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| Community Budget Issue Requests - Tracking Id #2902 |
| Outward Bound Alternative Transition Services Program |
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| Requester: |
Jon Mark Howard, President |
Organization: |
Outward Bound Discovery |
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| Project Title: |
Outward Bound Alternative Transition Services Program |
Date Submitted |
1/13/2006 12:38:41 PM |
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| Sponsors: |
Wise |
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| Statewide Interest: |
| This proposed pilot project provides an alternative option for youth to transition from a residential commitment program to the community. The transition of youth from commitment programs back into the community and their families is one of the most critical aspects of a youth being successful. The pilot project being proposed offers an alternative transition service for youth in the juvenile justice system. |
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| Recipient: |
Outward Bound Discovery Program |
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Contact: |
Meg Bates |
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177 Salem Court |
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Contact Phone: |
(850) 487-4365 |
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Tallahassee 32301 |
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Contact email: |
mbates@outwardbound.org |
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| Counties: |
{Statewide} |
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| Gov't Entity: |
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Private Organization (Profit/Not for Profit): |
Yes |
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| Project Description: |
| Outward Bound Discovery is proposing to provide an innovative alternative to transition youth from residential commitment back to the community. The program will offer positive alternatives and services to male and female delinquent youth, 14 to 18 years of age, that are in low, moderate, or high-risk commitment programs, with a primary focus on those that have commitment non-lawful technical violations. The goal of this program is provide an alternative option for transition services with the goal of reducing the number of youth who re-commit, enhance family stability and provide more comprehensive transition back to family, school and the community.
Outward Bound Discovery has a 30 year history of working with delinquent and at-risk youth, including girls, in a wilderness setting. Utilizing intense and challenging 20 day wilderness expeditions, coupled with a 10-day follow-up transition component, this program will provide individualized treatment planning that specifically targets the student��s individual area(s) of need relating to character development, academic planning, family reunification and transition planning. This program is modeled after a program that Outward Bound is providing in cooperation with the South Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice. This proposal is being presented as a pilot for Florida to be operated out of one of the existing Outward Bound bases in the state.
The Alternative Transition program to be provided by Outward Bound will include individualized case management and transition planning; pro social and life education; health; remedial tutoring and individualized instruction in core academics; behavior intervention and management; and resources for extended services. One of the key components of the program is that youth that successfully complete the program may be released from the commitment program 2-4 months early. This provides a significant incentive to youth in the program, as well as saving the funds that would have been spent for incarcerating the youth.
The activities to be provided in this program include:
�� Wilderness Expeditions: The wilderness component is designed to be a minimum of 20 days canoeing and/or backpacking expeditions in the wilderness. As part of each expedition, components include community service projects, physical fitness activities, life skills education and team building and problem solving activities.
�� Home and School Transition Component: The primary purpose of the follow-up phase is to reinforce and integrate learning that occurred during the wilderness expedition by transferring lessons and concepts to the home, school, and community environment. Follow-Up is comprised of the following program elements; family contracting and mediation, home visits, school visits and/or on site consultation and phone contacts.
The pilot project proposed to offer 4 courses for 10 students on each course. The cost per course is $43,560, with a total for the 4 courses totaling $174,240. The courses are 30 days in length which included both the wilderness and follow-up components. The project would require $9,000 in nonrecurring equipment costs the first year.
Note: Projected cost savings estimate - $180,000. The program is designed to allow for youth successfully completing the program to be eligible for early released from a commitment facility, therefore the program pays for itself �V and in fact, can provide a cost savings to the state. A conservative estimate is that youth may be eligible for a 45-day early release from commitment. Assuming a commitment cost of $100 per day, the cost savings would be $180,000 (40 students for 45 days @ $100 per day). This means that the program basically pays for itself and could be accomplished within a reallocation of existing revenue.
There are currently no programs that offer this service. However, as noted, this program is designed to allow for youth to be released early from commitment program, which can free up existing resources for other youth needing placement.
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| Is this a project related to a federal or state declared disaster? |
No |
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| Measurable Outcome Anticipated: |
| The pilot program will provide more effective transition services for youth leaving commitment programs. The youth would be tracked to monitor their success back in the community, including involvement in any future criminal activity. |
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| Amount requested from the State for this project this year: |
$183,240 |
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| Total cost of the project: |
$183,240 |
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| Request has been made to fund: |
Operations |
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| What type of match exists for this project? |
None |
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Cash Amount |
$ |
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| Was this project previously funded by the state? |
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No |
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| Is future-year funding likely to be requested? |
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Yes |
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Amount: |
$174,240 |
To Fund: |
Operations |
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| Was this project included in an Agency's Budget Request? |
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Yes |
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Agency |
Juvenile Justice, Department Of |
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| Was this project included in the Governor's Recommended Budget? |
No |
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| Is there a documented need for this project? |
Yes |
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Documentation: |
needs assessment |
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| Was this project request heard before a publicly noticed meeting of a body of elected officials (municipal, county, or state)? |
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No |
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| Is this a water project as described in Section 403.885, Laws of Florida? |
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No |
