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OVERVIEW & HISTORY OF THIS GRANT
 
 
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Grant Abstract

The purposed project is to obtain funding for the initiation of intervention and prevention services to juveniles who have been placed on probation in Floyd County, Indiana. Primarily the services to be provided are two independent psycho-educational groups, one focusing on Anger Management and the other on Drug and Alcohol usage. Admission to the groups will be based on referrals from Floyd County Courts, Floyd County Teen Court, and Floyd County Juvenile Probation. The psycho-educational groups will be focused on providing cognitive and behavioral strategies to help prevent future substance abuse and out-of-control behavior. A third part of the program will be the initial funding of a combination introductory substance and communication “anger” group for residents of the Floyd County Youth Shelter. This program will provide basic information and skills, while being a catalyst for involvement in primary groups.

The courts will assign participants to the groups and will require accountability through Floyd County Probation. Completion of the program will be based on attendance and achieving an acceptable performance on all work assigned. Services will be provided through contract clinicians who are also involved in implementation of the program. The program shall follow guidelines set aside by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Treatment Improvement Protocol (TIP) 1999 for treatment of substance abuse. Solution Focused Cognitive-Behavioral Skills Training will be utilized as the model for the effective communication “anger” group. Funding is sought for initiation and provision of new services. A parallel program with both groups will consist of a 6-week parenting class with families of juveniles who are referred to one of the probation programs. Adolescent groups will join the parenting groups at times to practice their new learned skills.
 

Problem Identification Statement

Floyd County, Indiana, has shown a significant increase in marijuana use among juveniles since 1992 where 14.4% of high school seniors reported smoking marijuana as compared to 24% in 2001. This is one indicator of the need for targeted drug education and treatment. In a more recent survey of juveniles surveyed who were currently under the authority of juvenile probation, of those referred to home based services, over 70% (N= 54) reported current or past usage of drugs and alcohol. It is the goal of this intervention and education program to target those individuals who are at highest risk for continued usage of drugs and alcohol. Currently there is no program in the area that is directly linked and accountable to the court system for education and treatment of substance abuse in adolescents. Presently, referrals are made to numerous agencies for treatment, often depending on availability of openings, proximity to the central district, and cost to the county and to the poor, who often have the greatest need and fewer resources.

Floyd County, Indiana, has also shown a significant increase in Delinquency Case Filings, increasing from 104 cases in 1999 to 274 in 2000. These filings are not status offences that only juveniles committed, but crimes considered in harm of others, including violence and bodily harm. With this significant increase in crime and the lack of accessible services, court ordered groups in communication and anger control would be highly beneficial for those who are ordered to participate in anger management group treatment. Research has shown that treating and educating the adolescent while failing to take in environmental factors, such as the family has limited success. By providing similar opportunities to the family of the juveniles, teaching new ways of communicating and monitoring substance abuse activities should increase successes. Parenting classes taught concurrently with the other groups are seen by correction officials in Floyd County to be greatly needed. (Source: The Kids Count in Indiana Data Base, Indiana Youth Institute)

Project Description

This project will provide a needed service for high-risk juveniles who enter the legal system for charges relating to violence and substance abuse in New Albany and Floyd County, Indiana. These juveniles are considered at high risk for recidivism due to their recent out of control behavior. Currently, there is little availability of intervention and prevention services in Floyd County that targets those juveniles who are entering the judicial system or who have not reached the point of being placed in secure environments. The program also includes a corresponding family group that teaches family members skills that will assist the juvenile and family in making changes in behavior. This program will pay for services for 150 to 170 individuals and families who are unable to afford such services referred by Floyd County Probation and Floyd County Teen Court.

With the goal of addressing juvenile crime more effectively and efficiently, currently, there is a significant problem in obtaining information, as to the level of participation in outside agency groups, often depending on the client as the informant versus interagency communication. Thus, efficiency of operation will occur in this program, with timely information provided to probation, including attendance and general participation. Session attendance reports will be provided at the end of each session to the probation office, located in the same facility as sessions occur. Thus, probation will have expedited participation information at their disposal, which will greatly assist in making informed decisions and recommendations to the court. This also allows for encouragement of the juvenile to improve attendance instead of reassigning the case to a new trial for failing to meet program requirements.

Teen Court, Floyd Community Correction, and Floyd County Probation, all of which are under the auspices of the County Judge Executive, will work as referral sources and collaborators in this project. The limited treatment resources currently available in the community are made up of individuals whose participants often have different motivational factors and may lack offender status. Clinicians can focus on issues relating to the offenders and their families including the lack of the individual’s motivation to make changes and teaching new parenting skills to the primary care giver. Occasionally the parenting groups and the juvenile groups will combine to practice communication skills. Through this collaborative effort between groups (parents and juvenile) greater efficiency of treatment can be obtained.