JJC AWARDS CAMDEN COUNTY $1,400,000 GRANT
- County to Offer New Program for Juveniles -

CAMDEN - The Juvenile Justice Commission (JJC) today announced that Camden County will receive a $1,400,000 grant to establish a Residential Treatment Center and a Day Treatment Program for juvenile offenders who would otherwise have been placed in the custody of the Juvenile Justice Commission due to a lack of judicial disposition options.

"The Juvenile Justice Commission is committed to working with New Jersey's counties to provide services for at-risk juveniles," stated Bruce D. Stout, Ph.D., Executive Director of the Juvenile Justice Commission. "Our philosophy is that local communities have a unique understanding of their youth populations. This has led the JJC to develop several initiatives to encourage a continuum of county and community-based services and sanctions. Camden County's new program will give courts an additional option that will allow Camden County youth to be placed in a program designed to turn their lives around before it is too late."

The JJC's newly established Division of Local Programs and Services provides funding for the Camden County program through the State Incentive Program (SIP). The SIP works with counties to develop and fund specific programs targeted at their individual community needs. Annually, the State Incentive Program administers $5.4 million in local funding. This year, the Juvenile Justice Commission will award more than $20 million through various sources of funding to implement a continuum of community-based services and sanctions for at risk and court involved youth.

While Camden County's grant has been approved by the JJC, the majority of the grant funds must be appropriated by the State legislature for the fiscal year beginning July 1.

"We must be responsible for addressing the needs of our troubled youth within the communities in which they live," said Camden County Freeholder Annette Castiglione-Degan, liaison to the County's Youth Services Commission. "Providing in-county services to these teenagers may reduce the recidivism rate and provide viable choices for them to turn their lives around."

According to Catherine A. DeChester, MSW, ACSW, President /CEO of the Community Planning and Advocacy Council (CPAC), the County's designated Human Services Advisory Council and planning body for this population of the County's Human Services Advisory Council, "These programs will help fill a gap in the much needed services for Camden County youth. In light of the fact that Camden County is the highest committing county, sending more youth to the Juvenile Justice Commission than any other, this award could not be more timely."

Both programs are designed for youth between the ages of 14-18 who are repeat offenders, typically with a violation of probation and 3rd or 4th degree adjudications. The Residential and Day Treatment Programs will include strong case management, education, substance abuse treatment, job training and placement, consulting by psychiatrists and therapists, transportation, meals and a wilderness component. The Residential Center will accommodate eight youth, while the Day Treatment Program will accommodate 32 youth.

"There is a growing need throughout the State of New Jersey for placement options for juveniles identified as strong candidates for improvement and rehabilitation who do not require incarceration," said Stout. "This program will help fill that gap."

Camden County Probation will be supervising this program which will incorporate a team approach involving families, counseling agencies, schools, peer education, life skills, mentors, vocational training, as well as drug and alcohol monitoring. This rigorous offender surveillance and control of the juveniles' activities will allow strict enforcement of court orders through the delivery of concrete services and the development of competencies to allow the youth to lead a more productive and acceptable lifestyles while ensuring security in the community.

Diana Crone, Director of Children's Services, CPAC commends, "the planning efforts and input from the Family Court Judiciary, Camden County Administration and the SIP Planning Committee, as well as the support from the Camden County Youth Services Commission that helped bring this project to fruition."

Camden County will be the administrator of the program and will contract for services with agencies that qualify under state and county guidelines. All qualified agencies will be required to document their program organization, staff personnel qualifications and ability to provide bilingual services. A written plan with measurable outcomes is also required. The County Youth Services Commission, on behalf of the Camden County Freeholders, expects to issue a Request for Proposal in the next few weeks.

For more information on the JJC, please visit www.njjjc.com