand regional disparities.
Life Needs Assessment (LNA)
A short social needs assessment that can help agencies better understand the needs of their clients and either provide additional services or make referrals to meet those needs. The LNA can also help coordinate between agencies, assess program impact, and track changing SDOH needs and outcomes over time.
Projects
Healing Cortland | Harm Reduction
Healing Cortland is a community-wide, data-driven initiative to reduce opioid-related overdose deaths in Cortland County. With staff support from RHI, Healing Cortland brings together partners from across our community and region, along with those directly impacted, to implement effective strategies to save lives
Cortland Literacy Coalitions | Literacy
The Cortland County Literacy Coalition collaboration strives toward a shared vision that all children will read on grade level by the end of third grade. Partnering organizations utilize data to improve accessibility to education and literacy services.
Click below to access each the coalition portal, as well as the public platforms that support their work.
Mental Health Awareness Training | Suicide Prevention
The Mental Health Awareness Training Grant allows us to organize free, evidence-based mental health trainings to the community. We also work closely with the Cortland Suicide Prevention Coalition, SPEAK UP. Please reach out if you, or your organization, are interested. These trainings include:
Youth Mental Health First Aid - A day of training for adults who regularly engage with adolescents to recognize the signs of a mental health or substance use crisis and how to de-escalate a child in crisis, then connect them to resources in the community.
SafeTALK Suicide Prevention Training - A 3 hour gatekeeper training opportunity to recognize the signs of someone experiencing suicidality, and how to de-escalate a suicidal crisis, connecting them to the resources they need.
Crisis Intervention Training - A week of training for Law Enforcement and First Responders in mental health and crisis response to enhance their professional knowledge in approaching a person in crisis.
SAMHSA Partnership for Success | Youth Substance Use
The SPF-PFS Project is focused infrastructure and systems level improvements to address alcohol use among 9-20 year olds throughout Cortland County. The goal of the SPF-PFs project is to decrease youth alcohol use and increase prevention infrastructure using evidence-based programs and strategies and targeting groups experiencing the highest rates of use by age and geographic location. We presented about this work at the 2024 National Leadership Forum & SAMHSA's Prevention Day.
