The Department for Community Based Services (DCBS), in coordination with other state agencies, is piloting an after school project for middle and high school age young people that are at risk of potentially life altering situations, such as premarital parenting, alcohol and substance use, falling behind in school, and entering the foster care or juvenile justice system. Data trends in the last 24 months have exhibited a spike in the rate of young people 12 and older in difficult circumstances entering the foster care/child welfare system for the first time.
This alarming trend has many potential causes, not the least of which are single parent households and families dealing with substance abuse issues. Eighty percent of families involved in the Kentucky child welfare system are struggling with substance abuse. DCBS is taking a proactive approach by providing additional funding for effective and timely substance abuse treatment coupled with intensive case management provided by the child welfare team of a social worker and a recovering addict (family mentor) through the S.T.A.R.T. (Sobriety Treatment and Recovery Team) initiative. The nationally recognized S.T.A.R.T. initiative is being piloted in several counties to assist parents with substance abuse issues and the risks posed to the child’s safety by the disease and lifestyle.
There is a demonstrated need to provide additional resources and supports to the adolescents in these families to prevent their spiraling into the vicious cycle of alcohol and drug use, delinquency, school failure, premarital sex and child abuse and neglect.
The Youth Promise Program for at risk youth will proactively address this situation by supporting existing community based after school programs to provide funding for research-based programs which share the same goals and objectives with the developmental indicators outlined in SJR 184, sponsored by Sen. Katie Stine, R-Fort Thomas(2006):
- Caring relationships with adults, parents and peers with an emphasis on strengthening families;
- Safe places and structured activities;
- Healthy start and future;
- Marketable skills through effective education and learning activities;
- Opportunities to serve and help others; and
- Promotion and encouragement of individual responsibility.
DCBS will pilot this program in six counties to demonstrate that increased resources and supports that enhance existing community based efforts and incorporate research-based programs and developmental supports will target a significant positive effect with high-risk youth. These pilot programs will be located in the three START sites and five other communities that are receiving secondary prevention grants as part of the Department’s comprehensive strategy to align the myriad of prevention and family preservation programs through its Partners in Prevention strategy. The Youth Promise Program partners will work closely with the S.T.A.R.T. sites and other five communities to actively involve parents and families and increase the community partners’ capacity to serve this target population.
Target Population
This project will seek to address young people ages 10 to 18 that are at risk of potentially life altering situations. At risk is defined by one or more of the following risk factors:
- Low income,
- Not meeting the minimum basic literacy skills level
- School dropout
- Homeless, runaway, or foster child
- Pregnant or parenting youth
- Offender
- Mental or physical disability
- Requires additional assistance to complete an educational program, or to secure and hold employment.
Recruitment and retention of young people within the target population should involve communication and coordination with parents, faith- and community-based organizations and state youth serving agencies and their local contractors:
- Administrative Office of the Courts, Court Designated Workers,
- Department of Juvenile Justice, Community Youth Workers,
- Family Resource and Youth Service Centers, Youth Service Center Directors,
- DCBS workers
- School District truancy workers (Director of Pupil Personnel)
Target Communities
This project will be piloted in six counties in the state. Support will be given to faith and community based organizations with existing out of school time programs to expand services to target adolescents in difficult circumstances and implement the Smart Moves program along with the Five Promises. Organizations that have programs in low resource communities, neighborhoods and/or schools will be a priority.
Process
The Community Based organization will provide the researched-based program Smart Moves or equivalent program which meets the SJR 184 developmental supports in the after school hours and summer break for at risk young people within the age range of 12-18 (middle and high school).
Smart Moves (Skills, Mastery and Resistance Training) is a research based health and life skills program of the Boys and Girls Clubs of America. This prevention/education program addresses the problems of drug and alcohol use and premature sexual activity. It is based on proven techniques that incorporate a team approach involving staff, peer leaders, parents and community leaders. The program teaches young people to resist risk taking behavior by involving them in discussion and role playing, practicing resistance and refusal skills, developing assertiveness, strengthening decision-making skills, and analyzing media and peer influence.
Developmental Supports, based on the Five Promises of the America’s Promise-Alliance for Youth with an additional goal of promoting and encouraging individual responsibility, are research based developmental supports that enhance the success of young people. These supports create a positive framework for working with young people that builds on their assets and strengths. Research is demonstrating that an array of developmental supports such as the Five Promises of the America’s Promise-Alliance for Youth are a great equalizer that work across socio economic boundaries to ensure the success of young people no matter their race or economic situation. When young people have all or most of these developmental supports in their lives, they are more likely to have positive outcomes. Unfortunately, as young people get older, they are less likely to have the majority of these supports in their lives.
Program Support
As a part of this initiative, the Department of Community Based Services (DCBS) will provide ongoing training and technical assistance to the organizations and their staff that implement the Youth Promise Program. This training and program technical support may include: the Smart Moves curricula, youth development, implementing the Five Promises, data collection and recruiting/retaining middle and high school students in after school setting.
Outcomes
The Youth Promise Program for at risk youth will seek to positively affect the following Outcomes:
- Teen Parenting
- Premature sexual activity
- Alcohol and Drug use
- Entry/re-entry into the CPS and court system
- School attendance and performance