July 15, 2026 – The Farmington Valley Health District (FVHD) was honored by the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) with a 2026 Promising Best Practice Award for an FVHD-led initiative that integrates restorative school and health-based approaches to support teen mental health. The initiative, which brings together juvenile review boards (JRBs), schools, youth service bureaus, and public health, moves beyond traditional discipline for teens brought before a JRB to a restorative approach, working with teens to take responsibility for their behavior, build coping and communication skills, and connect with supportive adults and resources. The goal is to address the underlying cause of the behavior and support the teen in making better decisions moving forward.
NACCHO represents the more than 3,300 local governmental health departments across the United States with a mission to improve the health of communities by strengthening local health departments through advocacy, funding, partnerships, training and education, and technical assistance. NACCHO’s Promising Best Practice Awards recognize programs that demonstrate exciting approaches and strategies to local public health issues.