The Link

Filing Period

Jan 1, 2010 to Dec 31, 2010

Signed

May 11, 2011

Return Version

2010v3.2

Gross Receipts

$2,058,612

Major Activities

Activity 2

Juvenile Supervision Center The Juvenile Supervision Center (JSC), located in Minneapolis City Hall, is a collaboration amongst Hennepin County, the City of Minneapolis, Minneapolis Public Schools and The Link. The JSC provides a safe haven and immediate response for youth after they are picked up by the police for truancy, curfew violations, and "low level" juvenile offenses that are often early warning signs of youth disengagement and risk. Rather than bringing a youth to detention or just ignoring the violation, police can use this 24-hour drop-off point both to ensure that the youth are returned to their family, school or guardian; and connected with community resources as needed. The goal is to halt the youth's progress into the juvenile justice system and increase safe connections to family, school and community. At the JSC, Link staff interview each youth to assess needs, talk with parents when they arrive, ensure the youth is returned to the most appropriate safe environment, and provide referrals to any needed community resources. Youth who present higher levels of need receive more intensive follow-up as they are connected with ongoing case management within The Link. In 2010, 91% of the youth receiving follow-up services did not return to the JSC. The Juvenile Supervision Center had 2,546 visits by 1,620 individual youth in 2010; JSC provided more intensive case management services to 232 youth.

Activity 3

Project Potential Project Potential is an umbrella program providing one-on-one case management, advocacy, education and job support, and youth activities serving three distinct groups of at- risk youth in Hennepin County: Project Potential In-School Initiative supports the academic success and healthy development of Olson Middle School students at- risk for school failure (5th and 6th grade). Project Potential Gang Intervention Initiative helps gang-involved youth (age 14-17) leave gangs and refocus on school, employment and a healthy future. Project Potential Truancy Initiative helps truant youth (age 12-17) re-engage with school and build support for academic success. Case managers for these three programs build trusting relationships with youth and their families, through visiting the youth in their home, school and community sites, and serving as advocates, coaches and guides. Close communication with parents, schools, probation officers, and the Juvenile Court helps to monitor the youth's behavior, school attendance, and achievement plans. Youth also participate in both group resilience trainings and one-on-one coaching sessions to help them develop crucial social-emotional skills such as respect for self and others, making good choices in tough situations, and expressing themselves positively. Project Potential supports these core resiliency-building experiences with a wide array of after-school and summer groups, including (but not limited to) work experience, tutoring, service learning, and gender-responsive support groups. Case managers also refer the youth their family to needed resources elsewhere in the community as needed (housing, health insurance, food, clothing, mental, physical and chemical health care, alternative schools, and more). In 2010, in the In-School Initiative, 70% of the participants improved their academic achievement and 81% decreased high risk behavior that would have otherwise led to suspension or being expelled from school, In addition, 75% of current seventh-grade students that were participants in the program as fifth graders are meeting or exceeding the reading standard for students their age. In 2010, in the Gang Intervention Initiative, 85% did not receive new gang-related criminal charges, 97% of youth completed a plan to reduce gang involvement and worked on the goals of the plan, 71% of youth reduced the indicators of gang affiliation, and 87% improved their relationship with adults. In 2010, in the Truancy Initiative, 63% of youth decreased high-risk behavior, 59% of youth improved school attendance, 77% improved their relationship with adults. The three Project Potential Initiatives served 417 unduplicated youth in 2010.

Filer

EIN

41-1920649