Healthy Community Initiative

This past semester, St. Olaf students partnered with the Rice County Chemical and Mental Health Coalition (RCCMHC) through St. Olaf College’s Civic Engagement Center, examining how exposure to substance misuse-related incidents influences perceptions of individuals with substance use disorders (SUDs). Specifically, students explored whether this exposure shapes empathy and willingness to support or participate in […]

PRESS RELEASEFor Immediate Release December 15, 2025 Rice County Family Services Collaborative Accepting Grant Applications [Rice County, MN] – The Governing Board of the Rice County Family Services Collaborative is accepting grant applications for its upcoming two-year grant cycle (July 1, 2026-June 30, 2028). The mission of the Rice County Family Services Collaborative is to […]

By Molly Titchenal as a Guest Columnist for the Northfield News This fall, the Rice County Chemical and Mental Health Coalition kicked off the fifth year of a national Mental Health Awareness Training grant provided through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. The grant has allowed the coalition to sponsor and organize evidence-based […]

YouthBank is an innovative philanthropy program in which a team of trained youth grant-makers awards funds to youth-led projects that will improve the quality of life in Northfield. The 2025-2026 grant round is centered on adding youth-centered third spaces to Northfield. “Third spaces” are places outside of home, school, or work where people can gather, feel welcome, […]

Through the Rice County Chemical and Mental Health Coalition (RCCMHC), HCI offers free Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training for youth and adults in Rice County. In these 8-hour training sessions, participants learn how to help individuals who may be experiencing a mental health problem or crisis. They learn to identify, understand and respond to […]

Early giving for Give to the Max Day 2025 has officially begun! HCI Executive Director Tom Steinmetz encourages you to support the work being done in your community and do your part to ensure these valuable services are available for years to come! Whether you choose to support HCI or one of the many other […]

October is Substance Use & Misuse Prevention Month, and we’re highlighting stories from our community! Sharing your experiences, reflections, and journeys is a powerful way to inspire others, and we’d love to hear them. If you have something you’d like to share, please email ashley@healthycommunityinitiative.org. My name is Charity, and I am an addict. Growing […]

October is Substance Use & Misuse Prevention Month, and we’re highlighting stories from our community! Sharing your experiences, reflections, and journeys is a powerful way to inspire others, and we’d love to hear them. If you have something you’d like to share, please email ashley@healthycommunityinitiative.org. My name is Shantel Arett. I want to start by […]

By Mariana Cruz and Byrd Lenzen as Guest Columnists for the Faribault Daily News Northfield YouthBank is a youth philanthropy program dedicated to uplifting the voices and ideas of young people in the Northfield community. YouthBank has its roots in Ireland, where it started in 1999. Since then, the YouthBank model has been adopted all […]

October is Substance Use & Misuse Prevention Month, and we’re highlighting stories from our community! Sharing your experiences, reflections, and journeys is a powerful way to inspire others, and we’d love to hear them. If you have something you’d like to share, please email ashley@healthycommunityinitiative.org. I struggled with addiction for many years and almost lost […]