The primary goal of Youth Development Services is to divert youth from the child welfare and juvenile justice systems through the provision of family preservation and reunification services. Such services strive to ensure that youth who come in contact or may come in contact with the child welfare or juvenile justice system will have access to needed prevention, diversion, and/or treatment services. The youths' needs are met through a variety of programs, which offer a mix of services depending on an individualized assessment.

SERVICES OFFERED

Crisis Intervention Services

Services are provided to youth referred by Law Enforcement when the youth has been taken into limited custody and safely released by the referring officer to their parent or guardian. All youth referred are 10-17 years of age and have run away from home or have been "locked out" of their home by parent or guardian. The Crisis Intervention Services are provided 24-hours a day for all eligible youth in Peoria County. The program works to preserve or reunify the living situation. Services are available for up to three months and may include crisis counseling, mediation, short-term placement, individual/family/group counseling, recreation, skill building, advocacy, and linkage to other services.

Homeless Youth Services: "Finding a way to live, not just a place to live"

These services are offered to homeless youth and youth at risk of becoming homeless, ages 16-20, who are in Peoria County at the time of referral. A youth may go to any fire station in the city of Peoria or call (309)-687-8787 24-hours a day. A worker from the program will respond within 60 minutes if the situation is an emergency or will set an intake appointment that meets the youths need. A youth may be eligible for a variety of services for up to eighteen months. The services may include crisis counseling, short-term placement, provision of basic needs (food, clothing, toiletries), case management, individual/family/group counseling, financial assistance, skill building, employment assistance, educational planning, psychological evaluation, drug/alcohol assessment/treatment and/or linkage to other services. The optimum goal is reunification with family but, if this is not possible, a plan will be developed to work towards independence.

Communities for Youth

The purpose of the program is to reduce the number of delinquency petitions filed in Peoria County by diverting youth from the Juvenile Justice System. The program provides services for youth 6-16 years of age that have received a Station Adjustment (Formal and Informal) through Law Enforcement in Peoria County. The program focuses on community safety, competency building, and accountability. The program staff, Family Mentors, may provide services for youth for up to six months. The services may include mentoring, counseling, skill building, competency groups, wilderness adventure, tutoring, recreational activities, community service, and/or linkage to other services. 

Station Adjustment Program

The purpose of the program is to reduce the number of delinquency petitions filed in Peoria County by diverting youth, ages 10-17, from the Juvenile Justice System. While this program and the Communities for Youth program have the same purpose the approach, therapy and case management is more intensive. All youth participate in a screening process utilizing the Youth Assessment Screening Instrument (YASI) to determine the risk and protective factors; youth that score high participate in this program. The services are available for up to six months and may include case management, individual/family/group therapy, skill building, recreational activities, community services, and/or linkage to other services. 

Detention Diversion Program

The purpose of this program is to provide an alternative to secure detention for youth ages 10-17 that do not pose a serious risk to the community but that have been arrested and detained in Peoria County Juvenile Detention prior to adjudication. All referrals must be made through the Juvenile Detention Center after the youth has been through the detention hearing and deemed appropriate. The youth and parent/guardian must meet the program criteria and agree to follow the established program conditions prior to being released. The program staff provides the services on an individual basis for each youth willing to participate in the program. Services include six contacts (curfew, face-to-face, collateral) between youth and program staff every seven days, skill building (i.e. decision-making, conflict resolution, relationship building), individual/family counseling, and linkage to other recommended and/or needed services.

Unified Delinquency Intervention Services (UDIS)

The UDIS program provides one-to-one mentoring/advocacy services to adjudicated delinquents who otherwise would likely face commitment to the Department of Corrections. The overall goal of the program is to redirect the youth to make more positive choices. The UDIS program provides services for youth ages 13-17 referred by Peoria County Juvenile Court Services. The program staff spends an average of 10 hours per week for up to six months with each youth. Goals are established collaboratively between the youth, family, and worker. Services may include mentoring, skill building, tutoring, advocacy, recreational activities, employment assistance, and/or linkages to other services.

Disproportionate Minority Confinement (DMC) Project 

This is a process oriented approach to addressing the issue of the Disproportionate Minority Confinement. The purpose of the project is to assess and evaluate the community as well as the local Juvenile Justice System to determine what changes or decisions need to be made to effectively address the DMC issue. The W. Haywood Burns Institute Youth Law Center has developed a model approach for addressing the DMC issue and this model will be implemented. Peoria will be one of eleven sites across the country to implement this model that first began in Seattle, Washington in 1999. The Juvenile Justice Council which is a 21-member committee representing key entities and stakeholders provide governance.

Crossroads

This program provides services for youth, ages 10-17, that score medium to high on the assessment tool that is utilized by the program but at the same time they haven't come in contact with the Juvenile Justice System.  The primary targeted population for services is youth that have an older sibling involved in the Juvenile Justice System.  Services include an initial assessment, counseling, case coordination, recreational activities, as well as linkage and referral to appropriate services.  These services are provided on a weekly basis for up to 4-6 months. 

Redeploy Illinois

The primary purpose of the program is to provide alternatives for youth that may otherwise face an evaluation or commitment at the Illinois Department of Corrections.  Youth ages 13-17 are eligible for services and must be referred to the program by their Probation Officer or as a result of a court order.  The program staff provides three contacts a week with the youth and their family while providing the following services: initial assessment, counseling, pro-social skill building, case coordination, transportation to court related appointments, recreational activities, as well as linkage and referral to appropriate services. 

Mental Health Juvenile Justice Program

This program addresses the mental health needs of youth 10-17 years old who are detained at, or have recently exited the Peoria County Juvenile Detention Center and meet the criteria for a Mood Disorder or Psychotic Disorder.  Services include an initial assessment, case coordination, linkage and referral to appropriate services, Psychiatric consultation, as well as financial assistance in addressing their mental health needs. 

Positive Individual Choices

The Positive Individual Choices program provides group-based counseling services for youth that are on probation through Peoria County Court Services.  The youth, ages 10-17, must be referred by a Probation Officer or Court Services in order to receive services.  The program utilizes Aggression Replacement Training (ART) curriculum, which promotes skill building that includes character development, moral reasoning, and values clarification.  This type of skill building will enhance the participant's ability to make better decisions and develop positive relationships.  The groups meet twice a week for eight weeks. 

For more information, please contact Jeff Gress, Director of Youth Services.

Phone: (309)687-7504
E-mail: jgress@chail.org 
Fax: (309)687-7590