One core component of CTC is a collaborative structure that brings together all in the community who care about working together to create a community that fosters the development of healthy youth. Another essential component of CTC is the promotion of proactive ways to facilitate healthy youth development, rather than simply reacting to problems after they have reached crisis level. A third CTC component is its grounding in scientific research in a variety of disciplines, including public health, sociology, psychology, criminology, and community psychology. A fourth component is local control of decisions based on local data and needs assessment, as well as flexibility in implementing actions that reflect the priorities identified by community members. Another core creature of CTC involves training sessions and the use of other means that help community stakeholders walk through each stage of the process of building a community that counters the risk factors and promotes the protective factors in youth development. CTC trained and certified facilitators provide training and technical assistance for this process. Evaluation evidence from communities that have implemented the CTC model indicates that the process increases the use of tested and effective programs in local communities. Positive changes in youth outcomes have been shown following the implementation of CTC. In specific arenas of community life, CTC has lowered levels of risk and achieved higher levels of protective factors, bringing progress in the quality and quantity of healthy youth outcomes. 2 figures and 12 references