The Youth Data Survey is a collaborative community effort between many community partners including: Harrisonburg City and Rockingham County Schools, Eastern Mennonite School, United Way, Healthy Community Council, Sentara RMH Medical Center, Blue Ridge Area Health Education Center, Futuro Latino Coalition, and James Madison University. Every two years IIHHS staff coordinate the administration of the survey to approximately half of all 8th, 10th, and 12th grade students in Harrisonburg and Rockingham.
The survey provides key data about local youth risk behaviors and provides data which enables the community to develop priority areas around youth issues. The goal of the YDS is to examine the current as well as longitudinal trends around local youth risk behaviors with an approach that taps into the larger community question of what assets we need in our community to help people successfully navigate from infancy to adulthood. The objectives of the YDS for the community are the following: produce reliable information on risk behaviors; assess needs; ascertain gaps in service; assist in determining priority areas; allow agencies access to local data in order to write successful state, federal, and foundation grant applications to address the identified needs; and evaluate progress over time on the impact agency programs have on local youth. The ultimate goal is to improve the quality of life for the children and youth in Harrisonburg and Rockingham County.
Contact Jennifer Rea at reajl@jmu.edu with any questions.
Archive of Past Surveys
