Group honored for work with month's observation

Abuse can take the form of neglect and intimidation.
YOUNGSTOWN -- Family violence is preventable, and a local coalition wants to use this month to get that message out.
The Tri-County Family Violence Prevention Coalition consists of more than 100 area agencies, organizations, businesses and community members dedicated to family violence prevention.
Last week, Mahoning County commissioners acknowledged the coalition's work and declared this month Family Violence Prevention Month.
What they do
The coalition and its partners have been involved in the development and implementation of a strategic plan to prevent family violence, coalition officials said.
Created in 2001, the coalition serves families in Columbiana, Mahoning and Trumbull counties. It is classified as a Family Violence Prevention Initiative funded by the Anthem Foundation of Ohio.
The coalition defines family violence as child, intimate partner and elder abuse. That can include emotional, physical and sexual abuse as well as neglect, financial exploitation and intimidation.
To help prevent family violence, the coalition has developed school-based and community prevention programs, and also has a list of speakers who are available at no cost to discuss the issue in schools and with groups.
In its literature, the coalition suggested these ways people can help prevent family violence:
UPromote positive interactions between family members.
UBecome aware of people who are at risk for violence.
ULearn nonviolent ways of resolving conflict.
UMaintain supportive relationships as you get older.
UFamiliarize family members with local resources such as Help Hotline Crisis Center in Youngstown, CONTACT Crisis Services in Trumbull County and Christian House Domestic Violence Program in Columbiana County.
Hours donated
The coalition has an 11-member oversight committee, which has donated more than 500 hours to inform the public about family violence and its prevention.
Don Dickens, director of CONTACT, is oversight committee chairman, and Ilona Roth-Cohn, director of community outreach for Forum Health's Center for Behavioral Medicine, is committee vice chairwoman.
Dorothy Miller is coalition project coordinator.
For more information on the coalition's work and to find out about speakers, visit its Web site at www.tricountyfamilyviolenceprevention.org, or call Miller at (330) 747-5111. The coalition's mailing address is through its lead agency, Help Hotline Crisis Center, P.O. Box 46, Youngstown 44501.