Now they are meeting and working together to address the issue of family violence in their county. After the forum, communities are beginning to address the issue together. In Livingston County a group used the forum as a springboard for securing a grant to foster teen pregnancy prevention initiatives. People appreciate the opportunity to participate in a deliberative public discussion. In Fredericktown, participants have decided to sponsor additional forums in their community.
Forums provide a tool for helping the community begin to discover their own answers.
It is believed that public issues education is a part of nearly every specialty and that it would be beneficial for all Extension faculty to be trained with the National Issues Forum model. They showed that common ground is possible and that public lands are managed well. A Land Use Survey was designed for County residents. Future plans are to complete a random survey to county residents. The resulting center will promote farm and rural land protection through public policies and programs.