The Sanpete Cares Coalition meets the second Monday of every month at noon at the Central Utah Counseling Center in Ephraim. It’s the central Sanpete Cares coalition (there are three, each covering a different part of the county), and its meetings over the past five months brought the largest attendance of any coalition, district-specific SHARP Survey data, and a concrete plan for where prevention efforts go next.
Here’s what happened across four meetings: October 13, November 10, and December 8 of 2025, and February 9, 2026.
The Headlines
A new Prevention Specialist joined. The SHARP Survey data arrived, first at the regional level and then for Ephraim Middle School and Manti High School specifically. Nicotine pouches and vaping triggered new school-level responses. The federal government shutdown drove up demand for food programs. And the coalition locked in its two priority focus areas for 2026–2027: getting youth to talk to trusted adults when they’re struggling, and reducing nicotine access and use.
October: New Leadership, Broad Coalition
Twelve attendees met on October 13 to welcome Jocie Rojas as the new Behavioral Health Prevention Specialist at Central Utah Counseling Center. She outlined her role supporting the coalition through collaboration, outreach coordination, and training.
The meeting doubled as a community resource inventory. Intermountain Health announced grants for teen centers and mental health services, along with QPR and Naloxone training. The coalition partnered with Snow College for a bed-building event on October 25 to provide beds for children in need. Teen centers across all five Sanpete County high schools reported offering snacks, laundry, showers, and safe spaces, with high demand for supplies.
Other updates: the Chamber of Commerce passed 100 members and hosts monthly Lunch and Learn events. The Rotary Club is working to better serve the Spanish-speaking community. The Nedley Depression Recovery Course reported over 90% success rates in reframing depression but needs more community promotion. Local LGBTQ+ groups remain active with events and outreach. Veterans Day ceremonies were planned with free meals for veterans.
November: Record Turnout and Rising Concerns
Twenty-five people attended November 10, the highest coalition attendance of any meeting across all three coalitions in the fall cycle. Jocie opened with the “Communities That Care: The Prevention Paradox” video, explaining that most community problems come from many people facing small, everyday risks rather than a few high-risk individuals.
Schools reported increased use of Zen pouches and other smokeless nicotine products. Vape detectors were being installed in school restrooms. The coalition announced plans to form a Resource Assessment Workgroup to identify service gaps.
The federal government shutdown had tangible local impact: food programs saw increased demand. Holiday planning continued for Shop with a Cop, Toys for Tots, Sub for Santa, and Tree of Angels. The Rotary Youth Exchange program opened applications for students ages 15 to 18 and a half.
December: SHARP Data and Growing Demand
Twenty attendees gathered on December 8 for the most data-intensive meeting of the cycle. Libbie Hinckley presented high-level six-county SHARP Survey results, including the new parent-focused section. (For full SHARP coverage, see our feature article.)
The roundtable updates painted a picture of growing service demand. Community partners reported increased need for food, clothing, hygiene items, and family support. Teen centers across middle and high schools are meeting basic needs for significant numbers of students, but sustainability and future funding were flagged as a priority.
School district partners noted growing needs around vaping interventions, foster care support, and career exposure for youth. There was strong emphasis on serving English Language Learner and migrant families, including interest in restarting English classes for parents and expanding bilingual outreach. Intermountain Health announced that grant availability would be delayed until April 1, 2026.
February: District Data and Strategic Priorities
Twenty-two attendees gathered on February 9 for the meeting that gave the coalition its clearest direction yet. Jocie presented SHARP data specific to Ephraim Middle School and Manti High School, the first district-level breakdown shared with the coalition.
The local numbers largely tracked regional trends: improvements in substance use, depressive symptoms, and suicide-related behaviors from 2023 to 2025, with strong protective supports from family, school, and community. Binge drinking at the high school level and vaping indicators at the middle school level were flagged as areas needing continued monitoring. Screen time appeared again as an emerging concern, with high daily use affecting sleep, emotional regulation, and academic focus.
The Risk and Protective Factors Workgroup then presented its two confirmed priority focus areas for 2026–2027:
Youth help-seeking. Not enough students talk to a trusted adult when experiencing serious emotional distress. The workgroup will address parental attitudes toward mental health and low neighborhood attachment among youth. Strategies: expanding parent education on mental health, normalizing family conversations, and increasing youth connection through activities and leadership opportunities.
Nicotine prevention. Youth tobacco and nicotine use, especially pouches, remains a concern. The workgroup will focus on reducing availability and addressing parental attitudes around substance use. Strategies: safe storage education for families and expanded education on nicotine risks for both parents and youth.
These priorities will drive the coalition’s coordinated prevention work over the next two years.
Why It Matters
The Sanpete Cares Coalition is where Ephraim-area organizations coordinate. When the coalition identifies a service gap, programs get built. When SHARP data reveals a trend, prevention dollars follow. Over these four meetings, the coalition surfaced real-time effects of the federal shutdown on food access, documented the nicotine pouch shift, received the first school-specific data for Ephraim and Manti, and locked in a strategic plan with measurable goals.
The gap between “95% of students think it’s okay to seek help” and “too few students actually reach out when they’re struggling” is where the coalition’s energy goes next. That’s a gap you can close with the right community effort, and this coalition is building the strategy to do it.
What Comes Next
The coalition will develop specific strategies around both priorities through coordinated school, family, and community efforts. Intermountain Health grants open April 1, 2026. Volunteers are still needed for the Community Assessment and Resource Assessment workgroups.
The next meeting is today: Monday, March 9, at noon, Central Utah Counseling Center, Ephraim. Open to the public. Contact Jocie Rojas (jocelyner@cucc.us) to get involved.
Sourcing: This recap is based on official coalition meeting minutes from October 13, November 10, and December 8, 2025, taken by Jocie Rojas, Behavioral Health Prevention Specialist at Central Utah Counseling Center. For corrections, email info@sanpeteserves.com.
