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| Community Budget Issue Requests - Tracking Id #2051 |
| Getting Help for Kids - Before It�s too late |
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| Requester: |
Dr. Jaclynn Faffer |
Organization: |
Ruth Rales Jewish Family Service |
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| Project Title: |
Getting Help for Kids - Before It�s too late |
Date Submitted |
1/3/2008 5:39:25 PM |
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| Sponsors: |
Deutch |
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| Statewide Interest: |
| Since its inception in 2000, the Governor�s Suicide Prevention Task Force has been working diligently to formulate state policies that will prevent suicide and has developed a strategy to reduce suicide across the life span by one third by 2010. Part of the strategy is to decrease the incidence of teen suicide in Florida by one third (from approximately 9.5 per 100,000 in 2001, to approximately 6.3 per 100,000 by the end of 2010. For many cultures and ethnically diverse populations, stigma, limited English proficiency, different cultural norms about suicide, the causes of mental illness, and what constitutes appropriate mental health interventions make it necessary to have a plan in place that functions effectively in cross-cultural situations. Research has also shown students who feel victimized or bullied by other students or staff have an elevated risk of suicidalideations and behaviorsnegative effects. With minority youth more likely to express feelings of alienation, cultural and societal conflicts, academic anxieties, and feelings of victimization, it has become clear that careful attention must be paid to the needs of minority youth and their families. In 2005-06, 26,395 Palm Beach County School District students were suspended. This represents nearly a 25% increase from the previous school year. Out of school suspensions (61% of total suspensions in school year 2005-06) were due to substance abuse, victimization of students, firearms or weapons possession and false reporting involving school property, personnel and activities. About 20% of students in Palm Beach County report feeling anxious in school all or most of the time, due in part to the increase in bullying and harassment behavior, particularly in middle schools. Students who are victims of bullying are typically insecure, cautious, and suffer from low self-esteem, rarely defending themselves or retaliating against their attacker. They may lack social skills and friends, and are often socially isolated. Victims may also experience a greater degree of separation anxiety when leaving home and elevated depression, due to the fear and dread they experience at school. Many young people are caught up in conflicts every day that they do not know how to manage�teasing, jealousy, drug use and anger. Juvenile delinquency and violence are symptoms of youth�s inability to manage conflict in their lives. Often socially and economically disadvantaged children cannot get the support they need. Early mental health support for youth can prevent suicide, restore emotional well being whether the presenting depression is the result of bullying, anger, family issues, substance abuse or eating disorders. Early mental health treatment will reduce the risks of the youth becoming involved in criminal activities and behaviors. Preventing this is in the best interest of the state and long-term will save the state money millions of dollars in lost wages, incarcerations, medical expenses and court costs.
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| Recipient: |
Ruth Rales Jewish Family Service |
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Contact: |
Anne Chernin |
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21300 Ruth and Baron Coleman Blvd. |
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Contact Phone: |
(561) 852-3328 |
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Boca Raton 33428 |
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Contact email: |
annec@bocafed.org |
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| Counties: |
Palm Beach |
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| Gov't Entity: |
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Private Organization (Profit/Not for Profit): |
Yes |
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| Project Description: |
| Ruth Rales is collaborating with Boys & Girls Club, Milagros Center & Wayne Barton Study Center to reach high risk/ minority youth. This program will outpost clinicians at after school programs who will conduct staff trainings/consultation, support groups, individual and family counseling sessions and presentations on anxiety, behavioral issues, divorce, anger management, substance abuse, eating disorders, bullying, conflict resolution, and depression. The counselor will be integrated with each of these agencies cultures and be sensitive to the needs of each of these communities. In addition, a full-time child psychologist will provide family workshops, family and individual therapy, community outreach and work with the schools in tangent with the after care programs. Incorporated into the goals of the program are:
� Build the capacity of youth-serving entities to identify mental health issues among children, teens, and parents, and to engage those in need in a sensitive process that will lead to their seeking and receiving services. Bring staff development and programming for youth and families into these services.
� Reduce barriers of location in receiving mental health care by providing services at a variety of locations.
� Reduce barriers of location, language, and culture in seeking and receiving mental health services by providing services by multicultural, multilingual professionals
This program is an expansion of the agency�s Youth Conflict Resolution Program, which reaches out to kids at school teaching conflict resolution skills and positive ways of dealing with conflict and differences is approved by the School District of Palm Beach County Prevention Center/Department of Safe Schools The inclusion of mental health services in after school programs is a first step towards systemic reform by building connections amongst human service providers in order to maximize services for families and avoid duplication.
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| Is this a project related to a federal or state declared disaster? |
No |
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| Measurable Outcome Anticipated: |
| ): It is anticipated that 150 children will receive individual counseling services, 50 will participate in group counseling. Measurement instruments will be utilized to evaluate student satisfaction with the program and results of clinical treatment and interventions. Program effectiveness will be measured as follows:
� Partnering agencies will express satisfaction with quality and delivery of program services.
� 85% of persons (children and adult caregivers) who receive counseling services will report a minimum 10% increase in Confidence, Competence, and/or Caring (measurement tool: Confidence, Competence, Caring Scale distributed by Mentor Center, Children�s Services Council)
� 85% of children attending Bullying and Substance Abuse Presentations will gain knowledge about bullying and drugs and drug use
� 90% of children participating in anger management support groups will identify at least two coping mechanisms to decrease and resolve angry/violent behavior
� 95% of staff trained will be able to identify signs of youth depression
� 90% of those completing a satisfaction survey will indicate they have benefited through the services offered in this program.
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| Amount requested from the State for this project this year: |
$485,000 |
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| Total cost of the project: |
$718,000 |
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| Request has been made to fund: |
Operations |
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| What type of match exists for this project? |
Local, Private, Federal |
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Cash Amount |
$235,000 |
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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: |
$485,000 |
To Fund: |
Operations |
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| Was this project included in an Agency's Budget Request? |
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No |
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| Was this project included in the Governor's Recommended Budget? |
Unknown |
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| Is there a documented need for this project? |
Yes |
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Documentation: |
S. Palm Mental Health Needs for Youth, FL Dept. of Ed 06 stats, Well Aware suicide prevention |
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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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Yes |
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Hearing Body: |
Palm Beach County Legislative Delegation |
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| Is this a water project as described in Section 403.885, Laws of Florida? |
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No |
