Lehigh Valley leaders to discuss youth issues at SAP consortium

The Center for Humanistic Change will host a Lehigh Valley panel on Oct. 8 in Allentown to examine youth mental health, substance use and community responses. The discussion will use Pennsylvania Youth Survey data and bring together school, health, legal and nonprofit leaders.

Why it matters: - The Fall Student Assistance Program Consortium will focus on youth mental health, substance use and other issues affecting student well-being in the Lehigh Valley. - The event is designed to connect schools, families, health professionals, community organizations and public agencies around shared responses. - The discussion comes as 2023 Pennsylvania Youth Survey data show elevated concern on key youth indicators in Lehigh County.

What happened: - The Center for Humanistic Change will host “Contemporary Issues Impacting Youth: Trends, Challenges, and Community Responses” on Thursday, Oct. 8, 2026, from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. - The event will take place at Alumnae Hall at Cedar Crest College, 100 College Drive, Allentown, Pa. 18104. - Lehigh County Executive Josh Siegel will deliver opening remarks at about 9:15 a.m. - Lisa Wolff, M.Ed., CHC’s manager of community engagement, will moderate the panel.

The details: - The panel will be guided by data from the Pennsylvania Youth Survey, or PAYS, a biennial statewide survey of youth behaviors, attitudes, risk factors and protective factors. - PAYS data are used by schools, policymakers and community organizations to identify emerging concerns and guide prevention and intervention strategies. - In 2023, 37.3% of Lehigh County students reported feeling sad or depressed most days. - The same survey found that a majority of students reported positive mental health outlooks. - Pennsylvania students’ e-cigarette use is at the national level, and 50.3% of 12th-grade students who vape reported vaping marijuana or hash oil at increasing rates. - Panelists include David Hauser of Saucon Valley Middle School; Thespina Godshalk of Lehigh Valley Health Network, a part of Jefferson Health; Gretchen Hill and Molly Stanton of county drug and alcohol offices; Gavin P. Holihan, Esq.; Kimberly Makoul, Esq.; Nikolas V. Tsamoutalidis of Bethlehem Area School District; and Kristen Wenrich of the City of Bethlehem. - Attendees will be able to meet community partners including KidsPeace, Valley Youth House, Crime Victims Council, CASSP, NAMI, Resilient Lehigh Valley, Bradbury Sullivan Project and MARS, along with representatives from Northampton County Drug and Alcohol Services. - Participants from school districts that pre-approve the event will be eligible for two Act 48 credits. - The consortium is geared toward education and healthcare professionals. - The event is funded in part through a contract with the Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs and the Lehigh County Drug and Alcohol Division. - Registration is available at the event link. - CHC was established in 1979 and serves youth, families, schools and communities throughout the Lehigh Valley. - CHC’s Student Assistance Program, Mentoring and Prevention departments provide education, resources, support and programming for youth life-skills and decision-making. - CHC serves every school district in the Lehigh Valley and is funded primarily by the Lehigh County and Northampton County Drug and Alcohol divisions, plus grants and private philanthropy. - More information is available at the organization’s website.

Between the lines: - The event highlights how schools and local agencies are treating youth mental health and substance use as connected community issues rather than isolated school problems. - The mix of school leaders, prosecutors, public defenders, health providers and county officials suggests a focus on coordinated intervention, not just prevention messaging. - The PAYS data give the discussion a local evidence base, which can help participants prioritize the issues most visible in Lehigh County.

What's next: - CHC will use the consortium to surface emerging concerns and strengthen partnerships across the region. - School districts that want Act 48 credit must pre-approve the event. - Attendees can follow up with the participating community organizations after the panel for referrals, resources and collaboration.