Community Youth Network Inc

THROUGH A MULTIDISCIPLINARY PARTNERSHIP WITH WAUKEGAN HIGH SCHOOL AND MIDDLE SCHOOLS, AS WELL AS YOUTH AND PARENTS IN GRAYSLAKE, IL, COMMUNITY YOUTH NETWORK, INC. (CYN) WILL REDUCE INCIDENTS OF YOUTH VIOLENCE THROUGH RESTORATIVE PRACTICES TO IMPROVE SCHOOL SAFETY AND CLIMATE; PREVENT YOUTH VIOLENCE, DELINQUENCY, AND VICTIMIZATION BY PROVIDING PEACE CIRCLES AND TRAUMA TREATMENT IN THE SCHOOL SETTING; ENGAGE PARENTS AND YOUTH IN AN ADVISORY COUNCIL TO ADDRESS THEIR CONCERNS AND PROVIDE A VENUE FOR THEIR VOICES TO BE HEARD; AND OBTAIN PARENT DIRECTION ON THE CONTENT FOR PARENT WORKSHOPS. CYN HAS A PARTNERSHIP WITH WAUKEGAN MIDDLE SCHOOLS AND HIGH SCHOOLS TO PROVIDE RESTORATIVE PRACTICES, CASE MANAGEMENT, AND THERAPY SERVICES TO YOUTH AGES 1118 (AND THEIR FAMILIES) WHO ARE INVOLVED IN AN INTERPERSONAL CONFLICT, HAVE BEEN EXPOSED TO VIOLENCE, HAVE PERPETRATED VIOLENCE, OR ARE IN NEED OF TRAUMA-INFORMED THERAPY. CYN WILL MEET THESE NEEDS BY OFFERING A VARIETY OF ACTIVITIES TO SUPPORT STUDENTS, WHICH WILL DECREASE VIOLENCE AND ASSIST THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN AFFECTED BY VIOLENCE. ACTIVITIES INCLUDE RESTORATIVE PRACTICES/PEACE CIRCLES; TRAUMA-INFORMED INDIVIDUAL, FAMILY, AND GROUP COUNSELING; AND CASE MANAGEMENT. A TOTAL OF 468 YOUTH WILL BE SERVED WITH TRAUMA-INFORMED THERAPY DURING THE 3-YEAR GRANT; 80 PERCENT OF YOUTH WILL SHOW SYMPTOM REDUCTION AS EVIDENCED BY THE PRE/POSTTEST. A TOTAL OF 120 PARENTS/CAREGIVERS WILL BE SERVED OVER THE 3-YEAR GRANT IN PARENT WORKSHOPS. A TOTAL OF 303 YOUTH WILL BE SERVED THROUGH PEACE CIRCLES/RESTORATIVE CONVERSATIONS OVER THE 3-YEAR GRANT. A TOTAL OF 120 YOUTH/PARENTS/CAREGIVERS WILL PARTICIPATE IN MULTIDISCIPLINARY MEETINGS OVER THE 3-YEAR GRANT.

THROUGH A MULTIDISCIPLINARY PARTNERSHIP WITH NORTH CHICAGO HIGH SCHOOL AND MIDDLE SCHOOLS, AS WELL AS YOUTH AND PARENTS, COMMUNITY YOUTH NETWORK, INC, (CYN) WILL REDUCE INCIDENTS OF YOUTH VIOLENCE THROUGH RESTORATIVE PRACTICES TO IMPROVE SCHOOL SAFETY AND CLIMATE; PREVENT YOUTH VIOLENCE, DELINQUENCY, AND VICTIMIZATION BY PROVIDING PEACE CIRCLES AND TRAUMA TREATMENT IN THE SCHOOL SETTING; ENGAGE PARENTS AND YOUTH IN AN ADVISORY COUNCIL TO ADDRESS THEIR CONCERNS AND PROVIDE A VENUE FOR THEIR VOICES TO BE HEARD; AND OBTAIN PARENT DIRECTION ON THE CONTENT FOR PARENT WORKSHOPS. CYN HAS A PARTNERSHIP WITH NORTH CHICAGO COMMUNITY HIGH SCHOOL AND WILL ENGAGE THE MIDDLE SCHOOLS TO PROVIDE RESTORATIVE PRACTICES, CASE MANAGEMENT, AND THERAPY SERVICES TO YOUTH AGES 11-18 (AND THEIR FAMILIES) WHO ARE INVOLVED IN AN INTERPERSONAL CONFLICT, HAVE BEEN EXPOSED TO VIOLENCE, HAVE PERPETRATED VIOLENCE, OR ARE IN NEED OF TRAUMA INFORMED THERAPY. CYN WILL MEET THESE NEEDS BY OFFERING A VARIETY OF ACTIVITIES TO SUPPORT STUDENTS WHICH WILL DECREASE VIOLENCE AND ASSIST THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN AFFECTED BY VIOLENCE. ACTIVITIES INCLUDE RESTORATIVE PRACTICES/PEACE CIRCLES, TRAUMA INFORMED INDIVIDUAL, FAMILY, AND GROUP COUNSELING, AND CASE MANAGEMENT.

COMMUNITY YOUTH NETWORK (CYN), IN COLLABORATION WITH THE 19TH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT COURT, DIVISION OF JUVENILE PROBATION/DETENTION SERVICES, AND NICASA BEHAVIORAL HEALTH, AN ACCREDITED SUBSTANCE USE TREATMENT ORGANIZATION, WILL PROVIDE THERAPEUTIC MENTORING TO YOUTH IMPACTED BY OPIOID AND OTHER DRUG MISUSE.  FOUNDED IN 2019, CYN’S THERAPEUTIC MENTORING PROGRAM IS THE ONLY MENTORING PROGRAM IN THE COUNTY THAT SERVES YOUTH IN THEIR TEENS WITH COMPLEX NEEDS. CYN WILL SERVE 22 YOUTH WHO HAVE AN EXISTING MENTOR MATCH AND SERVE 68 YOUTH THROUGH NEW MENTOR MATCHES DURING THE LIFE OF THE GRANT WITH 98 YOUTH REFERRED DURING THE GRANT PERIOD. YOUTH 11-17 YEARS OF AGE FROM LAKE COUNTY, IL WILL BE MATCHED WITH A THERAPEUTIC MENTOR AND PROVIDED INDIVIDUAL AND GROUP MENTORING FOR 1-3 HOURS PER WEEK FOR 6-12 MONTHS AND ATTEND SUBSTANCE ABUSE EDUCATION THROUGH NICASA’S EVIDENCE-BASED PROGRAM, TOO GOOD FOR DRUGS. NICASA WILL ASSESS YOUTH FOR SUBSTANCE USE TREATMENT NEEDS AND MATCH THE LEVEL OF CARE WITH THE APPROPRIATE TREATMENT TO ENSURE POSITIVE OUTCOMES. YOUTH WILL HAVE OPPORTUNITIES TO PARTICIPATE IN ANIMAL ASSISTED THERAPY THROUGH A CONTRACT WITH MAIN STAY THERAPEUTIC FARM AND TEAM BUILDING THROUGH A CONTRACT WITH YMCA’S CAMP DUNCAN. PROFESSIONAL THERAPEUTIC MENTORS WILL UTILIZE THE TRANSITION TO INDEPENDENCE PROCESS EVIDENCE BASED MODEL TO ASSIST THE YOUTH IN MEETING THEIR GOALS. THE PROGRAM IMPROVES POSITIVE LIFE OUTCOMES (INCLUDING ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE, SCHOOL ATTENDANCE, HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION, PROSOCIAL SKILL DEVELOPMENT, CONNECTION TO PROSOCIAL PEERS, CONNECTION TO FAMILY, CONNECTION TO COMMUNITY, SOCIAL SUPPORT ACCESS TO OPPORTUNITY STRUCTURES & RESOURCES, DRUG MISUSE AND ATTITUDES PREDISPOSING TO CRIMINAL ACTIVITIES) THROUGH MENTORING SERVICES.

COMMUNITY YOUTH NETWORK, IN COLLABORATION WITH THE 19TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT, WILL PROVIDE THERAPEUTIC MENTORING TO YOUTH INVOLVED WITH THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM. COMMUNITY YOUTH NETWORK WILL SERVE 30 YOUTH ANNUALLY THROUGH NEW MENTOR MATCHES, WITH 120 YOUTH REFERRED DURING THE GRANT PERIOD. ELIGIBLE YOUTH ARE FROM LAKE COUNTY, IL, WHO WERE YOUNGER THAN AGE 18 AT THE POINT OF ARREST OR REFERRAL WHO HAVE BEEN ARRESTED OR REFERRED FOR INTAKE TO A PUBLIC AGENCY LEGALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR HANDLING YOUTH CRIME, DELINQUENCY, AND YOUTH IN NEED OF GUIDANCE, TREATMENT, OR REHABILITATION DUE TO PROBLEMATIC BEHAVIOR. WHILE SERVICES ARE OFFERED TO YOUTH IN LAKE COUNTY, PRIORITY WILL BE GIVEN TO YOUTH FROM WAUKEGAN, NORTH CHICAGO, AND ZION, AS 43 PERCENT OF THE YOUTH ON PROBATION IN THE COUNTY ARE FROM THESE TOWNS, AND THESE COMMUNITIES HAVE AN IDENTIFIED NEED FOR YOUTH SERVICES. YOUTH WILL BE MATCHED WITH A THERAPEUTIC MENTOR WHO WILL PROVIDE INDIVIDUAL AND GROUP MENTORING FOR 13 HOURS PER WEEK FOR UP TO 18 MONTHS. YOUTH WILL HAVE OPPORTUNITIES TO PARTICIPATE IN ANIMAL-ASSISTED THERAPY THROUGH A CONTRACT WITH SUSANNA FARMS AND TEAM BUILDING THROUGH A CONTRACT WITH YMCA'S CAMP DUNCAN. MENTORS WILL UTILIZE THE TRANSITION TO INDEPENDENCE EVIDENCE-BASED MODEL TO ASSIST THE YOUTH IN MEETING THEIR GOALS.

YOUTH DELINQUENCY PREVENTION PROGRAM