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PAGE 78 In subsequent conversations the Multi-Service Center in Livermore was mentioned as a hub that could be expanded and/or a model from which a new hub might be developed in Dublin or Pleasanton. Regardless of whether this is undertaken as an expansion or establishment of a new center, this recommendation has the potential to mitigate many community and organizational challenges. Examples of additional recommended features of the network and/or hub(s) and the challenge that each feature could address, are included in the Implementation Plan table below. Actionable Recommendation 2: Youth Services and Supports Although there are affordable recreation options in each of the three cities, youth and adults alike spoke at length about the need for more services and support for students. These included community- based recreation programs, team-based sports opportunities through for-profit organizations, and recreation opportunities through the schools. This could indicate a need to more widely promote existing recreation programs and/or further determine whether there are other barriers to participation. Additionally, for youth who are seeking more intensive or advanced sports training, there are several elite sports organizations whose services are likely financially out of reach for many Tri-Valley families. Recommendations include requiring relationship-building, as noted in Approach Recommendation 3. Further exploration could be conducted with the school district, community service providers, and for-profit sports organizations. It is important to note that this need and recommendation has arisen in other needs assessments conducted in the Tri-Valley. For example, several of the following youth recommendations reflect those introduced in the 2011 needs assessment.7 Additionally, the 2010 Youth Master Plan identified the East Oakland YMCA as an example of a model facility that could be replicated to serve young adults in the Tri-Valley.16 This plan also recommended that Dublin, Livermore, and Pleasanton build upon existing resources, such as the Shannon Community Center in Dublin, and the Elbow Room, located in the Robert Livermore Community Center, to ensure that youth across the Tri-Valley have a voice in creating and access to safe spaces for recreational activities. This also highlights the importance of working upstream, building relationships with other service providers and institutions (e.g., schools) and focusing across the life course. Teens whose challenges were reported in 2011 are now 24–29 years old. Had we focused upstream, many of the challenging experiences they are facing could have been mitigated earlier in their life course. YOUTH-CENTERED SERVICES Youth expressed an interest in a dedicated youth service center located outside the school that operated on a year-round basis. While these conversations were exploratory, youth participants offered ideas about the types of services that could be provided. “I think a community center would be really helpful because it could give variety. It could host wellness walks, seminars, have a website that teaches support and wellness and stuff like that. It could also provide haven for people who need help. It could have counselors who specialize in different issues (mental health with family, school, bullying, etc.). It could also have more low-key ideas that could provide comfort for people who are seeking help but not to an extreme level.” IN-SCHOOL HEALTH AND WELLNESS CENTER Students emphasized the mental health challenges they have been facing and a need for culturally responsive services from trusted adults. Further, in light of their exposure to vaping, tobacco, alcohol, and other substances, they desire for more substance education and/or treatment programs. Youth from all three communities suggested more youth-focused programs to provide substance use education and support. This need was also reflected by an adult participant who said, “We don’t have enough services in general. We certainly don’t have enough substance abuse or substance use education support services.” This need for youth health and mental health services arose in other city-specific and regional reports. As a result, there are programs in place that could be further built upon, scaled up, or provided sustained financial support. For example, the Kaiser community health needs assessment noted that in 2020–2021, EASTERN ALAMEDA COUNTY HUMAN SERVICES NEEDS ASSESSMENTSS Page 136 of 554