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Organ"on: St. Peter's Human services, Inc. Program: St. Peter's Boys Development & Training Institute Founder: Children's Service Council
<br /> B. PROGRAM NEED STATEMENT (Entire Section B not to exceed one page)
<br /> 1. a) What is the unacceptable condition requiring change? b) Who has the need?
<br /> c) Where do they live? d) Provide local, state, or national trend data, with reference
<br /> source, that corroborates that this is an area of need.
<br /> a. The unacceptable condition is juvenile delinquency that leads to further lives of
<br /> crime, truancy, dropping out of school, low self esteem, etc . because the approach has been only
<br /> to lockup the offenders without changing the behaviors.
<br /> b. The children in need are the at-risk males between the ages of 7 and 16 who are
<br /> discouraged learners, have low self-esteem, stressful family conditions, and have exhibited
<br /> problem behaviors, such as school disciplinary referrals, chronic school truancy, repeated school
<br /> suspensions, poor academic performance, a history of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs,
<br /> rebellion, running away, mental and emotional health issues and those with a history of
<br /> delinquent behavior.
<br /> c. In Indian River County, 90% of the at-risk males involved in the program are from
<br /> the surrounding community.
<br /> d. DJJ's Key Juvenile Crime Trends and Conditions states "In Fiscal Year 1999-2000,
<br /> 104, 176 juveniles were referred for delinquency. They were charged with committing 150,747
<br /> crimes. . . There was a 229 percent increase over the last decade in juvenile offenders referred for
<br /> drug use. . . Florida, the fourth largest state, still tries more juveniles as adults than most
<br /> states . . . 14 percent of juvenile offenders can be classified as chronic . . . The high mobility of
<br /> youth and families in Florida, who frequently change home neighborhoods and schools, is a risk
<br /> factor that increases delinquency . . . young people don't feel like they have consistent positive
<br /> communities . . .Juvenile offenders in Florida typically come from single parent households and
<br /> are truants, dropouts or are doing poorly in school . . .three out of four youth in treatment
<br /> programs admit to alcohol or drug use, 29% are emotionally disturbed, 20% have a diagnosed
<br /> serious mental illness, 9% are sex offenders and 5% have developmental disabilities." Bill
<br /> Bankhead, DJJ Secretary stated, "We know from research the high risk factors for delinquency
<br /> and they include poor school performance, truancy, family instability and running away."
<br /> 2. a) Identify similar programs that are currently serving the needs of your targeted
<br /> population; b) Explain how these existing programs are under-serving the targeted
<br /> population of your program.
<br /> There are two programs that serve the targeted population, however neither of the programs are
<br /> structured to address the additional areas provided through the Boys Development Institute.
<br /> la. Gifford Youth Activity Center provides an after school day program for all youth, not just
<br /> males_ lb. The program does not provide many of the services rendered by our program i.e.
<br /> mentoring, community services, Life Skills, Drug Awareness and Character Education, overnight
<br /> stay on site, meals, recreational, and academic support and tracking the boys for six months after
<br /> successful completion of the program through DJJ, schools and parents.
<br /> 2a. Hope Academy provides an alternative day program for suspended students from public
<br /> schools, while the Boys Institute seeks to serve the social, emotional and academic needs of the
<br /> child, ensuring that all areas are addressed.
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