Recognizing Our 2026 Prevention Champions
May 11, 2026
Healthy Community Initiative (HCI) is celebrating National Prevention Week (May 10-16) by recognizing the efforts of local prevention champions. The Rice County Chemical and Mental Health Coalition recently presented 2026 Prevention Champion awards to Yahye Noor, an officer with the Faribault Police Department, and Kelli Podracky, Executive Director of the Northfield Union of Youth.
The recipients were recognized for their significant contributions in reducing risk factors for substance use, supporting recovery, promoting mental health and well-being, and/or building assets for our youth and other community members.
Officer Noor joined the Faribault Police Department in 2024 and was nominated by Courtney Malecha, a community based coordinator with Rice County Behavioral Health Services.
“Since I took on the role of the Faribault Police Department’s new Community Based Coordinator, Officer Noor has been a prominent part of my success,” Malecha wrote in her nomination. “Office Noor had no hesitation in including me on calls and making sure community members in need were being referred for help. He has gone out of his way to offer support.”
She continued, “I’ve been especially impressed with the way Officer Noor treats our community on a daily basis. He truly sees people as human beings and recognizes when someone is having a rough time and treats everyone with compassion, even when it’s difficult to do so.”
Malecha commended Noor for referring individuals and families to other agencies when appropriate, and for following up to ensure they received help.
“Even on days that Officer Noor is not working, he will still assist others in getting connected to resources, showing that his compassion for helping others goes beyond a job. He has reduced cultural barriers and provided warm hand-offs, so community members feel more comfortable accessing services,” Malecha wrote.
Kelli Podracky has served as director of the Northfield Union of Youth since 2023 and was nominated by Toby Anderson, supervisor of Rice County Behavioral Health Services.
“Kelli’s work at the Northfield Union of Youth is the very definition of prevention in action,” Anderson wrote in his nomination. “Prevention doesn’t always make headlines, yet it is found in the everyday, intentional efforts that keep young people safe, supported, and connected. It looks like creating a welcoming space where youth can gather and build relationships with caring adults. It looks like ensuring young people have access to essential resources—from basic necessities to mental health support and beyond. It looks like offering meaningful, structured activities that provide healthy alternatives to substance use and other risky behaviors. This is the work Kelli leads every single day.”
Anderson said Podracky has cultivated an environment where youth feel safe, valued, and heard; built strong community partnerships to expand young people’s access to resources; and fostered “a culture of acceptance and belonging—one where every young person who walks through the door knows they matter.”
As an example of her advocacy, he described one situation in which she helped a youth who was struggling with substance use.
“Her persistence, compassion, and presence made a profound difference during one of the most vulnerable moments in this young person’s life,” Anderson wrote.
The Rice County Chemical and Mental Health Coalition seeks nominations from the community every year for the Prevention Champion Awards. Visit ricecountycmhc.org/prevention-champions/ for more information. Read about previous Prevention Champions here.