A.C.C.E.S.S. has also reached out to the families in the community to offer services to any youth in Champaign County who needs services regardless of their level of involvement in the juvenile justice system. The hope is that with the proactive stance Project A.C.C.E.S.S. has taken, not only can they reduce the recidivism of the youth already involved in the justice system but they can prevent youth from entering the juvenile justice system in the first place.

 

Project A.C.C.E.S.S. has conducted workshops for the parents and guardians of the at-risk youth to make them aware that as family members, they can partner with the service providers in order to help the youth successfully engage in services. It is by treating the families as full partners who have input as to the services that the youth needs instead of treating the families as though they have no valuable knowledge about how to effectively work with the youth that Project A.C.C.E.S.S. has been able to gain cooperation from parents who, in the past, have been reluctant to cooperate with service providers. Project A.C.C.E.S.S. also arranged for the service providers to participate in a juvenile court orientation that took place at the Champaign County Probation and Court Services Department with service providers familiarizing each other with the specifics of their programs, a member of the Champaign County Public Defender’s Officer was in attendance to give tips on court advocacy, and the Champaign County Court Administrator, Roger Holland, was at hand to provide a tour of the courthouse and present information to the service providers about how the court system works.

As with any program that seeks multi-agency cooperation to provide a vast array of services to a diverse population, there is a learning curve and occasional problems arise that need solutions which is why the Champaign County Mental Health Board sought a consultation from Dr. Harry Shallcross, a nationally recognized authority on mental health services for youth. Dr. Shallcross’s report provided insight and feedback from an outsider’s perspective that will help guide the direction of Project A.C.C.E.S.S. for years to come and although Project A.C.C.E.S.S. is still in the beginning phases as an organization, as Dr. Shallcross noted, it is “an impressive collection of resources and programs, supported and staffed by highly competent and committed professionals” which should allow the program to successfully navigate the sometimes tricky path to providing a strong and inclusive system of care for the youth of Champaign County.

 

 

 

Jennifer Jarvis

Assistant Superintendent

 Detention Services Division

Champaign County Probation and Court Services Department