Montgomery County Youth Services Bureau Inc

TO HELP YOUNG PEOPLE BECOME PRODUCTIVE CITIZENS THROUGH YOUTH ADVOCACY, COMMUNITY EDUCATION, DELINQUENCY PREVENTION, DIRECT SERVICES AND REFERRALS.

COURT APPOINTED SPECIAL ADVOCATES (CASA) PROVIDES A VOICE FOR THE MOST VULNERABLE IN OUR COMMUNITY, CHILDREN WHO HAVE SUFFERED FROM ABUSE, NEGLECT OR ABANDONMENT. YSB RECRUITS AND TRAINS ADULT VOLUNTEERS TO BE EFFECTIVE ADVOCATES FOR THE BEST INTEREST OF A SPECIFIC CHILD IN NEED OF SERVICES AS THAT CHILD WORKS HIS OR HER WAY THROUGH THE COURT AND FOSTER CARE SYSTEMS. CASA HELPS CHILDREN BY INVESTIGATING AND REPORTING TO THE COURT, THE CHILD'S AND FAMILY'S CIRCUMSTANCES, BY RECOMMENDING SERVICES AND SOLUTIONS CONDUCIVE TO THE BEST INTEREST OF THE CHILD, AND BY GIVING THE CHILD A VOICE IN WHAT IS OTHERWISE A VERY ADULT PROCESS IT IS CASA'S GOAL TO SEE A CHILD PLACED IN THE SAFEST, MOST PERMANENT HOME AVAILABLE AND TO PROTECT THAT CHILD FROM FURTHER ABUSE AND NEGLECT.

ADDITIONAL PROGRAMS INCLUDE NOURISH PROGRAM, REINDEAR PROGRAM, YOUTH AS RESOURCES (YAR), CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION, INSPIRE, DRUG & ALCOHOL PREVENTION,, ALTERNATIVE SCHOOL, AND SEL PROGRAM.

JUVENILE MENTORING PROGRAM (JUMP) PROVIDES ONE-TO-ONE RELATIONSHIPS IN WHICH TRUST CAN BE BUILT. ALTHOUGH NOT NATIONALLY, AFFILIATED, THE PROGRAM IS MODELED AFTER THE SUCCESSFUL BIG BROTHERS/BIG SISTERS PROGRAM FOUND IN LARGER COMMUNITIES. MENTORS SHOW CHILDREN SOMEONE CARES ABOUT THEM AND ENCOURAGES THEM TO CARE ABOUT THEMSELVES IN AN EFFORT TO HELP THEM REALIZE THEIR FULLEST POTENTIAL. MOST OF THE CHILDREN IN THE PROGRAM LIVE IN FAMILIES WITH INCOMES AT OR NEAR THE POVERTY LEVEL. PARENTS OF THE CHILDREN IN THE PROGRAM REGULARLY REPORT THAT THEIR CHILD IS HAPPIER, BETTER BEHAVED, DOING BETTER IN SCHOOL, AND HAS BECOME INVOLVED WITH EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES SINCE GETTING A MENTOR.

TEEN COURT IS A JUVENILE DELINQUENCY PROGRAM BASED ON THE CONCEPT OF RESTORATIVE JUSTICE. THROUGH THIS PROGRAM, OFFENDERS ARE GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE AND AVOID HAVING A PERMANENT JUVENILE RECORD. YOUTH ARE REFERRED BY THE SCHOOL, LAW ENFORCEMENT, AND JUVENILE PROBATION. CHARACTERISTICS COMMON TO TEEN COURT REFERRALS ARE FIRST TIME OFFENDERS, MINOR OFFENSES, AND STATUS OFFENSES. ALSO, YOUTH WHO ARE SEEN AS BEING ABLE TO BENEFIT FROM THIS LESS INTENSIVE/LESS FORMAL INTERVENTION ARE ACCEPTED INTO THE PROGRAM. YOUTH ARE ASSIGNED A COURT DATE WHERE AN ADULT JUDGE AND TEEN COURT VOLUNTEERS CONDUCT A COURT HEARING. THE JURY IS A JURY OF THEIR PEERS, MADE UP OF YOUTH VOLUNTEERS AS WELL AS PRIOR TEEN COURT DEFENDANTS. THE YOUTH BEFORE THE COURT MUST BE WILLING TO ADMIT TO THEIR CHARGES AND AFTER CASE PRESENTATION, THE JURY WILL GIVE A DISPOSITION FITTING THE OFFENSE.