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Why do this?
To offer families in crisis, law enforcement, youth service professionals and kids a simple way to find information and services that are most appropriate for their situation.
To provide clarity about what youth intervention is and what intervention programs are all about. Many youth intervention programs are part of larger organizations or are not easily identified through existing resources.
What we do:
- Provide fast Web access and information to families and kids in need of early youth intervention services 24/7.
- Create a referral system of community-based early intervention services that keep youth in school, at home, and out of the costly juvenile justice system.
- Give law enforcement, counselors, and other referral sources a central location to find the appropriate early intervention services for a youth and his/her family.
- Sponsor public events, workshops, trainings, conferences, and networking opportunities for early intervention youth service providers.
- Create a public relations and awareness-building program to raise the visibility of youth intervention programs.
"We want every youth in Minnesota to have easy access to high quality early intervention programs when help is needed."
J. Scott Beaty
Executive Director YIPA
What is Youth Intervention?
The field of early intervention represents a variety of programs that give youth better decision making skills and help keep them from going down the wrong path in life. Services such as: mentoring, counseling, conflict resolution, anger management, diversion, and education are all forms of early intervention. Although the strategies may be diverse, they all share the ultimate goal of reaching kids when they are just showing signs of troublesome behaviors, keep them in school, living with a supportive family and out of the costly juvenile justice system.
Currently, over 85 YIPA member organizations from across the state of Minnesota serve over 50,000 at-risk youth per year. These KidsChange agencies work with youth ages 6-18 precisely when they are beginning to engage in problematic behaviors (e.g. truancy, petty crimes, alcohol/drug use, etc.). Instead of simply being punished for their actions, youth benefit from early intervention programs by receiving the help and resources they need to make positive life choices leading to a brighter future.
"We are all motivated to find the best solutions for increasing public safety and keeping kids who can change troublesome behavior out of the juvenile justice system."
John M. Harrington
Chief of Police
Saint Paul MN
When you support early Youth Intervention Programs in your community, we all change for the better. |
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