Healthy Community Initiative

Healthy Community Initiative has been hearing a lot from community members in the past two weeks asking what they can do to help their neighbors. Here are some suggestions and links: Community Action Center The Community Action Center helps people across Rice County through their locations in Faribault and Northfield. Click here to download a […]

By Lisa Malecha as a Guest Columnist for the Faribault Daily News Throughout my career in mental health I have served on many local committees, including the Healthy Community Initiative (HCI) Board of Directors for several years. Recently, I joined the Breakthrough Coalition, with the vision of having a community where youth and families have […]

HCI formed more than 30 years ago to create healthy communities where all children, youth and families can thrive. All. That starts with respecting the inherent dignity in all people. It means seeing the worth and wonder in people who may speak a different language, come from a different city, state or country, or who […]

In fall 2025, the Healthy Community Initiative (HCI) worked with Rice County Public Health’s SHIP program to install a lactation pod at the Northfield Community College Collaborative (NCCC). This new space gives student parents, staff and visitors a private and comfortable place to nurse or pump breast milk. NCCC offers many services like academic advising, […]

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 […]