The Link

Filing Period

Jan 1, 2011 to Dec 31, 2011

Signed

May 9, 2012

Return Version

2011v1.2

Gross Receipts

$2,622,522

Mission

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. The Evening Reporting Center (ERC) located in Brooklyn Park opened in February 2011 serving youth on probation for mid-high level criminal activity. The ERC offers programming designed to build youth's assets through structured, positive, year-round activities after school hours and Saturdays, when the most youth crimes occur. This program is a detention alternative for youth involved in the juvenile justice system. Youth participating in the ERC programming take part in groups and activities to focus on anger management and conflict resolution, employment and job skills, court order compliance, and other supportive topics with the goal of preventing future criminal behavior.

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 Olson School supports academic success and healthy development for students at risk for school failure (ages 10-12) attending Olson Middle School in North Minneapolis. This program came to a close in June 2011 due to lack of sustainable funding. Project Potential Gang Intervention Initiative helps gang-involved youth (ages 14-17) leave gangs and refocus on school, employment and a healthy future. The grant supporting this program came to an end in March 2011. Project Potential Classic is an early intervention program for youth (ages 10-17) that provides intensive one-on-one case management, resiliency training and supportive services to youth referred from the Hennepin Country Attorney's Office for truancy. 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).

Filer

EIN

41-1920649