Children's Policy Council is reaching out

The Escambia County (Ala.) Children's Policy Council will continue to provide programs for Escambia County youth this year following a quarterly update last Thursday, Sept. 20.

The programs offered are funded by several sources, including the Drug Free Communities Grant for $125,000 and the Sexual Abuse and Prevention Grant for $16,000, down from $20,000 last year.

The council will have $126,000 to work with for this year on Oct. 1. Most of the funds are earmarked for different programs the council has implemented.

Drug Free Communities Grant Program evaluator Donna Revel handed out a survey to council members to fill out as part of the council's reporting requirements.

“We value your time and energy you put forth in our Children's Policy Council,” said Revel. “We would like you to let us know as Escambia County Children's Policy Council can do to help children, youth and families in Escambia County.”

“Its important we evaluate every program to make sure it is effective,” said Reynolds. “If it's not effective we are under obligation to terminate or make the necessary adjustments to make sure it works.”

Council members from different organizations on the council gave updates on what their organization is doing to help the youth of Escambia County..

Atmore Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Assistant Brandon Beachy reminded council members Williams Station Day is Saturday, Oct. 27, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Beachy said he and Director Emily Harp had discussed the CPC having a booth and Judge Jeff White verified the council will, soliciting volunteers to man it. Beachy said the event may have as many as 800 vendors this year.

The council will sponsor all the red ribbon for the entire Escambia County school system Red Ribbon Week, partnering with the Escambia County Sheriff's Department to bring speakers into all the middle and elementary schools.

“We are currently developing a plan for the high schools,” said Reynolds. “The sheriff's department's got a group out of California this year to go into all of the schools.”

The Sexual Prevention Program with Felicia Bishop will continue, with Bishop going into the schools this year. The budget was reduced from $20,000 last year to $16,000 this year, but the Hope Place partnered with the council and other entities which have helped address the short fall in funding for that program.

The program is based on Erin's Law, with most counties required to teach sexual prevention.

Shari Taylor with Beacon's Children's Hospital in Luverne spoke to members about the services available. It is a 28-bed acute care facility, offering acute psychiatric stablization for youth ages 6 to 18, referred from Department of Human Resources, juvenile probation officers, emergency rooms, psychiatrists, pediatricians or concerned parents. The facility has a master degree teacher to teach students while they are there so they do not miss much school work.

“Our care lasts usually from about 10 to 21 days, depending on whatever the diagnosis of the child is” said Taylor. “We are working on a long term residential care currently. We're partnering with all the communities we can, because basically, we care for children.”

Program updates

The Family Drug Court is still in place, with referrals from DHR being helped through the program.

“We have two participants who are a married couple currently,” said Jennifer Blunt. “We are working on getting more referrals from DHR. Hopefully, we will get some more.”

The Drugs Erase Dreams curriculum will continue again this year, with Molly Pizzotti in the schools.

Project Turn Around is being reworked, after the state reprimanded the council for the low number of participants. It provides a network of entities that help students with little resources be successful.

“We were low on participants,” said Reynolds. “The requirement is we commit 20 youth per year. We are working on over hailing that program to get the numbers up by Oct. 1, hopefully.”

The Peer Helpers Program is in it's third year and seems to be successful to help youth make better decisions, according to White. It started out in high schools and now is in the middle schools.

Several Peer Helpers and Peer Leaders representing Flomaton High School, Escambia County Middle School, W.S.Neal Middle School, Brewton Middle School Escambia County High School, T.R. Miller High School and W.S. Neal High School were present and White thanked them for their commitment.

“Thank you all for being here and thank you for what you do,” said White. “You have that liaison, organizations and support group.”

The New Horizons Program is a new mentor program starting on the west end with Felicia Bishop, for 20 to 25 male and female students. There will be professional counselors and mentors, with Compass to Life and Mr. Deon Gadsden to come in for eight sessions for eight months, or eight hours a month on a Saturday, during the academic year.

Around $20,000 out of the juvenile court fund will fund trips and transportation and a staff. Trips will be Naval Air Station, the battleship, maybe a movie.

“We are trying to expose some young people who are disadvantaged to some positive things to let them know there is a brighter future,” said White. “With the right attitude, the right focus, and the right decisions, the future can be bright. Hopefully, we can find some grants in the future, but we felt like it's something we needed to do. We've kicked around mentor programs for years but finally we said let's do something.”

The first session is October, the guidelines and the applications are set, and interviews of possible applicants will take place in the next two weeks and White is hoping there will be more applicants than positions so that the program will be successful.

“We are trying to change what goes on in the minds of young people,” said White. “We are trying to teach the virtuous aspects of existence to see if we can make a difference.”