KIDSCHANGE

Find us on Facebook!

2011-03-11T06:31:00.004-06:00

The Minnesota Youth Intervention Programs Association is currently working to create and introduce a new interactive website. This will be a very resource intensive undertaking for YIPA and our ability to spend the time necessary to properly support the KidsChange blog will be limited. So, for the time being, we have decided to temporarily discontinue posting to our blog and instead are going to focus our attention on connecting with followers on Facebook.

If you value the important work that YIPA does, and would like to stay abreast of events, training opportunities and issues that impact youth in Minnesota, then we encourage you to connect with us on Facebook. And of course, stay tuned for the launch of our new website!

March Member of the Month: Amicus

2011-03-04T07:17:00.000-06:00

According to the American Civil Liberties Union (link: http://www.aclu.org/womens-rights/girls-prison), in 2008 there were more than 14,000 girls incarcerated in the United States, a number that has been rapidly increasing in recent decades. Most of those girls are arrested for minor, nonviolent offenses and probation violations. Despite good intentions of helping the girls, many of them are re-traumatized because the majority of them have been prior victims of abuse. Consequences such as solitary confinement, routine strip searches, and other forms of interventions sometimes produce unintended outcomes. Instead of helping girls cope with the trauma, occasionally youth detention centers further traumatize girls.

In spring 2010 YIPA member, Amicus published the Amicus Girls Study. It examined the thoughts, feelings and experiences of those involved with girls in the juvenile justice system, and of the girls themselves. According to their review of the literature, a history of sexual or physical abuse is common among girls in the juvenile justice system, and often such victimization contributes to female juvenile delinquent behavior. Girls in the juvenile justice system are also more likely than boys to experience neglect and abuse within their families. Amelia Goodyear, Youth and Mental Health Director at Amicus echoed that message as we talked in depth about her work with teen girls in the Radius Program.

Amelia has conducted weekly groups in both Ramsey and Dakota Counties and provided individual therapy for girls in the Ramsey County detention and community programs. In working with these groups, she has found that a significant number of them have experienced trauma in their past, which is something that they address in group sessions. The goal of the group is for girls come to terms with trauma and mental health issues, develop healthier relationships, link to positive assets, and that they are empowered with self-regulation skills and positive relationships. Ideally, girls involved in this program will develop the skills and coping mechanisms needed to help them avoid further contact with the juvenile justice system.

While the Radius program has proven beneficial in helping many of these girls, policy makers are encouraged to allocate more resources for prevention and early intervention programs. Helping these girls at the first sign of a problem is our best bet for keeping them out of the more costly juvenile justice system. Early interventions programs have proven time and time again that they work. It’s time to act fiscally prudent and make wise investments in prevention and early intervention. It works and it’s the right thing to do!

Update on the Youth Intervention Program bill (HF370)

2011-02-18T07:42:00.003-06:00

Late last Friday, YIPA’s Executive Director, J. Scott Beaty learned that a hearing on the Youth Intervention Program bill (HF370) had been scheduled before the House Public Safety & Crime Prevention Policy & Finance Committee. With less than a week to prepare, YIPA staff hurried to pull together materials and supporters to ensure legislators understand the importance of early intervention. They knew that a lot was at stake this Legislative session because the YIP funding must be passed through this committee. HF370 asks to maintain the current funding level of $1.6 million per year, which funds 57 early intervention programs throughout the State of Minnesota. Word spread quickly, and on Wednesday morning, the room was packed with YIPA members, board members, colleagues, constituents, youth and program supporters who came together to rally for the cause.

Carrying the bill (HF370), Republican Steve Smith emphasized the importance of investing in programs now that have been proven to save the state money in the long run. He made several references to the Social Return on Investments (SROI) and answered questions from his cohorts with finesse, confidence and a great deal of knowledge. He is a true champion for kids.

YIPA presented a strong group of testifiers that included those who were impacted both personally and professionally by a Youth Intervention Program. J. Scott Beaty acquainted Legislators with the bulk of information on the Youth Intervention Program, and his urgent message was echoed by James C. Backstrom, Dakota County Attorney; Craig Woolery, Director of Public Safety from the Cottage Grove Police Department; Paul Ramsour, Supervisor of the Life Transitions Program at YouthLink; and Giovanni Alvarado, a 17 year old student at St. James Public School who credited his personal change from getting in trouble to now wanting to become a lawyer on his participation in the St. James Youth Intervention Program. Everyone who shared their story was well received and members of the Committee were fully engaged and interested in the importance of early youth intervention.

Because of dedicated and supportive members, colleagues, constituents and program supporters, YIPA is now one step closer to achieving our mission: To ensure that early intervention youth programs are embraced and well equipped to provide high quality and cost effective early intervention youth services.

Thank you to everyone who came out to show your support!

DISORDERED {thy name is teenager} after YIPA's Quarterly Meeting

2011-02-11T08:07:00.002-06:00

MN Youth Intervention Programs Association (YIPA) and The Mentoring Partnership of Minnesota are excited to present a dynamic afternoon training on Friday March 11, 2011. We will be brining in actors from the Blank Slate Theatre to perform the play DISORDERED {thy name is teenager}! This LIVE performance is designed to be a training opportunity for mentoring professionals, youth workers, mentors, and anyone else that works with and cares about young people. The performance is a mixture of spoken word with acting out monologues of various different characters that are coping with some of the common struggles faced by American teens. The cast will talk about disorders such as depression, OCD, Anxiety, eating disorders, ODD and ADHD, as they pertain to their daily lives. This production aims to bring a perspective on teenagers that the media often ignores: that teens, like adults, suffer with mental disorders. A Q&A session with the youth actors, writers and director, and then small group discussions on topics presented in the play will follow up the performance.

“The show orients the audience to the world of teens, the challenges they encounter, and the mental health issues/concerns and stigma some may face as a teen. The young artists provide moving, touching performances. It was an amazing show! Thoughtful and interesting!"

~ Fringe Festival audience member

The actors of DISORDERED have made appearances at the University of Minnesota-Duluth, the Minnesota Mentoring Conference, Fringe Festival, the Minnesota Association of Marriage and Family Therapy Conference, the Lowry Lab Theater and more! Register to be a part of this exciting and informative event!

*YIPA members who are interested in attending this event should note that it immediately follows our March 11 Quarterly Meeting that will be held at Children's Home Society & Family Services in St. Paul. The Quarterly Meeting will run from approximately 10:00am-12:00pm with lunch served shortly thereafter. We will then encourage interested attendees to move to Jewish Community Center of the Greater Saint Paul Area which is about a 15 minute drive from the location of the morning training. Please contact Rachel Ayoub at promisefellow@mnyipa.org for additional information.

An Urgent Message from Senator John Marty

2011-02-04T08:51:00.000-06:00

In yesterday’s Mille Lacs Messenger, Senator John Marty, a member of the Minnesota Senate, discussed in great detail the importance of supporting early intervention programs for youth. He also made reference to the Social Return on Investments (SROI) data collected and distributed in 2007. Below is the article in its entirety:

It is a reality that the enormous state budget deficit will require significant budget cuts and tax increases. Yes, I know that Republican legislators claim they will not accept any new taxes, but their first budget proposal contained significant tax increases on renters and is projected to cause large property tax increases on homeowners and businesses.

Governor Dayton campaigned for office saying that he is going to increase income taxes. So, although there will be a struggle over which taxes to raise, taxes will go up.   

Likewise, for budget cuts. Few areas of the budget will remain untouched. Despite many cuts in recent years, some parts of the budget are projected to continue growing rapidly, making them targets for even deeper cuts.   

This is where we need to change our perspective. First we need to recognize that deep cuts in programs and services are not simply a matter of accounting; these programs serve real people with real needs. For a family fighting to avoid homelessness or for people with disabilities who need health care services to live independently, cuts are not painless. Cuts bleed.  

In addition to causing real human suffering, some cuts are fiscally irresponsible and cost taxpayers more in the long run. Cuts that lead to higher crime rates, reduce the quality of education for students, or leave sick people without healthcare, hurt Minnesota's future.   

One example is Youth Intervention Programs. Minnesota provides funding to 57 local organizations around the state that work with at-risk young people, intervening because of truancy, drug use, homelessness, or when they are in court for shoplifting or other crimes. Youth Intervention Programs (YIP) work with about 25,000 young people each year - counseling, educating, mentoring, and coaching them - enabling them to remain with their families, instead of in costly foster care, correctional institutions or residential treatment. These YIP grantees are community-based programs, where the participants live at home but meet with a mentor or counselor in the program. A survey of participants showed big progress for most of the youth - over half had improvement in school attendance and grades, and over 80% had no further interactions with the law since entering the program.   

In a benefit-cost analysis conducted by Wilder Research, economist Paul Anton calculated, using conservative assumptions, that the typical YIP program provides almost $5 in benefits for every dollar spent, with $2.33 of those savings going to taxpayers through reduced crime and court costs, and lower human services and school costs.   

That's not an 8 or 10% return on investment but a 233% return! That dwarfs the level of savings that legislators and governors hope to obtain when we work to make state government more efficient.  

With that type of savings, it would be wise for the state to make sure that these youth intervention services are available to all at-risk youth. Yet only a fraction of those youth have access to the programs, and the state appropriation for YIP was reduced from $2.4 million in the previous budget cycle to $1.6 million now.  

Over the past decade, under the push for lower taxes, there are many programs and services like YIP that have been inadequately funded, or have actually been cut. Our current budget crisis is largely the result of Minnesota's failure to invest in prevention. We are paying the price for past short-sightedness.   

Economists and demographers tell us that the state will have even greater budget difficulties in the future. We have an aging population, and state revenues are not projected to keep up with the growth in spending needed to address those growing public needs. Some of the budget cuts that are likely this year may balance the state books now, but only make the future budget problems worse.  

We will have to make many budget cuts, and none of them will be easy. But when doing so, we cannot afford to cut Youth Intervention Programs or numerous other services - such as early childhood education, preventive healthcare, chemical dependency treatment, and teen pregnancy prevention, which have a strong return-on-investment.  

The reality is that it will cost taxpayers less overall if we spend more on these services now. Let's not keep repeating the mistakes of the past.

January Member of the Month: Lee Carlson Center for Mental Health & Well-Being

2011-01-28T06:49:00.000-06:00

Does the name Central Center for Family Resources ring a bell? How about Lee Carlson Center for Mental Health & Well-Being? Whether you call them by their former name or their current name, both are synonymous with exceptional and affordable services for families, children, youth, and adults in our community. I (Rachel) recently spent part of my afternoon with Patty Halvorson, Lee Carlson’s Marketing and Development Manager and a recipient of YIPA's 2010 Friends of Youth Leadership Award for Innovative Funding. The third Friday of each month, Lee Carlson Center hosts a “Lunch & Learn Tour,” where participants can meet staff, volunteers, board members and someone directly impacted by their services. I took part in this month’s “Lunch & Learn Tour” and could not believe all the phenomenal ways they are boosting the health and wellness of our communities.

Lee Carlson Center for Mental Health & Well Being has a Youth Intervention Program that offers an early intervention Peer Support Program onsite at schools in Anoka County. This program addresses a significant gap in how our community supports the healthy development of youth. As a prevention and early intervention program, their services reach youth before a crisis occurs (e.g. violence against oneself or another) or before the youth's behaviors lead to interactions with the juvenile justice system. This program works with youth who are beginning to engage in behaviors that are of concern to parents and teachers. These behaviors range from depression to truancy to shoplifting and vandalism to self-cutting to experimenting with alcohol and other substances. At the high school level, many of the students are self-referred: They know they are struggling and they want a better and healthier life. Most of the youth participating in the School-based Peer Support Program are from families living in or near poverty. Consequently, families are not charged for services provided. Therefore, the Lee Carlson Center must rely on community support to be able to reach and work with at least 300 students each school year.

Regardless of the specific behavior, most often what these youth need is a supportive environment with someone guiding them in exploring feelings and in developing positive decision making skills. This program provides that needed support. Conducting the program onsite at the school allows the services to be fully integrated into the student's day-to-day lives. They know their School-based Peer Support Program changes the lives of youth because at the end of each school year, the majority of participating youth report improvements in their behaviors. This includes improved relationships with peers, parents and authority figures, as well as being better able to stay on task (e.g. completing school work) and having greater self-esteem. Parents and teachers concur with the reports from youth. The program most recently received an 'outstanding' rating from the Minnesota Department of Public Safety Youth Intervention Program.

Aside, from the School-based Peer Support Program, the Lee Carlson Center offers an array of services including, but not limited to: marriage and family counseling, play therapy for children, parenting classes and bariatric psychological assessments. There are three convenient locations for services – Fridley, Blaine and Spring Lake Park. Although each site does slightly different work, they all strive to reach lower income clients and pride themselves on being the only organization in the northern suburbs that provides mental health services for all age groups. For more information, I would highly encourage you to attend a Lunch & Learn Tour, or if you’ve got time on April 9th, head to Anoka High School to take part in Anoka County’s Got Talent, a fundraising event you wouldn’t want to miss! Click here to become a fan of their facebook page, and show your support for youth and families struggling with emotional and behavioral issues.

2011 Update on the Legislature by Executive Director, Scott Beaty

2011-01-17T15:38:00.001-06:00

Wow! What two years will do in the ever-changing political world! Not only has the

Federal political landscape changed but so has Minnesota’s!

Minnesota is facing a $6.2 billion deficit, and after many years of budget deficits there is no low hanging fruit. This means cuts to government supported programs will be deep and sharp even if the Governor and Legislature can come to some agreement on raising revenues. In order to keep the Youth Intervention Program and other youth programming from being severely reduced or eliminated we all have our work cut out for us. It is critical that we educate legislators about the proven benefits of early intervention programs.

The first thing I want all of you to know is that this is probably going to be the toughest legislative session we will have since former Governor Ventura tried to eliminate the Youth Intervention Program. The YIPA membership fought hard and strong that session and we were able to save the program but with a reduction in funding. Since that time we have been able to increase the funding only to have it reduced the next biennium because of deficits within the State budget. I can’t stress enough how important it is going to be for the YIPA membership to contact their legislators (email works but a personal phone call or face to face meeting is better) and ask them to support the Youth Intervention Program by ensuring that the current base funding of $1.6 million per year be maintained. Remember, the Youth Intervention Program Social Return on Investment (SROI) is our best ally and every legislator you meet with should get a copy of this report with you highlighting the cost savings the research has found. We will soon be getting the YIP outcome data from the Office of Justice Program within Public Safety and this too can be a tool you can and should use to show legislators that not only does the YIP save money but it has measurable results. If you are unsure who are your State legislators, click here.

Another important action I hope everyone reading this takes is to plan to attend the Rally for Youth Day at the Capitol on Thursday, March 3. This is the time for you and your constituents (your youth) to be in St. Paul talking with your legislators about the importance of the youth intervention program in your community. The Youth Rally Day is sponsored by the Youth Policy Alliance. Click here for an application to participate in this event. If you have taken part in the rally in the past, you will notice a couple changes that have been made for the 2011 rally. The first major change is that participants will not be meeting at the Kelly Inn for pre-rally training; instead, rally preparations will be communicated to adult leaders through live webinar and it is the responsibility of those leaders to disseminate this information to their youth. Applicant deadline to participate in the rally is January 21. Even if you cannot bring a group of youth to the event, I hope you will attend the noon rally and plan to meet with your legislators.

Remember, the world is run by those who show up!

Rally for Youth Reminder: 3-3-2011

2011-01-07T08:19:00.003-06:00

Happy New Year, everyone! From all of us at MN YIPA, we hope 2010 ended on a positive note, and that you’re as enthused as we are to begin fresh in 2011! We’re taking part in planning some really exciting events this year, including but not limited to the 2011 Rally for Youth Day at the Capitol! By now, all YIPA members and other youth-serving organizations across the state of Minnesota should have received the application materials needed to participate in this event. If you haven’t, feel free to check out the Mentoring Partnership of Minnesota’s website to download the materials. And again, if you have any questions now or at any time before the event on March 3, 2011, do not hesitate to be in touch with a representative at any of the Youth Policy Alliance (YPA) organizations.

If you have taken part in the rally in the past, you will notice a couple changes that have been made for the 2011 rally. The first major change is that participants will not be meeting at the Kelly Inn for pre-rally training; instead, rally preparations will be communicated to adult leaders through live webinar and it is the responsibility of those leaders to disseminate this information to their youth. The second major change is that applicants are given three options for ways to arrange meetings with legislators:
1. Arrange the meeting on your own. This option is for those who have personal relationships established with their legislators and would prefer working directly with them as opposed to using an intermediary.

2. Arranging your own meeting with legislators with assistance from the rally committee. This option is for those who are confident they will be able to organize a meeting with a little guidance from experts.

3. Have the meeting arranged for you. This option is for constituents who may not be familiar with their legislators and would feel more confident and conformable having an intermediary contact their legislator and plan their meeting.

Some important information to remember:

January 21, 2011 – All applications are due

Mailed or emailed applications can be sent to:

Lindsey Carlson * Attn: Rally for Youth

7350 Chesham Lane

Woodbury, MN 55125

Lindsey.carlson08@gmail.com

Faxed applications can be sent to:

Carolyn Herman * HIRED

Attn: Rally for Youth

651-999-5641

January 28, 2011 – Rally applicants will be notified of acceptance

February 9, 2011 – Live webinar to prepare adult leaders will be streamed from 2pm-1pm.

Additionally, there will be an informational video available during the month of February, which will highlight youth who have personal experience utilizing services in the six focus areas of the rally: Homelessness Prevention, Mentoring, Out-of-School Time, Youth Intervention, Workforce Development and Juvenile Justice. We are still looking for youth with experience in these core areas, who are able and willing to share their story both in video form, and at the actual event at the Capitol on March 3, 2011. If you are connected with youth who feel confident sharing their experiences with others, feel free to email me (Rachel) at promisefellow@mnyipa.org or leave a comment on this blog.

What is MLK Day of Service?

2010-12-27T08:23:00.001-06:00

January 17 marks the 25th anniversary of a holiday that recognizes a person who helped significantly change our country for the better – Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. On this day, organizations across the nation will lead or participate in MLK Day of Service projects. This milestone is a perfect opportunity for all Americans to honor Dr. King’s legacy through service. Whether you spend the day reading to children at a community library, or helping organize food at a local food shelf, take some time to serve your community. Click here to find a project in your area. Or if you’re interested in planning a project for this exciting day of service, click here. If your agency is hosting a service project and could use some additional help, feel free to comment on this post and tell us more about how you’re spending MLK Service Day!

Here are some organizations in Minnesota who have service projects planned and are seeking volunteers:

Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity

Minneapolis Community and Technical College

University of Minnesota – Morris

The Digital Divide Initiative

Lutheran Church of the Redeemer

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once said, "Life's most persistent and urgent question is: 'What are you doing for others?” We’d love to hear what you’re doing for others.

December Member of the Month: Northwest Youth and Family Services

2010-12-17T08:19:00.003-06:00

Northwest Youth and Family Services (NYFS) is happy to announce a new program called The STEP Program. STEP stands for Service + Tutoring Equals Pride, and is a free program designed for youth who are not reaching their full academic potential and/or may be struggling socially. NYFS has partnered with Americorps, Minnesota Alliance with Youth and the Mounds View School District to offer the youth in our community a safe and caring environment, enabling them to spend their time connecting with caring mentors. Through the resources that the program offers, youth are challenged to stretch themselves academically, pursue leadership and service opportunities and to learn more about planning for college and post-secondary educational opportunities.

STEP operates at three different sites: NYFS, Highview Middle School and Edgewood Middle School. All three programs are coordinated by Americorps Promise Fellows. At NYFS, STEP is offered three evenings a week. Two of the three evenings are focused on academic tutoring sessions and educational activities. The goals of this program are that each student improve their grades by one full letter grade, have better study skills, learn time management, gain leadership skills, learn about future career paths/educational opportunities and understand the importance of helping others. Student in this program even have the added bonus of receiving transportation to and from the program should they need it!

The youth in their program have received the opportunity to participate in interest-based field trips such as a visit to the Shoreview Community Center's indoor water park, which was a highlight of the program. They are also planning field trips to go bowling, play at Eagles Nest Indoor Playground, visit Mall of America's Nickelodeon theme park and so much more! Additionally, they are providing their youth the opportunity to serve a Christmas meal to senior citizens and their families at Presbyterian Homes of Arden Hills on December 8th and 9th. Through this event, they anticipate the youth will learn leadership skills and get a glimpse of future career paths they may want to embark on in the future. Within the next month, they will also be providing tours of local colleges (Century College and Bethel University) so their youth can begin to plan for the future.

Of course, they want their youth to be well rounded, and be equipped to better serve their community so they have designed some service-learning opportunities to assist them in this area. They are in the process of having their youth participate in a Hunger, Homelessness and Poverty unit, where students were given the opportunity to tour Simpson Housing Services in Minneapolis. They are planning more shelter tours and eventually would like to have a fundraiser to raise money so they can donate food, as well as serve a meal at a local shelter. While participating in such a unit can be emotional, the AmeriCorps Promise Fellow, Holly “believes it is very important to have [their] youth realize the tragedies that exist in [their] community.” In Minnesota alone, each shelter turns away approximately 1,000 individuals each night. Holly’s hope is for the youth in her program to realize they can make a difference. During her childhood, there were economic struggles that often made it difficult for her mother to put food on the table. Despite this, she persevered, and to this day her mother is her role model. When Holly was 13 years old her mother had her volunteer at their church for the entire month of December, and it was during that time that she begin to realize that she could make a difference. At their church, they offered a shelter in the basement for those in need; she remembers the first night, when she began to understand the power of helping others. It was this experience as a child that has pushed her to want to help others such as the youth in STEP to realize that they, too, can make a difference.

Although Holly has only been in the position of serving as a Promise Fellow since August, she says that “it has been one of the greatest challenges and most rewarding experiences [she has] ever had.” She feels fortunate to have the support of the NYFS family and Promise Fellows on her School-Community Partnership team. Although she was not expecting to see much success very early on in the program, recently one of the STEP youth asked her what she wanted to do when I “grew up.” She told him she wanted to be a counselor and help others. His exact words were “you are already a counselor. You continue to help me, even though I am a challenge. You haven't gave up on me yet.” AmeriCorps Promise Fellows do make a difference in the world.

March 3rd, 2011: Rally for Youth Day at the Capitol

2010-12-10T08:11:00.005-06:00

On Wednesday of this week, the Youth Policy Alliance (YPA) began distributing some important materials to help prepare you and your youth for the 4th Rally for Youth Day at the Capitol! Many of you may have already received your application and Frequently Asked Question sheet via email or snail mail, but if you haven’t yet don’t fret! Applications and other information will be sent to you in the days, weeks and months to come. YIPA members can expect to receive their application materials on December 15th, 2010.

The YPA is a coalition of youth serving organizations, associations and alliances with a statewide presence working to ensure sound youth policy in Minnesota. The YPA has come together to create a framework of support that ensures all children and youth move into adulthood ready for life.

On behalf of the YPA, MN Youth Intervention Programs Association (MN YIPA) welcomes you, your staff, and your youth to join us on March 3rd, 2011 as we seek to educate our policy leaders about the need for a comprehensive youth system of services. If your organization houses a program that provides services for youth in any of the following areas, please consider working with the YPA to arrange meetings with your legislators:

Homelessness Prevention

Mentoring

Out-of-School Time

Youth Intervention

Workforce Development

Juvenile Justice

This day-long event will be organized in a way that will help youth familiarize themselves with the Capitol, the legislature, and communicating openly and honestly with legislators about issues involving them. Youth services do not exist or work in an exclusive, solitary environment to meet the needs of young people. We must engage communities and enact policies, which promote a comprehensive approach to youth policy ensuring that all young adults are ready for life.

If your organization wishes to participate in the full day's activities and has not received an application, please comment on this blog or contact me (Rachel) via email at promisefellow@mnyipa.org! We are asking that all applications be returned by January 21st, 2011. If you have any additional questions or need more information about the rally itself, please contact Lindsey Carlson at lindsey.carlson08@gmail.com.

Click here to RSVP to our facebook event!

November Member of the Month: Benefits of Hosting a Promise Fellow

2010-11-30T11:14:00.000-06:00

Minnesota is in the middle of a “perfect storm." At the same time baby boomers are leaving the workforce, we also see major changes in youth demographics. Youth of color and low -income youth make up a growing percentage of total school-age children, yet many of these youth are most at-risk of dropping out. If we are to adequately prepare a highly trained workforce and remain economically solvent as a state, we need to turn the tide. Dropping out of school is a process, not a one-day event. Using the research on early warning signs, we can identify the youth most at risk and use evidence-based intervention strategies to prevent youth from dropping out.

We know that when communities come together, they can meet the challenges of the dropout crisis head on – but it often requires the added capacity of staff to support their efforts. And that is precisely why hosting an AmeriCorps Promise Fellow through the Minnesota Alliance with Youth can benefit both your organization and your community.

AmeriCorps Promise Fellows serve for one year with schools and organizations across Minnesota to mobilize volunteers, create new after-school programs, build mentoring and tutoring initiatives, and engage youth in service-learning. AmeriCorps members allow schools and communities to pilot strategies and programs on a small and cost-efficient scale, and then seek long-term local funding. Promise Fellows receive significant training and experience that helps grow and strengthen the youth development field in Minnesota. This year, the Minnesota Alliance with Youth placed 80+ Promise Fellows in schools and organizations across the state of Minnesota, and next year they are looking to increase this number to reach even more youth!

There are currently six Promise Fellows serving at three different MN YIPA member sites, and all six are doing great things for our communities. Shane Thompson from the Seneca and Odawa Nations is the Education Coordinator Promise Fellow with the Ginew/Golden Eagle program based out of the Minneapolis American Indian Center. He works closely with Rachel Greenwalt who is the Volunteer Coordinator Promise Fellow also serving with the Ginew/Golden Eagle program. They serve American Indian youth ages 5-18 and offer groups for various age groups four nights a week, providing a meal and transportation to and from groups. According to Rachel, “it has been such a great opportunity to get to know all the kids in our program. We currently have just over 80 kids enrolled in the program and we are continuing to recruit more families to be involved at Golden Eagles.”

Other YIPA sites that are currently hosting one or more Promise Fellows:

The Link

Northwestern Youth and Family Services

If you know anyone who is interesting in becoming an AmeriCorps Promise Fellow, refer them to the Minnesota Alliance with Youth website.

To achieve goals and support students, the Minnesota Alliance With Youth invites schools, community organizations, government agencies, and other nonprofits to apply to host one or more AmeriCorps Promise Fellows to support their School Community Partnerships.

If you are interested in hosting a Promise Fellow for 2011-2012, please go to the Minnesota Alliance with Youth website for additional information about writing a letter of intent. And keep in mind that the deadline for Letters of Intent is right around the corner: December 15th, 2010.

Survival Skills for the Youth Service Worker, by Steve Zvonar

2010-11-22T09:12:00.001-06:00

On December 3rd, 2010 YIPA has the honor of hosting Chiropractor and Wellcoach, Dr. Steve Zvonar, as he discusses early signs of stress within yourself, the staff you work with, the volunteers you coordinate and youth clients you serve. If you're interested in taking part in this seminar, look to our website for additional information. Below you'll find a guest blog by Dr. Zvonar!

After 25 years of practice in a natural health care field that involves lifestyle change, discipline and perseverance, the question that continues to throw itself at me is, “What does it take to get a person to make tough changes in their life?”

After all, we do live in a country of immediate gratifications, short cuts and “if it’s too hard to do, forget it”. I think that is one of the reasons we have a drug crisis in our country. It’s flat out easier to take a drug than to exercise, eat right, or to take time to recover with a walk in the woods.

So, why do some people change and others don’t? What fuels people to rise up and discipline themselves to change their diets, quit drugs or alcohol or proactively deal with the chronic stress in their lives? Ask a person who has done it, they will tell you that they found a reason and purpose beyond themselves that inspired them to persevere. Just think of the woman who can’t seem to quit smoking, then “magically” quits after she becomes pregnant. Yes, she has some purpose or now someone who is bigger than her own self interest that becomes the fuel for positive but difficult change.

During our seminar, Survival Skills for the Youth Service Worker”, we will be talking about the popular topic of recognizing and dealing with stress. What will be unique about this seminar is that we will be teaching how to deal with stress in our own lives as well as others around us from a coaching perspective. We will particularly be focusing on the foundations for healthy change, specifically as it pertains to our stressful lives. C.S. Lewis calls these three foundations “The Laws of Human Nature”. They are: healthy relationships, balancing ourselves physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually, and finding purpose and passion in life. The techniques we will discuss will be wonderful tools in dealing with the stress of coworkers, youth and of course, most importantly, ourselves.

Yes, after over 25 years of practice, hundreds and hundreds of training and seminars, when people come up to me and ask “how” do I get rid of this or that or feel better (or get more sleep, or be less depressed, etc. etc.), my first question to them is “why” do you want to feel better? Contemplating the “why” is the first, deepest and most potent step to healthy and usually difficult behavioral change. However, once the “why” is clarified and solidified, the “how” becomes much, much easier.

The Time is NOW, by Executive Director Scott Beaty

2010-11-19T08:08:00.000-06:00

Wow! What two years will do in the ever changing political world! Not only has the Federal political landscape changed but so has Minnesota’s!

We know that the Republicans now have the majority in both the MN House and Senate for the first time in decades and it looks likely that Democrat Mark Dayton will end up as our next Governor. So what does this mean? Some say chaos, some say gridlock, some say smaller government, and some are even predicting good things will happen. Only time will tell!

What is still clear is that there is a huge budget deficit to fix…probably in the $5 to $6 billion range. We also know that after many years of budget deficits there is no low hanging fruit which means cuts to government supported programs will be deep and sharp even if the Governor and Legislature can come to some agreement on raising revenues.

One thing I do know is that in order to keep the Youth Intervention Program and other youth programming from being severely reduced or eliminated we all have our work cut out for us. What do we need to do, you may ask? For starters I say educate, educate, educate! There are a lot of new legislators out there and it needs to be our job and focus to teach them about the important early intervention work that you are doing for youth and their families in your community. Every one of your legislators need to know you personally and what you and/or your organization does to keep our youth from entering or progressing further into the costly juvenile justice system. Make sure you show them the results and outcomes of your early intervention or Youth Intervention program(s) and personally give them a copy of the Youth Intervention Program SROI (available to download free for members in the Members Only section of the YIPA Web site www.mnyipa.org ).

With the new Republican regime I believe that there will be an attempt to reform and shrink government. This is where all of us can and must help them. We have the research and the outcomes on our side. Using the SROI and other recently completed research we can now show that not only can we save the State money immediately but also in the long term. We can also show them (using the outcome data that the Office of Justice Programs has been gathering from the Youth Intervention Program grantees for the past year) that these programs are effective in changing youths lives for the better. These programs work and we need make sure every legislator (new and old) receives and understands this message.

Between now and the end of the year is the perfect time to meet with your legislators. Call them up and ask for a meeting. Invite them to your organization so they can see firsthand what you are doing for our youth. Let them know your funding issues and the importance of having stable State youth intervention funding that also leverages community funding. Let them know that the funding is very well administered by the Office of Justice programs within the MN Dept. of Public Safety. Get to know these people. Believe me when I say they are legislators because they care and want to help. The trick is to educate them so they want to help you and the youth in the district they represent and serve.

There is no time to lose. As I always say…good things happen to those who show up! Let’s all show up in mass and fight for funding for the Youth Intervention Program and other early intervention youth services.

Social Media Tools for Non-profits

2010-11-12T09:59:00.001-06:00

Does your organization use social media tools to market events or reach a wider audience? Does your agency have a Facebook profile, or a Twitter account? If you answered yes to one or both of those questions, you’re not alone! According to Tyler Olson from SMCPros, there are at least 500 million active members on facebook, and roughly 250 million people log into facebook daily. Simply put, your target market is on Facebook, but the question is, “how do you reach them?” Whether you’re seeking to increase awareness, donations, heighten engagement, expand membership, reach larger audiences or rouse excitement for your cause, social media tools are becoming an essential part of meeting your agency’s goals. The use of social media tools in the non-profit field is completely redefining the way we do business.

Watch the short video below that illustrates the forces shaping social media.

This video and others like it can be found on commoncraft.com.

What are your thoughts on the video you just watched? Do you know how to market your message to the appropriate audience? Do you have enough time to commit to social marketing on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn? When beginning, or trying to recreate your brand on any one of the social media tools mentioned consider the following:

• Pick a social media project that will not take too much time

• Record both successes and challenges

• Ask or listen to the people you connect with about what worked and what did not

• Watch other nonprofits and copy and/or remix their ideas for your next project

• Engage followers by sharing highlights of your work, as well as posing probing questions

For information on how nonprofit organizations can use social media tools to power social networks for change, take a look at Beth Kanter’s blog, or you can read an insightful piece by Jennifer Mattern. There are so many resources at our fingertips, that all we have to do is disregard our lack of technological knowhow, and plunge into this exciting and rewarding new world!

Tis the Season to Give: Creative Fundraising Ideas

2010-11-05T09:45:00.002-05:00

During this time of economic recession and increased financial worry, at-risk youth and those who work to empower them need your support more than ever. Thankfully, seeking assistance for your programs does not necessarily mean asking for monetary donations. This day and age, there are a variety of innovative and helpful ways to encourage community members to support meaningful and positive programs at your organization, while simultaneously promoting your message and cause. The use of the internet and social media tools have opened the door for a new wave of giving. Fundraising special events supplement local, state and federal grants, individual giving campaigns, and business contributions. In addition to raising money, they help raise awareness about your organization, which can be invaluable when it comes time to apply for funding or ask for donations. Here are some creative and innovative fundraising events that have been done by fellow YIPA members:

For 12 years now, YIPA member Bolder Options has been hosting a Bolder Dash where participants can choose to run a 5k or 10k. This year’s race was on September 18th, 2010, and was a huge success!

This year, Elpis Enterprises is participating in the Twice the Gift Store in the IDS Center in downtown Minneapolis. Take a few moments to stop by and see some of the products that youth in their program have made, and make sure to ask how your non-profit can get involved!

Last month, YIPA member, DARTS launched an online auction through Biddingforgood.com, which is something any non-profit can do! They were able to get members of the community to donate items for auction and for the last several weeks have been inviting people from all over the state to bid online. One of the great things about this type of fundraising endeavor is that you can reach a much wider audience than most local events.

Another YIPA member, YouthLink was recently featured on Pepsi Refresh’s website, where they highlighted a need for enhanced space at their nonprofit organization, and sought votes and essentially funding. Each month, Pepsi gives away $1,300,000 to fund great ideas, and it doesn’t cost voters a cent!

The nation's largest Giving Day is coming up on November 16th in Minnesota! Join the wave of generosity by taking part in Give to the Max Day. Hundreds of nonprofits will offer the opportunity to double your dollars over the course of 24 hours on November 16th. Every donation you make gives your favorite organization the chance to win even more money. Make sure to donate to your favorite organizations, and for YIPA members running early intervention programs, make sure to create a personalized account!

And last but not least, I'd like to recognize Patty Halvorson from the Lee Carlson Center for Mental Health and Well-Being. She was recently presented The Innovative Funding Leadership award which is for given to individuals, foundations, corporations, civic groups or other entities that have set an example for innovative funding to youth intervention programs in the state of Minnesota. To quote Paul Meunier, "rather than simply absorb the economic hits, Patty has been busy crafting new and fun ways to raise much need revenue." One such event is their annual Roofraiser. It began three years ago with one local mayor sleeping on the roof of a high school for an entire weekend; while up there, he made phone calls to raise money. The next year it expanded to 7 mayors from the local area and the fundraising totals increased. The most recent year there were 8 individual "roofraisers," including a director of chamber of commerce, a county commissioner, a candidate for sheriff and the mayors.

Another unique idea for fundraising was Dancing with the Stars. Patty Halvorson researched the idea and recruited local leaders to dance at a fundraiser. These local leaders were taught new dance steps with the help of a local dance studio, which donated their time and skills. The event was successful at both raising awareness and much need financial resources.

If you know of any creative or innovative ways non-profit agencies in Minnesota can fund early intervention programs, please leave a comment and spread the word! ‘Tis the season!

October Member of the Month: Lao Family Community of MN, Inc.

2010-10-29T09:12:00.000-05:00

Walking up to Lao Family Community of MN, Inc. in St. Paul, I (Rachel) could feel the energy all around me. The parking lot was full of cars, and as I entered, I was greeted with smiles by a variety of different people all involved in one activity or another. I walked upstairs towards the Youth and Family program area, and past several classrooms where adult students were actively engaged in studying the English language.

Paul Kong, who has been with this agency for six years and thoroughly enjoys serving the Hmong community, warmly welcomed me and gave me a wonderful tour of the building. As their Youth Outreach Worker, he wears many hats, but his main role is running their afterschool enrichment program.

This program has seen a huge shift in the last year, as they moved from being a drop in center, to a center focused around enrichment and academic success. Instead of allowing students to come and go as they please, now all students have to be an official part of the program and are able to earn points for their attendance; the points they earn can be redeemed for snacks and prizes at the Points Cafe.

Although they have seen a decrease in the number of students being served this year due to a stricter and more structured program, they still serve between 70 and 100 students a year, and are hoping their point system will not only encourage good attendance, but will also help Lao Family Community secure additional funding. I wish them luck in this area since all services offered by their organization are FREE!

A Typical Week at Lao Family Community

Monday

• Girls Discussion Group called Making Healthy Choices. This group focuses on relevant issues in the lives of teens and develops strategies on how to avoid and if possible prevent them.

Tuesday

• Songwriting & Music Recording classes

• Hip Hop Dance Group

• Korean Club

Wednesday

• Yugioh and Magic Card Club,

• Guys Discussion Group called Making Healthy Choices

• Korean Club

Thursday

• Open Lab

• Hip Hop Dance Group

Friday

• Accountability and Fitness Group

In addition to the services they offer onsite, Paul and another staff member Chee Lee teach a curriculum called Kev Xaiv, which in Hmong means Making Choices. This class is held weekly and biweekly in junior high schools in Saint Paul and Minneapolis. One school they are closely connected with is New Millennium Academy that serves a large population of Hmong students. In the future, they hope to open a satellite site as a way to connect with more of the 80,000+ Hmong people living in Minnesota.

Lao Family Community is one of the newest YIPA members, joining our community less than a year ago after several years of attending YIPA professional development trainings. As a member of the YIPA team, its staff is looking to collaborate more with organizations in Saint Paul to organize projects and events in their neighborhood. I am beyond impressed with the work being done at their agency, and would encourage everyone who reads this to attend Minnesota's Hmong New Year on Thanksgiving weekend for a taste of Hmong culture, traditions and food!

HEALING INVISIBLE WOUNDS: Why Investing in Trauma-Informed Care for Children Makes Sense

2010-10-22T09:49:00.000-05:00

As youth service providers, we’re always on the lookout for best practices, programs and initiatives that will improve how we serve our communities. As advocates for early intervention, we see the value of investing time and money in a social issue now because we know that in the long run it will save both money and lives. For a moment, I challenge you to think of a few high-risk youth you’ve served. If you’ve got some in mind, I want you to now think of their environments as young children. Did they experience physical or sexual abuse, war, community violence, loss of a caregiver, or a life threatening illness? All of the examples constitute traumatic events that can affect emotional control, brain development, memory and aggression.

Did you know that over 93,000 American children are locked up in juvenile correctional facilities, and of those children, between 75 and 93 percent are estimated to have experienced some degree of trauma?

Those statistics are astounding, which is why the Justice Policy Institute recently released a study that illustrates the relationship between childhood trauma and criminal activity, as well as cost-benefit analysis for programs that target the most as-risk populations. According to the article, “the direct and indirect costs associated with child maltreatment make it among the most costly public health problems in the United States. Beyond the social benefit, by preventing or addressing child maltreatment early, both direct (medical and psychiatric care, government services, criminal justice, child protection services) and indirect (lost earnings and productivity) costs could be lowered substantially by investing in programs that work.”

Take some time to read the article in full. We challenge you and your organization to seek resources and information to allow you to better serve children who have experienced trauma so they don’t become another statistic.

Troubling Trends for Youth and Communities By Jay Jaffee, MN Department of Health

2010-10-11T08:20:00.001-05:00

Jay Jaffee will present a two-part training detailing modern challenges that youth face entitled “Underage Alcohol is Not a Rite of Passage” and “Prescription and Over-the-Counter Drug Use and Youth” on November 9, 2010 from 9:00-12:00 p.m. in Mankato, MN. Register online at www.mnyipa.org or call (888) 945-9472 for more info.

Alcohol and other drug abuse remain a serious problem in America today, both for their health effects and for the concerning trend toward increased binge drinking and prescription drug abuse.

Youth engaged in alcohol and other drug abuse create numerous problems for themselves, their families, their schools, their communities and the groups and organizations in which they participate. Alcohol and other drug abuse cause physical and mental health problems, as well as social, academic, legal and financial problems. In addition to the health problems we have known about for some time—including cancers, heart disease, liver disease, respiratory problems, brain damage and adolescent development—we now have research showing that binge drinking can impair cognitive function (when sober) and can weaken the immune system making it possible to be susceptible to diseases.

Some recent trends have increased the potential for damage. One trend is the change in norms about binge drinking for young people. Drinking games, paraphernalia and perceptions about youth drinking allow and encourage high-risk drinkers to consume larger amounts alcohol more quickly than previous generations. The use of energy drinks, in particular mixing them with alcohol, has increased binge drinking, drinking and driving and sexual assaults. One result of this trend is a norms change making passing out, blacking out and vomiting acceptable behaviors. The long-term impact of this norms change remains to be seen. Will we have more alcohol-related injuries and deaths among our youth? Will we have more alcohol dependent adults as these young people become older?

The other trend is the increase in the abuse of both prescription and over-the-counter drugs. Significant increases in the numbers of drugs being prescribed and the marketing of both prescription and over-the-counter medications have led to increases in both the use and abuse of theses drugs and also to increases in serious consequences experienced by users. Prescription drugs are now the leading cause of unintentional poisoning deaths, drug-related emergency room visits and childhood poisonings.

Not enough parents, youth workers, educators, health care providers, elected officials and other influential adults are aware of these trends and their potential for serious harm. We need to address this issue in a real, sustainable way so that together we can permanently reduce the damage to individuals and communities.

Fall Professional Development Opportunities from YIPA

2010-10-08T07:04:00.008-05:00

It’s the time of year again when professional development opportunities are lurking around every corner. We are very excited to be offering some of our most impactful, most timely and most relevant training opportunities to date. We are pleased to be able to bring internationally known speakers directly to you, and look forward to the insight and experience they bring to the world of Minnesota youth work. Mark your calendars now - we hope to see you this fall in St. Paul, Rochester, Duluth or Mankato!

Boys Adrift & Girls on the Edge

Leonard Sax, Ph.D.

October 26, 2010 · 8:30-4:00 p.m.

St. Paul, MN

Why Gender Matters: The Importance of Gender in Early Interventions with At-Risk Youth

Leonard Sax, Ph.D.

October 27, 2010 · 8:30-4:00 p.m.

Rochester, MN

For a sneak peek of Dr Leonard Sax in action, take a look at some of his recent appearances on CNN and the TODAY show! Dr. Sax discusses Boys Adrift with Matt Lauer and Why Gender Matters with Al Roker! Dr. Sax was also invited to discuss Girls on the Edge with Kiran Chetry on CNN's American morning.

Giving a Fish a Bath: The Untold Story of the Adolescent Mind

Frank Kros, Upside Down Organization

November 2, 2010 · 8:30-4:00 p.m.

Duluth, MN

Workshop attendees and third parties have been vocal about their positive experiences with The Upside Down Organization (UDO) and its programs.

Underage Alcohol Use is Not a Rite of Passage and Prescription and Over-the-Counter Drug Use and Youth: A two-part training detailing modern challenges youth face

Jay Jaffee, Minnesota Department of Health

November 9, 2010 – 9:00-12:00 p.m.

Mankato, MN

Survival Strategies for the Youth Service Provider: Strategies for detecting and coping with stress in staff, volunteers and the youth you serve

Steve Zvonar, DC, CWC, Northwoods Natural Healing Center

December 3, 2010 - 1:00-3:30 p.m.

St. Paul, MN

10-10-10 March and Rally for Minnesota's Children and Youth

2010-10-05T12:43:00.001-05:00

On October 10, 2010 YIPA encourages you to join the Young Leaders of Children’s Defense Fund-Minnesota, along with other key Minnesota youth organizations, in a march and rally for Minnesota’s youth. The event will take place from 12:00 Noon to 5:00 PM at the Minnesota State Capitol. Attendees will converge on the state capitol delivering ten specific messages to civic leaders, policy makers, and candidates running in the upcoming state elections. There will be justice music by locally known groups, a celebrity keynote address, short speeches by civic leaders, clergy and youth. Gubernatorial candidates have been invited and will be given a few minutes to say how they would address the ten focus issues. The rally will end with a challenge for change to give all Minnesota youth a fair start at life. For more information visit www.cdf-mn.org. Come and be one of 10,000 voices!

Then, save the date! The Rally for Youth Day at the Capitol will be Thursday, March 3rd. The day will include opportunities for youth and youth-serving-organizations to carry the message about the need to support a continuum of care for youth in Minnesota. YIPA participants will be asked to share their stories about how youth intervention has impacted their lives and the lives of their students. As we enter what will be a historically tough legislative session, we will need “all hands on deck” to support Youth Intervention Program funding.

September Member of the Month: Children's Home Society & Family Services

2010-09-30T09:47:00.003-05:00

On a sunny Thursday afternoon I (Rachel) had the pleasure of meeting with Brian Stawarz, MA, LP, LMFT, Director of the Individual and Family Counseling (IFC) Program at Children's Home Society & Family Services (CHSFS). CHSFS has been a member of YIPA since 2003, and since Brian joined the team in 2007 he has been an active participant in YIPA’s quarterly meetings. He recently joined our legislative committee, as he has a strong desire for YIPA programs to survive and thrive.

He was eager to talk about the ways YIPA has helped him and his staff network with other organizations and help the program stay current with Best Practices in early interventions with at-risk youth. Two of the most memorable and significant connections Brian has made through YIPA are with the Minneapolis American Indian Center (MAIC) and with the Division of Indian Work (DIW). He was involved personally with a music group for 8-10 year-old children at MAIC, and one of his clinicians, John Wolff, LMFT, has helped with the “Healing Spirit Program,” a residence for Native American youth who have experienced up to a dozen foster care placements. Both were opportunities to connect with the Native American community and provide valuable outreach efforts. He sees his involvement with YIPA as invaluable, and hopes to continue seeking networking opportunities on behalf of CHSFS. Although he represents the entire agency at YIPA meetings, his involvement is more directed towards meeting the needs of the families and youth being served through the Individual and Family Counseling Program. There are two particular programs within IFC that receive funding through the Office of Justice Programs and YIPA; Juvenile Diversion & Restitution Services and School-Linked Intensive Mental Health Services.

Youth are referred to the Diversion and Restitution Program through local police departments and Ramsey County Corrections, where they work with the CHSFS Diversion Coordinator and their parent(s) to complete an assessment. Their diversion program follows a slightly atypical model for screening youth, using a modified form of their Mental Health Assessment. This screening focuses on emotional, behavioral and psychological functioning, but with no diagnoses made. Once the assessment is complete, they come up with a joint plan to help the youth avoid court involvement. Some of the activities recommended are: community service hours, financial restitution, apology letters to the victim involved, theft or decision-making classes, and/or therapy sessions. According to the CHSFS website, “ninety percent of youth completing the program typically have no further contact with police, based on six-month follow-up surveys.” They are very proud of the work they do, and look forward to keeping youth out of the juvenile justice system.

The second program we talked about is School-Linked Program. This service allows therapists from IFC to float among different schools within a district and provide counseling services to students, one-to-one meetings and referrals. They are currently teamed up with Minnesota Independent School Districts 622 and 625, and are finding their presence to be welcomed and supported. In their work with these school districts, they encounter many students who struggle academically, behaviorally and emotionally. The families of the children often struggle with transitions, financial difficulties and being overwhelmed with their many life tasks. Connecting the students with a counselor makes a world of difference in their lives and oftentimes the individual therapy will lead to family or couples work. Children’s Home Society & Family Service’s IFC program is a wonderful example of a well-integrated system of care between schools, government, clients and community providers. It was enjoyable to hear what a positive experience it’s been for Brian and the rest of his team. Keep up the good work!

Unleashing the Human Potential of Native American and Aboriginal Youth

2010-09-24T08:39:00.003-05:00

Last week I (Rachel) was able to be a part of my first quarterly meeting with the YIPA membership, which was a great way to learn more about the wonderful work being done with youth across the state of Minnesota. As everyone introduced themselves and gave updates of their agencies, there was one story that stood out to me. Valerie LaFave from the Minneapolis American Indian Center (MAIC) told the group about a grant her agency recently received from the Nike N7 Fund. If you’ve never heard of the N7 Fund, I would recommend you take a peek at their website to learn more. The fund was created to help meet the needs of Native American communities, by attempting to increase their access to sports and physical activities, while simultaneously building confidence and fostering positive change. The N7 Fund awarded grants to 15 non-profit, 501(c)3 organizations – including the Minneapolis American Indian Center - which allowed them to purchase new shoes for 59 of the 78 youth they serve. That in itself is an incredible feat since according to Valerie LaFave, the Parent Coordinator/Supervisor, a handful of their families do not have an active phone, so MAIC’s staff did outreach by going to their homes and knocking on their doors. What commitment!

More exciting yet, the youth were brought on a field trip to Champs at the Mall of America, where they had a chance to select the shoes of their choice and be fitted on the spot! Valerie told the story of a little girl who was convinced she was being to brought to a low-end shoe store, but was astonished when she found out they would be going to Champs to get any sneakers she wanted! It was her first time getting a personalized pair of shoes, which struck a chord with Valerie and many others in the room as we listened intently.

It was an “aha” moment for all of us as we found out how powerful an experience it was for youth to have an opportunity to purchase shoes unlike any they’ve had before, with no strings attached. And for many, without this grant, they would have gone without new shoes at all. A parent whose three children received shoes from the grant money gleefully reported that all her kids had something great to say, as she expressed her gratitude to Valerie and the entire MAIC staff, "Thanks for the kids’ shoes! If you only knew!!! Each one of my kids had something great to say,”

“I love my golden eagle shoes!”

“My shoes will make me run so fast!”

“Nike and you are the bomb!”

By providing grants and product donations, the N7 Fund helps to fuel opportunities for Native American youth to engage in sports and physical activity, which they hope will enable them to seek positive influences and create positive change in their communities. We all know there is a connection between physical activity and the development of self-confidence, and it is fabulous to hear that the youth are already feeling more confident and positive about themselves as they embark on the 2010-2011 school year.

University of MN Resource

2010-09-17T13:48:00.001-05:00

It’s back to school time again! Doesn’t the end of summer always seem to creep up on you with that one last trip to the lake, one last burger or brat before the grill goes back in the garage…? Of course back to school comes with all of its own excitements, too! While yellow school buses gear up and classrooms across Minnesota open their doors, another part of the state buzzes with new activity and the population of Dinkytown explodes.

It is easy to think of the University of Minnesota (Twin Cities) as a great fortress. Those inside know how to navigate its departments, but for an outsider the sheer size can be prohibitive. That is why it is so wonderful when an insider reaches out to us and is excited to share the University’s vast resources with the non-profit world.

This post is the first in a series that will explore opportunities for collaboration between The U and the youth intervention community. This week we will discuss the Hubert H. Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs Capstone project and how programs can take advantage of free researchers!

Every year the majority of graduating Humphrey students will complete a capstone project, which is a culmination of what they have learned in their graduate program. This project is a hands-on, real world research project that links their academic interests with policy issues in the community. There are roughly ten different capstone classes (most during the spring semester) that cover a variety of fields such as: non-profit management, collaborations, government, social policy and others. Each class is taught by a different professor and has varying requirements. The common factor is that each class uses real non-profits or government agencies as its clients. As a client these groups pose a question to the students (for example, can you help us figure out what our stakeholders feel about this new initiative) and then for the semester a group of 3-6 students works on this project and provides a report at the end.

This service is free! How do you get involved? Faculty members have different approaches. In some cases, the professor will choose several projects that are relevant to their class and assign students. In other cases, the professor will make a list of options from which the students will pick. Sometimes, the students will choose their own projects. The vetting process can be complicated depending on what the professor and students are looking for. It might include a sit-down meeting with the professor or it could be a presentation and Q & A with the whole class. The best way to know is to contact the program and tell them about your interest.

Thank you to Erica Sallander with the YWCA of Minneapolis Girls RAP program for bringing this opportunity to our attention at YIPA’s quarterly membership meeting this summer. Erica recently worked with three Humphrey students to create a sustainable strategic business plan for her program. Using YIPA Social Return on Investment study and other Girls RAP data, the students helped identify ways to create a stable funding stream. What did Erica do to get three free researchers? In the spring she presented her idea to a capstone class along with about ten other programs. Then, she sat at a table as students moved around the room asking questions of each program. She waited as the students deliberated privately to determine which projects to choose. Happily, the YWCA project got chosen!

Our friends at the Juvenile Justice Coalition of Minnesota have taken advantage of this incredible resource for three semesters. What advice do these programs have for those of you who might be interested in learning more?

1. Have a champion. Connecting with a faculty member or a student before the vetting process is a huge asset.
2. Design a project that is doable in one semester.
3. Design a project that has a clear purpose and tangible results.
4. Deign a project that sounds like fun! (to public policy grad students anyway…)

Additionally, YIPA has designed a project around our advocacy efforts and applied to have our project taken on by a group of students in the 2010-11 year. YIPA’s Executive Director, Scott Beaty, will present the project to students and we will anxiously wait to hear if ours was picked.

YIPA will be working more in the future with the Humphrey to strengthen these connections and find champions for youth intervention projects. For more information contact Jessi Strinmoen, YIPA’s Director of Services at jstrinmoen@mnyipa.org.

Hello and Goodbye! By Clare Ryan, YIPA’s former Promise Fellow and Rachel Ayoub, YIPA’s new Promise Fellow

2010-09-13T08:06:00.005-05:00

GOODBYE FROM CLARE
A year has gone by already?

Yes, it was just about a year ago that I (Clare) started fiddling around on Blogger for the first time and ended up with this blog. I am so grateful to all of the amazing people who have contributed to this collection over the year! If you want to know what YIPA has been up to, reading though old posts is a great way to catch up and hopefully learn something new in the process. The best part for me was getting to talk to so many of YIPA’s members and hear about the exciting things that they are doing for youth in Minnesota.

Being YIPA’s first AmeriCorps Promise Fellow has been an extraordinary experience. YIPA’s staff – Scott, Jessi, and Chris – are inspiring people who have put years of hard work into making Minnesota a better place for young people. They have the constantly challenging job of figuring out how to bring together diverse organizations from across the state, give them the training and support they need, advocate for them collectively and provide all of these services for as low a cost as they possibly can. It was an honor to be able to help in some small way this year.

Luckily, I am leaving this blog and my other responsibilities in the very capable hands of YIPA’s new Promise Fellow Rachel. It is my great pleasure to introduce Rachel to all of you and let her write a few words of introduction.

GREETINGS FROM RACHEL

Greetings loyal readers and helpful contributors! I (Rachel Ayoub) am happy to announce that I am the newest member of the YIPA family! I’m very much looking forward to my year of service as an AmeriCorps Promise Fellow, and am eager to find my niche in the field early early intervention. I thank Clare for passing the torch on to me, and trusting me to continue on with the wonderful work she started both with the KidsChange blog, as well as with her work in the area of best practices and evaluation processes in early intervention. Over the course of the next year, I will be using this blog to provide useful tools, helpful resources, relevant articles, interviews and personal testimonies that speak to the effectiveness of early intervention both within our communities and nationwide and give youth service providers concrete tools to help them do their jobs with youth more efficiently and effectively.

You may be wondering what qualities and experiences I bring to the table, and how I anticipate these will carry over into my year of service with YIPA. In brief, I am a 2007 graduate of St. Catherine University, where I earned a degree in Social Work. I will begin studying full-time at Augsburg College where I plan to earn a Masters degree in Social Work with a concentration in Multicultural Clinical Practice. I spent the last two years living in South Korea and working as a middle school English teacher. I also have experience working with children in the Child Protection System, as well as extensive experience with the adoption community. I have co-facilitated children’s groups focused around family, adoption, culture and identity. I am a product of the Minneapolis public school system and am very passionate about working to help at risk youth and their families stay on track!

Because I am new to this, I ask that you please help me steer this conversation towards those issues that are most valuable to you. If you have an idea for a topic, a question that you would like to ask the youth intervention community or a specific contributor, or if you have a story of your own to share I welcome you to email me at promisefellow@mnyipa.org , or leave a comment on this post. I look forward to learning more about the amazing work being done in this community!

Best Practices and Evaluation Processes

2010-09-03T14:36:00.005-05:00

By Clare Ryan, Promise Fellow

YIPA’s yearlong look into best practices and evaluation processes in early intervention is complete! We believe that this member’s only material will help to shape a key element of YIPA’s purpose in the coming years: Supporting youth intervention program assessment and improvement and showing the world evidence that early intervention is powerful and effective.

You may be thinking that in this economy you cannot afford to take a closer look at your program, that you are in survival mode and that doesn’t leave time for evaluation and best practices. Not so! We believe that now more than ever you cannot afford to NOT take a closer look at your program. Public and private funders from the Office of Justice Programs to the Greater Twin Cities United Way are looking more and more deeply at evidence-based and quality programs. This emphasis on showing success, whether through outcomes measures or through quality measures (or both), is not going away and we need to be able to show how powerful early intervention can be.

That is why YIPA is meeting with funders and evaluators, members and other stakeholders to stay on top of new tools for evaluation and new evidence about best practices. This year’s research is just the first step, but it is an important step because it helps sets the stage for where we are right now with best practices in early intervention.

The project consists of four related documents. There is a literature and web review of sources related to evaluation, best practices and quality measures in a variety of fields related to youth work, but with an emphasis on early intervention programs. Second, we have an article based on interviews with YIPA member organizations and other relevant individuals about how evaluations of youth intervention programs are conducted in Minnesota today. Then, there is a short piece on possible next steps for YIPA and for our members based on our plans for future work around quality and evaluations. Tying this all together is the executive summary that outlines the main points from each article. The executive summary is available to all our readers on our “News” section of our website, while the more specific documents are reserved for YIPA members and are available in the “Members Only” section of www.mnyipa.org.

We hope that reading these materials will inspire you to take a deeper look at how your organization conducts evaluations and how you can strive to make your program better for the young people you serve. Here a four ways that you might be able to use this material for your organization.
1. Convince other program staff to take the time to re-think how your program evaluates its success.
2. Use up-to-date ideas and language when looking for grants and writing grant proposals.
3. Learn something more about how to read studies without getting lost in all the statistics.
4. Find your place in the bigger picture of evaluation and best practices.

YIPA wants to know: How is your organization utilizing best practices in evaluation?

Why Are So Many Girls Cutting Themselves?

2010-08-30T08:35:00.006-05:00

A guest blog by Leonard Sax, MD, PhD

Dr. Sax will be presenting “Boys Adrift and Girls on the Edge” as a full day conference in St. Paul on October 26^th and “Gender Matters: The Importance of Gender in Early Intervention in At-Risk Youth” as a full day conference in Rochester on October 27^th. Register here!

I remember my first psychiatry rotation, back in 1985 when I was a medical student at the University of Pennsylvania. A young woman was admitted to the psych unit. She had been cutting herself with razor blades. "Weird," I breathed. "Weird," the psychiatry resident agreed. The attending psychiatrist put her in the locked ward, on full suicide precautions. He explained to us that this behavior was a "cry for help." That's what many people thought back then. In ancient times.

Today we know better, or we think we do. Most of these girls and young women are not suicidal, and they don't want anybody to find out. They don't want to be discovered. That's why they wear long sleeves, so nobody will see their wrists; or, more often nowadays, they cut themselves on the upper inner thigh, where nobody will look. Cutting themselves with razor blades, or burning themselves with matches, becomes compulsive, almost addictive for some of these girls. There is now evidence that for at least some of these girls, this behavior triggers a release of endogenous opiates (for a review of this evidence, please see chapter 3 of my book Girls on the Edge). Cutting delivers a weird kind of disembodied rush. "I felt like I was up on the ceiling, watching myself do it," another girl told me. "I was literally high."

How common is it? Much more common than it used to be. Studies from the 1990's suggested rates of 3% or lower. But more recent studies suggest that as many as one in five girls between 10 and 18 years of age are now cutting themselves with razor blades or burning themselves with matches, etc. For example, researchers at Yale University recently reported that 56% of the 10- to 14-year-old girls they interviewed reported engaging in NSSI at some point in their lifetime, including 36% in the past year.

“The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of the American Psychiatric Association, Fourth Edition” – usually referred to as “DSM-IV” – provides the definitive listing of every recognized psychiatric disorder, along with diagnostic criteria for each disorder. The American Psychiatric Association is now in the process of revising and updating the DSM. They have recently published their first draft of DSM-V. The draft includes an entirely new diagnosis, which the psychiatrists are calling “Non-Suicidal Self-Injury (NSSI).” You can read the proposed DSM-V criteria for NSSI here .

I have some problems with the proposed DSM-V criteria for NSSI. There's no mention of gender differences in the presentation of self-injury. Let me illustrate why I think that’s a problem with an example. Imagine a teenage boy who's not doing well in life: he doesn't have any friends, he's getting bad grades at school, he spends most of his free time playing first-person-shooter video games. Let's suppose this teenage boy repeatedly hits the wall with his fist during arguments with his parents. This boy would meet all the proposed DSM-V criteria for NSSI.

Now imagine a teenage girl who secretly cuts herself with a razor blade. She's the golden girl: she's pretty, she has lots of friends, she's successful academically, she seems to be doing well. The growing prevalence of such girls among cutters is well-documented; see for example Adler and Adler (2007), who assert that these girls are exhibiting a "voluntarily chosen deviant behavior" rather than true psychopathology. I don't agree with Adler and Adler, but that's beside the point. Such a girl would also meet the proposed DSM-V criteria for exactly the same psychiatric diagnosis as the boy who breaks a bone in his hand when he slams his fist into a wall. But a "loser" boy who publicly slams his fist into a wall is experiencing an inner turmoil very different from the golden girl who secretly cuts herself with a razor blade. Lumping these two teenagers together, and pretending that they have the same problem, is not likely to be very helpful to anybody.

Many researchers who study self-injury have minimized gender differences in their own data. For example, in one recent survey of young people 14 to 21 years of age (Nixon et al. 2008), researchers reported that 16.9% of those surveyed had engaged in self-injury. Read the abstract of that paper : you won't find any mention of gender differences. But when you read the full text (available at no charge by clicking here), you find that 24.3% of girls were self-injuring, compared with 8.4% of the boys. You'll find those data in Table I of the paper. The authors acknowledge the finding (in a single sentence) but they do not discuss it or try to understand it. Furthermore, this study -- like most studies of NSSI - conflates the boy who publicly smashes the wall with his fist, with the girl who secretly cuts herself with a razor, in the same category -- a blurring of reality which further masks the magnitude and significance of the underlying gender differences.

In my experience, boys who are deliberately hurting themselves usually fall in a narrow demographic. Bluntly, those boys tend to be the weirdos, the losers, the lonely outsiders. Not so for girls. The most popular girl, the pretty girl, the girl who seems to have it all together, may also be the girl at greatest risk for cutting herself. The most successful boy, the star football player with lots of friends, is not secretly cutting himself with razor blades. But the most successful girl might be.

The stereotype is that kids who cut themselves are depressed. While that stereotype is usually accurate for boys, it's less reliably accurate for girls. Most boys who cut themselves are depressed, but many girls are not. Janis Whitlock and her colleagues at Cornell (Whitlock et al. 2008) found that college women injure themselves differently, and for different reasons, compared to college men. Cheng et al. (2010) recently developed a screening questionnaire to identify college students who were engaging in NSSI. They found that some of the best questions for screening the women were useless for screening the men, and vice versa. Other researchers have found that girls are more likely than boys to self-injure as a means of self-punishment, while boys are more likely to self-injure in the aftermath of a romantic break-up (Adler & Adler 2007; Rodham et al. 2004). But most research on NSSI overlooks these gender differences. Boys who are failing in every aspect of their life, who hit the wall during an argument, are lumped into the same category with girls who seem to be doing great, but who are cutting themselves in secret.

It's risky to look at celebrity culture for any insights into the human condition, but in this case I think the stories of celebrities illustrate reasonably well what I'm hearing from young people, female and male, around the United States and Canada. Megan Fox told Rolling Stone that she had deliberately cut herself as a teenager . Angelina Jolie, Lindsay Lohan, Amy Winehouse, and the late Lady Diana Spencer, all have been identified as women who repeatedly and deliberately injured themselves. By contrast, the best-known male celebrity who cuts himself is Marilyn Manson. I think Mr. Manson would agree that he takes pride in being a weirdo. And he likes to cut himself - on stage.

In other words, the girls who are most successful at meeting gender-specific societal expectations appear to be just as likely as other females to be cutting themselves. Not so for boys. How come? That's one of the questions I try to answer in my book Girls on the Edge. My bottom line is that these girls are searching for a sense of self that's not about how they look, but about who they are. We reward them for how they look but we -- i.e. American society -- are much less interested in what's going on inside. Self-cutting fills that need for some of these girls -- just as anorexia does for others, and obsessive perfectionism does in others (see Sara Rimer's insightful article for the New York Times about "anorexia of the soul" among hyperachieving 'amazing' girls for more on this point).

Of course some girls who cut themselves ARE depressed, or are unhappy with their appearance, or may be lonely, etc. And of course we need to be just as concerned about girls who are NOT pretty, girls who do NOT meet society's stereotyped notions of what girls should look like, and who are cutting themselves. But I think that ignoring gender differences in NSSI disadvantages many of those who are struggling with this issue -- especially girls.

I'm bothered that so few people want to address the gender differences in NSSI - which I think are absolutely central to understanding why these young people are hurting themselves, and essential to intervening effectively with them. Marilyn Manson is not Megan Fox. Marilyn Manson's issues are not Megan Fox's issues. Interventions which might have helped Marilyn Manson stop cutting would be unlikely to benefit Megan Fox, and vice versa. Nevertheless, even people who truly seem to care about NSSI tend to overlook or deliberately understate gender issues here. The leading non-profit organization concerned with NSSI, "To Write Love On Her Arms," asserts on their web site that self-injury ". . .has the same occurrence between males and females." Not true.

Gender matters. Why are people so afraid to talk about it?

Leonard Sax MD PhD is a physician, psychologist, and author of "Boys Adrift" (Basic Books, 2007) and "Girls on the Edge" (Basic Books, 2010).

References

Adler P, Adler P. 2007. The demedicalization of self-injury . Journal of Contemporary Ethnography, 36, 537-370.

Cheng H-L, Mallenckrodt B, Soet J, Sevig T. 2010. Developing a screening instrument and at-risk profile for nonsuicidal self-injurious behavior in college women and men . Journal of Counseling Psychology, 57, 128 - 139.

Hilt LM, Cha CB, Nolen-Hoeksema S. 2008. Nonsuicidal self-injury in young adolescent girls: moderators of the distress-function relationship. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 76, 63-71.

Nixon MK, Cloutier P, Jansson SM. 2008. Nonsuicidal self-harm in youth: a population-based survey . CMAJ, 178, 306-312.

Rodham K, Hawton K, Evans E. 2004. Reasons for deliberate self-harm: comparison of self-poisoners and self-cutters in a community sample of adolescents . Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 43, 80-87.

Whitlock J, Muehlenkamp J, Eckenrode J. 2008. Variation in nonsuicidal self-injury: identification and features of latent classes in a college population of emerging adults. Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, 37, 725-735.

Online Resources for Youth

2010-08-23T08:37:00.001-05:00

As youth gear up for heading back to school and youth programs prepare for switching gears to fall programming, we thought we’d share a small compilation of some great youth-focused, interactive sites where youth can learn and do good while in front of the computer screen. Youth service professionals may consider incorporating these resources into fall programming or just sharing with the youth they serve.

www.bankit.com/. - This is an awesome site for helping teens manage money and think about finances. It also has resources for parents.
www.at15.com/ - This is Best Buy’s youth site. Youth members get points and use them to vote on what projects Best Buy’s foundation will fund.
www.dosomething.org/ - This site is one of the best out there for youth engagement! Every young person should know about the resources at this site.
www.freerice.com - Take fun quizzes and gain points that become grains of rice that are donated to help feed people all over the world.
www.refresheverything.com/ - At the Pepsi Refresh site young people can vote on great ideas for Pepsi to fund.
www.pongoteenwriting.org/home.html - This incredibly inspiring site features the writing of young people who are living in prisons, detention centers, mental heath facilities and on the street. It also includes great writing prompts and ideas about starting a writing group.
http://kidshealth.org/teen/ - This site is full of great information from strength training tips to healthy recipes to advice about friendship and peer pressure.
www.newglobalcitizens.org/ - This is the site for an international youth movement that shows how young people can address the great challenges facing the world today.
www.genv.net/ - This site supports young social entrepreneurs and helps young people start achieving big dreams.
www.bam.gov/ - The Body and Mind site for young people from the CDC??. It has lots of great information and ideas about healthy living.
www.youthnoise.com/ - This is a social networking site for youth causes with lots of blogs, videos and information about youth-led movements.
www.rootsandshoots.org/ - This is the youth site connected to the Jane Goodall Center that has lots of resources about environmental activism.

YIPA and your youth service professional colleagues would appreciate learning from you what websites you have found valuable to share with your youth. Please share by commenting below.

August Members of the Month: Senior Chores Programs Exemplify Unique Networking Opportunities

2010-08-13T13:18:00.006-05:00

We have all heard about Minnesota’s rising senior population. Minnesotans are getting older and the workforce is retiring. While this may have profound implications for our personal lives, there is a risk that youth workers might not see this as being “our problem.”

Three YIPA members illustrate beautifully why this aging population is deeply connected to youth intervention. Indeed, it may not be “our problem,” but it is certainly part of our solution! These three programs have found a way to provide needed help for seniors in their communities, give supervised community service hours to court-ordered youth, train and employ young people and create intergenerational bonds even where there was once distrust and skepticism.

For those of you who are familiar with DARTS, it may seem odd that one of the oldest and most prominent senior services organizations in the metro area is a member of YIPA. Meeting Mary Richardson makes this connection clear. She is the driving force behind DARTS’ current senior chores program. While the over 30-year long program was around long before Mary came to DARTS, she has put her own stamp on senior chores – often working side by side with her young volunteers!

White Bear Lake Area Community Counseling Center is just getting started with their senior chores program. This fledgling program is up and running thanks in large part to the help its coordinator Sally Cain received from DARTS and from Northwest Youth and Family Services (another YIPA member program). Hearing about successful senior chores projects at YIPA quarterly membership meetings, White Bear staff got inspired to start one of their own. Sally went with Mary Richardson to five DARTS chore sites and saw what a great program looks like. She also went and visited the 30-year NYFS senior chores program and its coordinator, Debbie Peterson. Sally took ideas back with her to White Bear, but also made the program her own in order to fit her community’s needs.

Sitting down over coffee these three inspiring women jumped immediately into conversation with each other. How is your summer going? Did you figure out how to do that form? I’m going to be full-time now! Yay! and so on. They shared stories of surprising successes and things they have learned along the way.

One story that stuck out was about a group of young men who had been court ordered to do community service with their probation officer. On the way over the boys complained, “I don’t want to do anything with old people!” But after a few hours helping an elderly man maintain his home (something he surely could not have done alone), the boys changed their tune. “That was so cool!” they exclaimed on the van ride home.

Thinking of starting a senior chores project at your organization? These three women have the collective knowledge and experience to set you on the right path. From grant writing to the minimum age for lawn mowers, from working with probation officers to interviewing seniors – they are an amazing resource for any question you might have.

Here are just a few things that we have learned after sharing a cup of coffee with Mary, Debbie and Sally:
1. Take a picture of the senior’s yard and put it in their file. That way if they call back for more help you know what kind of garden they have, how big their yard is, etc. Also, it makes them feel like you remember them!
2. Make sure to take the time (even just a few minutes) to have the young people talk to the seniors they are helping. These connections can have lasting effects.
3. Don’t reinvent the wheel. Looking at forms and procedures from other senior chores programs helped save time and effort so that new programs could get off the ground faster.
4. Programs like these make seniors feel safer, because they see the positive side of youth. It helps young people show their community that they are not “problems,” but real assets.
5. Look for connections in unlikely places. These programs connect with senior services, diversion programs, church groups and police departments. It is within these seemingly separate spheres that senior chores programs flourish.

We believe that one of greatest benefits to YIPA membership is the opportunity to connect with other service providers. Sometimes those other providers may seem like they are approaching their work in early intervention in a way completely different from your own. But more often than not, our members are able to learn from each other, improve their services because of the skills they have learned from other – and often save themselves much time and energy when they discover they do not have to “reinvent the wheel,” as is shown here with the seniors’ chores programs within YIPA membership.

What do Gubernatorial Candidates say about Children and Youth? By the Minnesota Children’s Platform Coalition

2010-08-06T08:50:00.003-05:00

We have discussed YIPA’s involvement with the Minnesota Children’s Platform Coalition several times on this blog. Now, YIPA is excited to present the results on the MNCPC Governor’s Candidate Survey!

The Minnesota Children’s Platform Coalition (MNCPC) is a collaboration of organizations and individuals who care about Minnesota children and youth. The questions in this survey were created by the MNCPC following a “World Café” meeting in January 2010 of coalition partners who discussed issues they thought were important for a Minnesota governor to attend to.

We asked all candidates for governor to respond to a set of 6 questions that followed from that meeting. Here is what we asked them…..

We believe that children and youth in Minnesota deserve a comprehensive approach to youth services with a focus on the whole child. As a candidate for Governor of Minnesota, you have a vital role to play in improving the lives of Minnesota’s young people. Please take a few moments to respond to our questions. Please feel free to include links to news articles, websites or other online resources to support your points. Your answers will be shared with our extensive statewide network of children and youth service providers, educators, advocates and parents via written and Internet communications.

We are listing responses to the questions in the order in which we received them. If a candidate is not listed, it means that he or she did not send us a response.

Curious about what characteristics that YIPA would like to see in a governor? Most importantly the new governor should:

1) Be a champion for all youth

2) Understands the needs for continuum of care from birth to age 21

3) Have a focus on children that expands far beyond schools

4) Be action oriented – willing to take bold steps to ensure that funding for children and youth services grows rather than shrinks as it has during the past decade.

5) Understands the concept of early intervention youth services and how it keeps youth from progressing through the Juvenile justice System.

We hope you will look at these responses before the primary elections on August 10. Please note that at primary elections you will not be able to choose from among all of these candidates. Primary elections are only for the purpose of allowing members of a political party decide who will be on the ballot in November.

MNCPC Board of Directors/Committee

Sue Fust, Minnesota Organization on Adolescent Pregnancy, Prevention & Parenting

J. Scott Beaty, Youth Intervention Programs Association

Connie Skillingstad, Prevent Child Abuse Minnesota

Jim Scheibel, Hamline University

Jim Meffert, Minnesota Optometric Association

Rod Halvorson, Minnesota Social Service Association

Jennifer Rison, Children’s Leadership Council

Clare Ryan, MNYIPA Promise Fellow

July Member of the Month: Northern Star Diversion by Clare Ryan YIPA's Promise Fellow

2010-07-30T08:43:00.003-05:00

Youth Intervention Program funding (and thus YIPA) were created for the fundamental purpose of keeping kids out of the juvenile justice system. Today, about two-thirds of YIPA member programs receive juvenile diversion referrals.

What is diversion? This is not an easy question to answer because programs that call themselves diversion programs can be very different from each other and many programs that divert young people from the juvenile justice system might not call themselves a “diversion program.” The Juvenile Justice Coalition of Minnesota has a workgroup on diversion, which includes several YIPA members. The Coalition has identified the following as an imperfect, but workable definition of diversion:

“Intermediate intervention (community restitution, day treatment centers, diversion programs and protective supervision projects) for first-time delinquent offenders and many nonviolent repeat offenders.” (From the Coordinating Council on Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention)

The Northern Star Juvenile Diversion program headed by Colleen Brazier is a great example of diversion. I met Colleen through the JJC juvenile diversion workgroup, where I also first encountered many of the major debates in diversion today. For Colleen, the two major debates in diversion right now are: how to make diversion universal and how to evaluate success and effectiveness.

Right now in Minnesota a young person in one county may not have the same (or even similar) opportunities and resources that a young person in a neighboring county (city, town, etc.) might have. Who is diverted also varies from city to city, so a young person who might have the option of being sent to a diversion program over juvenile court, might not have that chance in another place, even if the offense is the same. The JJC and others are working hard to make diversion a more universal option here in Minnesota. They are also working to create a set of standards that goes beyond rated of recidivism in showing the effectiveness of diversion programs.

At Northern Star, they take a very wide view of the young person. They don’t just give a shoplifter an anti-shoplifting class and assume that it took care of the issue. They give each and every young person a 10-week class on life skills, positive relationships, decision-making, substance abuse, bullying, peer pressure, goal setting and more. Young people in this program get a comprehensive set of tools that they can use the next time the temptation for trouble comes along.

“Youth get to earn back their parents trust and the trust of the community,” says Colleen. “Diversion is hard work, it shows the kid is willing to give back.” When a young person goes through the court instead of diversion, they may not really understand the impact of their actions on the community. Not to mention that a young person who goes through the system adds on all of the collateral consequences of having a juvenile record.

Since 1996 Northern Star has worked with youth ages 10-18 who are first-time, low-level offenders that have been referred from myriad court and police departments in the metro area. A young person may enter the program if they are willing to admit that they have done something wrong and that they are committed to making it right. Then, a Northern Star diversion worker will meet with the young person and his or her parent or guardian to discuss the plan. The young person will do sixteen hours of community service and will attend the 10-week class once a week for an hour. The class is run by a diversion staff member with 2-3 adult volunteer mentors.

So, does it work? Well, in the 2 years following program completion 80% of the young people have stayed out of the juvenile justice system!

The trick with diversion – this young person did NOT fall deeper into the justice system, did NOT become an adult criminal, did NOT cost taxpayers thousands of dollars – is that it is hard to prove a negative. Wise planners will see the evidence, the huge cost different between intervention and incarceration, and will choose to invest in early interventions rather than costly punitive measures that are often too little, too late. For more evidence of the wisdom in intervention see the Social Return on Investment.

Diversion programs stand at the frontier between early intervention and juvenile justice. They are the last stop before a young person crosses over that powerful border into “the system.” This is not to say that once a young person has been to court and been adjudicated delinquent that they are lost forever. Far from it! It simply means that diversion programs mark a last chance for a young person to turn away from destructive behaviors without having an official record and all of the collateral consequences that come with it (this is a huge debate and not everyone will agree with this demarcation, click here for a fantastic resource on this topic.)

What do you think about the role of diversion in early intervention and juvenile justice?

Support Youth Intervention! by Scott Beaty, YIPA's Executive Director

2010-07-23T08:05:00.003-05:00

How many of you have used GiveMN for your organization or given to your favorite cause with GiveMN’s easy online system? This year, YIPA’s Annual Donor Campaign is at GiveMN.org!! The most positive benefit of GiveMN is that it covers all transaction costs with the help of partners and funders so that 100% of donations go directly to charity. Whereas many online payment processing organizations charge between 2.5 and 4 percent transaction fee, GiveMN gives the entire transaction feedback to the nonprofit.

Supporting YIPA means supporting its dozens of member organizations and the thousands of young people that they serve.

When a young person embraces a life of crime it costs society millions of dollars, gives families a lifetime of heartbreak, and destroys the future of kids. Early youth intervention programs help kids at the first sign of trouble by providing them with the help and resources they need to lead a fulfilling life! In 2009, early youth intervention programs kept 89% of the youth referred for illegal activities from further involvement in the juvenile justice system. All from programs that cost on average $200 per youth per year compared to $40,000 per youth per year in a juvenile detention facility.

YIPA is the premier organization in Minnesota whose mission is to insure that every youth has access to the highest quality early youth intervention programs to ensure they have a successful future! YIPA consists of over 90 early youth intervention programs providing counseling, mentoring, education, prevention, pre-court diversion, job skills preparedness, anger management, conflict resolution, and mediation services to over 50,000 youth per year.

YIPA:

· Advocates for support of early youth intervention at state and local levels;

· Provides the highest quality training programs to ensure the best services for our kids, helps families better access the kind of care that is right for their child; and,

· Creates a voice for youth in Minnesota.

YIPA’s work is crucial more than ever: state budget cuts threaten to eliminate valuable programs that impact thousands of youth and a struggling economy has severely impacted programs’ budgets leading to decreased services to our youth.

A donation of just $200 is enough to help a kid stay out of jail, get back to school, improve their self-confidence, and begin to see that there is hope for the future!

Please visit http://givemn.razoo.com/story/Yipa-s-Annual-Campaign-A-Voice-For-Youth-3 to give today!

Special Post: Tagline Contest!!

2010-07-14T09:05:00.007-05:00

How many times do people ask us 'what exactly is youth intervention?' As part of our current strategic planning process YIPA is looking for something quick and catchy that expresses who we are as an association. We are thinking we just might need a new tagline! Unlike the ever-popular “Got Milk?” “What’s in your wallet?” or “Just Do It.” our old tagline "A Voice for Youth" just doesn't seem to express what YIPA does for organizational members and individuals offering early intervention youth services in Minnesota.

Our mission rings loud and clear: To ensure that early intervention youth programs are embraced and well equipped to provide high quality and cost effective early intervention youth services. We’re looking for a tagline that fits!

Do you have an idea for a new tagline? Enter your new YIPA tagline by leaving a comment here on our blog, on our discussion board at the MN Youth Intervention Programs Association LinkedIn Group or on our Facebook KidsChange page - make sure to leave a way to contact you - and if yours is selected you will win $25 off your next YIPA training and a special recognition from YIPA!

Celebrating Youth Intervention in America!

2010-07-09T08:13:00.004-05:00

The 4th of July is a great time to get together with friends and family, throw your favorites on the grill (on a side note, if you are looking for grilling ideas check this out), and watch some fireworks. On a more serious note, our national celebration is also a great moment to reflect on what makes this country so unique. One of the things that come to mind is federalism – we have this crazy system where the federal government shares power with each individual state. The debate over the merits of this model has gone on since its inception, but there is no denying that it leads to interesting variation among states. As a statewide association, YIPA, naturally, focuses mostly on what is happening here in Minnesota. In honor of the 4th of July, this week we will take a closer look at other states and at what is going on for youth intervention at a national level.

In Massachusetts this month at the Harvard Law School Charles Hamilton Houston Institute for Race and Justice, Marian Wright Edelman gave a keynote address to representatives from Massachusetts social service and juvenile justice agencies, foundations, youth-serving non-profits, universities and young people. She talked about the need to bring agencies together to provide a continuum of care, she talked about addressing the needs of the whole child and she stressed the vital importance of taking young people out of the “cradle to prison pipeline.” Does any of this sound familiar? If you have been following any of the conversations we have been having here in Minnesota, it sounds a great deal like what Dr. Edelman was saying. If you have a little time, it is worthwhile to watch this whole video – don’t miss the young man’s story about the power of youth intervention at the end!

While in Massachusetts, higher education took on the convening and advocacy role that YIPA plays here in Minnesota, in Texas the state government coordinates early intervention and prevention programs within their Department of Family and Protective Services. Sometimes we can fall into the trap of thinking that the way that we do things is the way that “everybody” does it, but YIPA is actually a fairly unique model for bringing together early intervention programs.

In Illinois, an extraordinary new intervention program designed to address the urban violence in Chicago was recently highlighted in the New York Times. This is an important reminder that early intervention, mentoring and youth services are getting more attention in the press. In the last few months many YIPA members have been highlighted in local newspapers and TV stations. This is a call to keep doing great work and remember to recognize the work that is being done by our neighbors.

Nationally early youth intervention is popping up in all kinds of places. A few weeks ago, we shared an article about an advocacy group that is trying to include more intervention programs into federal education reform. Another place to go to check out federal early intervention priorities is Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) and check out the Center for Disease Control’s public health approach to violence prevention.

What sets Minnesota apart? What brings us together? What can we do to support federal initiatives that support our young people? What do you think?

YIPA's Adventures at Target Field! by Clare Ryan, YIPA's Promise Fellow

2010-07-02T08:19:00.006-05:00

YIPA members, staff and family gather around the golden glove for a group photo!

Thursday, June 24th was the perfect day for a Twin Cities adventure. Over twenty YIPA members from across the state gathered by the front entrance of Target Field for a 90-minute insiders’ tour. I must confess woeful ignorance about the game of baseball, so while others (some decked out from head to toe in Twins garb) marveled at the images of famous Twins from the past, I was amazed by the 13 keg rooms – with pipes labeled “beer” leading all over the stadium! The investment into environmentally responsible building was also pretty awesome.

YIPA member Maureen Farrell and her husband enjoy an amazing view

After the tour we headed over to Smalley’s 87 Club for a bite to eat. Sitting outside and munching on burgers and fries, I had the pleasure of chatting with Jim Backstrom, Dakota County Attorney, Elise Peterson from Community Mediation Services and Cheryl Meld of Futures by Design in the McGregor schools. What I found most exciting was hearing what people are doing in such different settings and at very different points in their careers. Both Jim and Cheryl have been serving their communities for many years, while Elise, like myself, is just starting out after graduating from William Mitchell last year. Because of my involvement in AmeriCorp, I have talked to many young youth workers and one of the common complaints I have heard is that people can feel isolated in their jobs and not really know what is going on in other communities around the state. Active involvement in a statewide association, like YIPA, can help ease that isolated feeling.

Being a YIPA member means having a tireless advocate at the capitol, it means having access to high-quality and affordable trainings, but it also means a chance to have fun, meet other youth workers from across the state, and share stories over a burger. In other words, YIPA is a community.

That community came together again on Friday for our summer quarterly membership meeting. We welcomed new members and greeted old friends. My favorite part of YIPA’s quarterly meetings is at the beginning when we go around and give updates from our organization. This time we heard about new summer youth jobs initiatives and we heard from our friends in Wadena County about the devastating tornado damage that they suffered recently (more to come on this). We talked about building a stronger coalition for legislative action. I shared my research on best practices in youth intervention, which I will be sharing more about in the coming weeks. Then, we sat down with sandwiches and talked to each other. People from Badger and Ely to Rochester shared updates and new ideas.

That afternoon, we had the great pleasure of learning an amazing amount about prescription and over-the-counter drug use by youth. Jay Jaffee, from the Minnesota Department of Health, was incredibly knowledgeable and opened the eyes of many participants to the ways that young people use legal or “harmless” drugs and how drug companies market these products.

YIPA is an association that welcomes members from all kinds of community-based programs. So long as your organization has some program that serves youth who are at risk for falling into the juvenile justice system, you are invited to be a part of this growing association. For more information visit our website www.mnyipa.org or contact Chris Klejbuk, our membership coordinator, at cklejbuk@tcq.net.

June Member of the Month: Elpis Enterprises by Clare Ryan YIPA's Promise Fellow

2010-06-25T07:30:00.000-05:00

Sitting in an office all day, those of us on the administrative, research, and advocacy end of non-profit work can sometimes lose track of the real reason we do what we do. That is why I volunteer and it is why I love taking field trips! This week, I had the good fortune of being able to visit a wonderful YIPA member organization called Elpis Enterprises.

A collage from Elpis' website at www.elpisenterprises.org

Approaching Elpis’ workshop, it doesn’t seem like much – just a door at the end of a winding corridor on the third floor of an old warehouse building off of University Ave in Saint Paul. I knock and a smiling young woman with lots of piercings opens the door. She is wearing a paint-covered smock. I walk into a room packed from floor to ceiling with scraps of wood. This wood, I later learn, has all been donated by cedar fencing companies. In the back room, there is music playing and three young people are deeply engrossed in a totally mysterious process that turns out to be the first steps in making silkscreen t-shirts.

Elpis Enterprises is an organization dedicated to giving young people real work experience. An independent program since 2002, Elpis hires young people who have experienced or are at risk for homelessness and trains them in t-shirt printing and woodworking. These young people (about 20-25 per year) stay with Elpis for 6 months to a year and are paid a stipend for the Tuesday and Thursday evenings they spend in the workshop.

The man behind the bustle of activity I find at 6:30pm on a hot summer evening is Paul Ramsour. Paul is deeply connected to YIPA. He serves on our board and also represents his other workplace – Youthlink, a hub of services and support for homeless youth in Minneapolis. In fact, many of the young people who work at Elpis came through Youthlink.

The atmosphere in the workshop is so different from my world of offices and computers. The ‘70s radio station plays old classics and a young man who has been working on birdhouses in the woodshop comes in and starts dancing.

“Anyone know who wrote this song?” Paul challenges.

“Beyoncé” the young man says under his breath.

A young woman looks up and says, “How are we supposed to know that? We weren’t even thought of yet!”

I come up to the young woman and ask her if she likes working here. “It’s great!” She says. What is her favorite part? “I love mixing ink!” she smiles, like she could go on mixing reds and greens and yellows all night.

If you have never seen a multi-color t-shirt printed on a manual press, it is quite a complicated process. Did Paul have a background in silk screening or woodworking? Not at all. When he started, he tells me, he knew nothing about woodworking, t-shirt making or working with young people, for that matter! Not that you would know it today. Piles of high quality t-shirts and mountains of beautiful recycled cedar birdfeeders fill the space. Elpis also does about 100 community events per year, where the young employees go to parks or local fairs and teach kids how to make their own birdfeeders.

I leave Elpis feeling refreshed, despite the heat. Though the paint and sawdust, there is something really wonderful going on in that workshop.

Ordering bird feeders (assembled or DIY kits) or t-shirts is easy at the Elpis website.

Want to be featured on this blog? Email cryan@mnyipa.org.

Join us in June: Youth and Prescription Drugs, Quarterly Meeting and More!

2010-06-18T08:15:00.006-05:00

Are you encountering more youth who abuse prescription drugs? You are not alone! The 2009 Center for Disease Control Youth Risk Behavior Study reported that over 20 percent of youth surveyed said that they had taken a prescription drug that wasn’t prescribed to them. This recent U.S. News article explores the most common substances a young person is likely to encounter today – including Adderal, OxyContin, and other drugs that are easy to “borrow” from family medicine cabinets. The full CDC report includes a wide range of risk behaviors, many of which will be sadly familiar to most youth intervention providers.

Come join YIPA to learn more. It is not too late to register for “Prescription and Over-the-Counter Drug Use and Youth” with Jay Jaffee of the Minnesota Department of Health on June 25th, 2010 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm at Children's Home Society and Family Services, 1605 Eustis Street, St. Paul, MN. This event is FREE for YIPA members and only $25 for non-YIPA members.

This training is open to anyone who wants to learn about the misuse and abuse of prescription and over-the-counter drugs. This phenomenon has significantly increased over the past decade. More people, including youth, now report the non-medical use of these drugs than people who report abusing/misusing all other drugs except alcohol, tobacco and marijuana. We will examine how and why this has come about, which drugs are being abused and why, the impact on youth, information about these drugs and the harm they can cause, suggestions for preventing their abuse and resources available for prevention.

Are you a YIPA member? Join us for our summer quarterly meeting. The meeting will take place before this training at the Children’s Home Society and Family Services building from 10:00 am – 1:00 pm.

Looking for some summer fun? YIPA has paid for and arranged a private group tour for the YIPA membership of the new Target Field in downtown Minneapolis on Thursday, June 24! The tour is limited to 25 people, so if you are interested in going on this tour, please RSVP to cklejbuk@tcq.net. We will accept the limited reservations on a first-response basis and remember this is members only!

Following the tour, those who are interested will continue some social time at Roy Smalley's 87 Club, 100 N. 6th St. (at Butler Square and walking distance from Target Field - it is the former Champps restaurant location). If you are unable to be part of the tour, you are most welcome to join us at this restaurant (reservations are for 8:15 p.m.).

Interested in becoming a YIPA member? Contact cklejbuk@tcq.net to get a spot at the table next week.

Youth Intervention in the News!

2010-06-11T07:35:00.004-05:00

Early intervention youth services have been featured several times this week in the Star Tribune! At YIPA, we are delighted to see that the amazing work of members is getting recognized. We are also excited to see new ideas and connections for youth intervention at the state and the national level.

Photograph from Star Tribune Article "Many Healthy Returns"

On Tuesday, June 8^th the Star Tribune highlighted Bolder Options (a YIPA member since 1999). Bolder Options is a cutting edge hybrid of early intervention, mentoring and healthy lifestyle training. Their innovative techniques for helping young people stay on track, live healthy lives, and connect with caring adults helps make Minnesota a leader in early intervention.

In the article, business columnist Neal St. Anthony cites the Social Return on Investment study that YIPA commissioned in 2007. St. Anthony writes, “Twin Cities economist Paul Anton and Judy Temple of the University of Minnesota reported to the Minnesota Legislature that taxpayers can expect future savings of $2.75 to $5 for every dollar invested in effective mentoring and youth-intervention programs such as those offered by Bolder Options, PPL and Kinship chapters around Minnesota.” These numbers are based on YIPA programs! For the full study.

Bolder Options isn’t the only one showing that early intervention is one of the best investments that Minnesota can make. A national group of law enforcement leaders called Fight Crime: Invest in Kids is saying the same thing. A June 9^th article in the Star Tribune shows how Minnesotan law enforcement is getting on board.

In Minnesota, Dakota County Attorney James Backstrom is a leader in the movement to make early intervention a key component of both crime prevention and education. CA Backstrom sat on YIPA’s board for a number of years and remains a YIPA member! We are so grateful to have such a strong voice for early intervention youth services here in Minnesota.

YIPA wholeheartedly supports efforts to incorporate early intervention and prevention into the greater national debate about education reform. Giving young people access to the caring adults, resources and safe spaces that they need will save Minnesota and this country millions of dollars and the immeasurable cost that comes with violent crime, theft and large populations of young adults without high school diplomas.

The article focuses on keeping kids in school, something that many YIPA member organizations do very well. In the article Backstrom states, “If we really want to reduce crime in our society, one of the single best investments we can make is on early prevention programs with at-risk kids." The article uses the word “prevention” to describe the types of programs this group supports, but what they are truly describing is in many cases early intervention. Early intervention helps young people who are straying toward a dangerous path that includes criminal behavior, substance abuse, and dropping out of school.

While this group highlights the need for in-school and afterschool intervention programs, we want to remind our readers that early intervention comes in many shapes and forms. YIPA members include mentoring programs like Bolder Options, School Resource Officer programs like those in Moorhead, MN, diversion programs, family and individual counseling, substance abuse education, and much, much more. Some programs are located in schools, while others are at YMCAs, community centers, probation offices, and public spaces across Minnesota.

If you are interested in learning more about legislation that supports youth intervention or to get more information on the Social Return on Investment study email jsbeaty@comcast.net.

The Value of Continuing Education by Jessi Strinmoen, YIPA's Director of Services

2010-06-04T09:04:00.006-05:00

The changing nature of our world means that youth-serving professionals must continually acquire new strategies, learn about best practices, and gain skills to help youth address new and challenging issues in their lives. Though work as a youth-serving professional does not always require a set number of hours of professional development for re-licensure and/or continued employment, it is just as important for all of you to continue to hone your skills as it is for the social workers, law enforcement officers, and mental health professionals who do face strict hourly requirements.

Why do you need continuing education?

· Contribute to your professional growth

· Keep pace with new technology, products, and ideas

· Build skills to help youth amidst the current trends in families, communities and with youth

· Remain desirable as the job market continues to become more competitive, especially in the non-profit world.

No matter how many years you have on the job, there is always room to grow. YIPA encourages all youth service professionals to seek out professional development opportunities that meet your needs as professionals.

At a recent YIPA training, one attendee wrote, “I liked the educational opportunities. Good price for credits. Nice mix of personal info (videos, stories) that presenters mixed with factual info.” We often get this kind of feedback, especially that professionals who need CE credits find our conferences to be a high-quality and inexpensive option. Here is a full list of YIPA recent and up-coming training opportunities and conferences.

Continuing Education Credits

In order to apply for pre-approved CE credits, an organization or individual must submit conference goals, learning objectives, a detailed biography of all speakers, and a detailed agenda that outlines each topic of presentation. In many cases, YIPA will do all of this work for you. The governing boards scrutinize all content to be sure that it aligns with their requirements for licensure before granting approval and then determines the number of pre-approved CE hours to grant. This outside review process ensures that each conference is being conducted in the highest fashion. Once your board has approved a YIPA training, all you have to do (for most boards) is pick up your certificate on the way out!

YIPA seeks pre-approval from eleven governing boards, including:

· MN Board of Social Work (we are an approved provider)

· MN Board of Psychology

· MN Board of Child Protection

· MN Board of School Administrators

· MN Board of Marriage and Family Therapy

· MN POST Board

· MN Board of Continuing Legal Education

· ND Board of Counselor Examiners

· ND Board of Social Work

· ND Board of Psychology

· ND POST Board

Additionally, YIPA believes that all of our conferences/trainings are applicable to educators. We offer a certificate of attendance to each attendee so that they can use the certificate to apply for individual approval through their own governing boards, such as an education professional development committee within an individual school.

Even if your profession does not require continuing education credits for licensure, you can rest soundly knowing that the conference you are about to attend from YIPA has gone through the approval process and has been heavily scrutinized for content and quality by these outside governing bodies.

For more information contact: jstrinmoen@mnyipa.org or visit this link.

Become YIPA's Next Promise Fellow! by Clare Ryan, YIPA's (current) Promise Fellow

2010-05-28T09:23:00.004-05:00

It is graduation season again. As the weather changes and students all over the country prepare for summer vacation, I can’t help feeling like it is a time for change and new adventures. While I am not in school anymore, my AmeriCorp year will be ending this summer. That means a new adventure for me, but also an opportunity for someone else. I am excited to announce that YIPA is currently accepting applications for their 2010-2011 Promise Fellow!

What is a Promise Fellow?

A Promise Fellow is a member of AmeriCorp who works to uphold America’s Promise to Youth (to read more about this). There are many Promise Fellows across the State of Minnesota and the vast majority work in schools or community out-of-school time programs. A handful of us work for the Statewide Partnership Network, which means that we work in “behind the scenes” jobs with non-profits that look at the state as a whole and don’t focus on direct service. (For more on other Promise Fellow positions and the program as a whole).

What do I do as YIPA’s Promise Fellow?

As YIPA’s Promise Fellow I get to do all kinds of things. I have run and organized a conference for 60 young people, met with research leaders on best practices, created and edited this blog, traveled to Duluth, Moorhead and around the Twin Cities for conferences and trainings, and worked closely with all of YIPA’s staff members on practically every facet of the association. This is an interesting and diverse job that takes some initiative, but which offers opportunities to learn so much about the world of youth advocacy in Minnesota.

How to Apply:

Here you will find the position description and instructions on how to apply. The deadline is EXTENDED TO JUNE 25!!

Looking for job? Looking to hire?

YIPA also maintains a job posting site at www.mnyipa.org under the “jobs” tab. Since 2005, more than 250 jobs at YIPA member organizations have been advertised here. There are several jobs posted right now – Check it out! Job postings on the YIPA website are free to YIPA members. Send your job available advertisement to Christine Klejbuk, YIPA’s Membership Coordinator, 1111 Elway St., #501, St. Paul, MN 55116; fax: 651-699-6093; email:cklejbuk@tcq.net. All job advertisements must include a deadline for responses as well as an address (or phone, fax, email) to which interested individuals can respond. Job postings will automatically be pulled after the indicated response deadline. YIPA also has established a “YIPA email list for notification of new job posting” that will be sent to you when a new position has been posted on the “Jobs” section of the YIPA website. If you want to be on this targeted email list, please send your request to Chris Klejbuk at cklejbuk@tcq.net.

YIPA's Statewide Alliances by Scott Beaty, YIPA's Executive Director and Clare Ryan, YIPA's Promise Fellow

2010-05-21T09:08:00.004-05:00

Why is YIPA a part of Minnesota-wide alliances? Because two heads are better than one. Because united we provide a powerful voice for youth in Minnesota. Because, mostly importantly, we believe in a continuum of services. Youth intervention does not stand alone, nor does it encompass the entire life of a young person. Early childhood, out-of-school time, public health, juvenile justice, education, job training, mentoring and so many others play just as vital roles in the lives of Minnesota’s children and youth. It is easy to become silos – to see the great value in our own work and lose sight of the power of our collective work. YIPA believes deeply in this collective work.

YIPA is currently a part of three main statewide alliances: The Minnesota Children’s Platform Coalition (MNCPC), the Youth Policy Alliance (YPA), and the Juvenile Justice Coalition (JJC). All three of these groups are made up of representatives from statewide organizations and agencies, all are policy-focused and support a continuum of services for children and youth.

The Minnesota Children’s Platform Coalition is broader in its representation – covering children’s and youth issues of all kinds. Recently, the MNCPC convened a working session to designate the most important issues for children and youth in Minnesota today. The outcome was a 6-question survey for the 2010 gubernatorial candidates. The survey (click here for a preview of the questions) will be distributed to all candidates this summer and responses will be posted on MNCPC participant’s websites. YIPA will make sure to post the responses on this blog as well! Responses are expected back by July 10th. We hope that this survey will illuminate the candidates’ positions on children and youth issues from education to crime prevention to early intervention to homelessness.

The Youth Policy Alliance is more focused in that it represents solely the needs of youth. YIPA is the convener and administrator of the YPA. The YPA also has an upcoming summer legislative initiative. We plan to contact key legislators and provide them with information on the rich financial, individual and community benefits of investing in youth. The YPA’s major event will take place early next spring with a Youth Rally Day at the Capitol. Check back here and at www.mnyipa.org in the coming months for further details.

The JJC “seeks to create an effective juvenile justice system in the state of Minnesota that promotes the physical, psychological, educational and vocational well-being of youth, while holding youth accountable for their actions and protecting the public safety of the community.” YIPA staff members sit on legislative, training and diversion committees for the juvenile justice coalition. These committees discuss and provide recommendations for legislative initiatives and priorities, new training opportunities for professionals in the juvenile justice world, and best practices in diversion programs.

YIPA participates in a number of other alliances in order to bring the voice of youth intervention to the table. As YIPA’s executive director, I share the youth intervention perspective with the Minnesota Council of Non-Profits Public Policy Cabinet. This group is made up of representatives from a wide range of non-profits, all of whom spend time advocating for their cause at the Capitol.

YIPA is also a member of the Midwest Society of Association Executives (MSAE) – the professional association of associations in Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota. Since joining YIPA, our Membership Coordinator, Chris Klejbuk, has been engaged with MSAE's Membership Committee that meets to share new ideas on association membership recruitment, retention and engagement.

We are so grateful to the organizations and individuals who have put their time into making these statewide alliances successful. If any of our readers are interested in being a part of these groups or has another statewide alliance that you think YIPA should know about, please let us know!

May Member of the Month: Youth Service Bureau

2010-05-14T08:13:00.006-05:00

The Youth Service Bureau (YSB) is one of the oldest youth intervention organizations in Minnesota. Started in 1976 in Cottage Grove and Southern Washington County, its values and approach to youth soon spread to Stillwater and beyond. Today, the Youth Service Bureau spans Washington County and parts of Western Wisconsin. The YSB’s goal is simple and vital to the wellbeing of the young people and the communities it serves: Keep kids out of the court system.

With family counseling, community justice programs and school-based programs, the YSB provides a range of options to young people who are struggling with violence, chemical dependency, mental health issues, truancy, and low-level offenses.

The YSB’s long history in no way keeps it from constantly pushing for new and better ways to serve youth. In the last few years, the YSB has teamed up with public schools and School Resource Officers to provide a unique kind of school-based program for young people with deep anger issues. This program, START: Social Skills Training and Aggression Reduction Techniques, was recently featured as a YIPA training, provided by Dr. Sheldon Braaten. Sandy Fuller, Development Director of the Youth Service Bureau, has been generous enough to share this story with us:

Pablo was like the mouse in the corner…unseen and unheard. He avoided talking to anyone and tried to disappear in the background. Yet, when someone did say something he didn’t like, he would “flip out.”

A school caseworker tried to reach out to Pablo. His only response was that everyone would be better off if he were dead.

At home, Pablo felt left out. His brother got all of the attention. No one seemed to have time for him.

School officials recommended Pablo for the START program. As part of a preliminary assessment for the program, Pablo completed the “How I Think” survey. All of his scores were in the warning range, indicating a “time bomb” about to explode.

Pablo found it hard to trust others. As he began to trust others in the START group, he also began talking to other people, including his case manager and his brother. Once he started to let his feeling show, he would actually smile and enjoy the attention from others as they recognized his accomplishments.

As graduation from START drew near, several gang members, including a fellow START participant, physically assaulted Pablo. Others feared that the fragile trust he was developing would disappear. Instead Pablo reached out to his fellow START colleagues for ways to resolve the conflict without violence. He accepted an offered apology and then moved on with his day, using his new coping skills.

At the START graduation, Pablo quickly and loudly volunteered to tell his story first. Even the group leaders were amazed that this shy young man was bursting to share his success with others.

Pablo’s mom was reluctant to attend graduation for fear that she would not understand any thing. Pablo’s brother encouraged her to come. Through the YSB intern, who translated the entire event for her, Mom told the group how proud she was of Pablo’s accomplishments and how much he changed over the past three months.

Since the START program began, disciplinary office visits for START participants have been cut in half! Many of the young people involved have gone from “warning” to “okay” on the “How I Think” scale. More schools are getting excited about this technique and School Resource Officers from other towns are sitting in on sessions to observe and learn.

Another great YSB program is for young people who have been diverted from the juvenile justice system. The YSB provides counseling, classes based on type of offense (theft prevention, fire safety etc.) and also runs community service work crews. One such crew was featured in the Stillwater Gazette this week! Here are some YSB young people cleaning graffiti off of a historic building in Stillwater.

Here at YIPA, we are so grateful for all of the amazing work that our member organizations do! They are the front lines for improving the lives of young people across Minnesota. It can be hard and sometimes unappreciated work, so we want to make sure and thank each and every one of you that has devoted your life to this work. Do you know an extraordinary organization or individual that should be highlighted here? Send your suggestions to cryan@mnyipa.org.

Unallotment Update by Scott Beaty, YIPA's Executive Director

2010-05-12T15:18:00.001-05:00

You may have heard that the Minnesota Supreme Court has ruled that the one-man, $2.7 billion budget-balancing unallotment action undertaken last year by Gov. Tim Pawlenty was unlawful. This has left Democrats saying: “I told you so!” and Republicans backpedaling. However, the reaction was richly bipartisan in another sense: Everyone is now scrambling to figure out what has to happen next and what the broader repercussions might be.

Both parties and their elected legislators have plenty of reasons to do a timely budget fix. But getting it accomplished in the few days that remain before the Legislature adjourns on May 24th may, or may not, prove possible. Here’s a quick look at some of what is being talked about at the Capitol lately.

Despite the limited scope of the court decision (whose lone point of reference was a single $5.3 million nutrition program), all parties are treating it as a de facto reversal of the entire package of Pawlenty unallotment cuts. But for practical purposes, that doesn’t mean that the whole $2.7 billion lands back on the books as added near-term deficit. The governor’s school aid shift, which accounts for two-thirds of his total cuts, can be legislatively ratified without adding any immediate spending obligations. Presuming that happens, it appears that Pawlenty’s estimate of the other cuts put back in play — about $700 million — is close to the mark.

It breaks down roughly this way:

• The $1.2 billion K-12 payment shift can and likely will be codified by the Legislature; even prior to the decision, it was already part of the House omnibus K-12 finance bill.
• The $600 million property tax recognition shift that comprised the last third of Pawlenty’s $1.8 billion shift package was really an administrative rules change that permanently moved up the date when districts can begin drawing upon property tax receipts.
• Another $200 million consists of other payment delays and executive orders that were not unallotments. These include the proceeds from actions such as canceling the tax reciprocityagreement with Wisconsin and delaying the payment of some tax refunds.

The items listed above come to roughly $2 billion, leaving another $700 million or so in unallotment cuts for the Legislature to ratify or to solve through new cuts to other parts of the budget or by raising revenue (taxes). On Monday the Legislature quickly passed a bill that would raise taxes on the wealthy but on Tuesday afternoon Pawlenty vetoed the bill. Whether the Legislature has the stomach to revisit new cuts is anyone’s guess at this point but I just can’t see them going back and cutting additional programs and services at this time. However, if they end up in a special session to work this out, anything is possible. Stay tuned!

Scott

Join Us for Social Skills Training and Aggression Reduction Techniques! by Jessi Strinmoen, YIPA's Director of Services

2010-05-07T08:10:00.003-05:00

Over the past several years YIPA has been building a wonderful partnership with the Behavioral Institute on Children and Adolescents (BICA).

Dr. Sheldon Braaten is the founder and Executive Director of the Behavioral Institute for Children and Adolescents and has been a great ally to YIPA. Among many other accomplishments he initiated the International Child and Adolescent conference in 1982, which continues as a biennial event. Dr. Braaten coordinated the development of transdisciplinary training models for Indiana and Minnesota, which continue to provide a foundation for training of teachers and school teams. His current research and training interests include skill-based assessment and curriculum-based interventions. He also pursues interests in public policies related to practices in education, mental health and juvenile justice and their implications for improving outcomes for all at risk students who are struggling at home, in schools and the community. His full bio can be found here.

The partnership between BICA and YIPA continues next week in Saint Paul with 2-days of Social Skills Training and Aggression Reduction Techniques. There is still time to register for this exciting opportunity to learn from a nationally recognized expert in aggression and adolescent behavior!

This 2-day training workshop will examine the scope of youth aggression in schools, homes, the community and institutions. It will provide participants with background and rationale for teaching pro-social skills. The format includes lecture, demonstration, participation and implementation planning.

Participants will learn:

A model for understanding aggression

Elements in the ecology of aggression

The social skills curriculum

Strategies for teaching moral reasoning

How to run training groups

How to deal with resistance

How to enhance generalization of learned skills

If you attend, you will also receive a free copy of the book Aggression Replacement Training® by Arnold Goldstein, Barry Glick, and John C. Gibbs, to continue your practice of aggression reduction throughout your career. On amazon.com, one reviewer said,

I picked up this book expecting it to be somewhat dry and dull. I was wrong. As the parent of a child with violent tendencies, I found things to help me. As a Social Work student planning on specializing in kids like mine, I found it a book I'll be glad to have for a long time. I have recommended it to teachers and administrators, counselors and other professionals as well. I'm seriously considering taking some more classes in education so that I could learn how to do this in school programs. I'm currently searching to find more information on this program and possibly attend their training.

This book is a keeper :)

To register for this training click here. The training will be May 11: 9:00-4:00 (Registration 8:30-9:00)  and May 12: 8:45-3:45 at Metropolitan State University  Lib Room 302

 700 East 7th Street St. Paul 

$165 YIPA Members/$185 Non-YIPA Members

In Pursuit of Best Practices for Youth Intervention by Clare Ryan, YIPA's Promise Fellow

2010-04-30T08:35:00.003-05:00

“Implemented on a whim, discredited on an anecdote.” Have you ever felt that way about a program? Ever felt that you don’t know why or how your program helps youth – just that it does? Even been frustrated by the disconnect between researchers, providers and policy-makers?

On Thursday two of YIPA’s staff continued YIPA’s search for solutions to these issues for youth intervention by attending a presentation entitled “In Pursuit of Effective Best Practices for Out of School Time” with Robert C. Granger Ed. D., President of the William T. Grant Foundation. This free event, sponsored by the Extension Center for Youth Development, was attended by over 300 people and when Dr. Granger used the phrase “implemented on a whim, discredited on an anecdote” to describe certain programs the audience’s laugh was full of understanding. We have all seen programs that lack thoughtfulness and self-reflection or programs with outcomes requirements that don’t match program models.

The good news is that there are many exciting developments happening right now in program assessment and the implementation of effective best practices for youth in school, out of school time, child welfare and other fields. YIPA is working to make early youth intervention a part of that conversation.

Granger’s full presentation, which includes many useful sites and articles can be found here at the Extension website. Some of the key take-aways from the event include:

- The focus is shifting from which programs work, to why certain activities are effective at changing young people’s lives.

- When evaluating a program we have to keep in mind the effect that the rest of life outside of that program has on a young person.

- Quality measures need to be a part of the process – looking at how staff interact with young people and how programs run, not just on youth outcomes.

- Programs managers are key for embedding new research into program protocol and practice.

- Outcomes measures are most effective when they test current practices against some attempt to make the program better (i.e. Do kids do better when x is introduced to a program? Rather than, is this program producing results yes or no?).

YIPA is working with the University of Minnesota, the Office of Justice Program and with some of you to make early youth intervention programs leaders in evaluation and implementation of new best practices. We have been learning a lot! In the coming months we will be presenting some new information and ideas about ways that all youth intervention programs can get involved in the constant strive for better programs. We are always looking for more people to be a part of this conversation. If you would like to share ideas/ experiences in program evaluation please email Clare at cryan@mnyipa.org.

Here is a list of some websites that we have found helpful for learning about evaluation and best practices:

Forum for Youth Investment: Measuring Program Quality

University of MN Extension Applied Youth Research

University of Colorado Blueprint for Violence Prevention

Children, Youth and Families Education and Research Network

Good News for the Youth Intervention Program by Scott Beaty, YIPA's Executive Director

2010-04-27T10:00:00.003-05:00

Earlier this month the Governor signed the 2010-2011 biennium budget balancing bill that contained language for the Youth Intervention Program (YIP). The language in the bill protected the YIP from funding reduction in 2010 and limited the amount the MN Department of Public Safety could cut the funding in 2011 to no more than 1.5%.

On Friday I received some very good news from Tricia Hummel from the Office of Justice Programs within Public Safety. Below is what she wrote:

Good morning, Scott;

Finally I am able to provide an update on the legislative budget cuts…. I think you’ll be pleased with the outcome.

As you are aware, OJP was given a $445,000 one-time cut in fiscal year 2010 and additional $902,000 in fiscal year 2011, which will be a cut to our base. Legislation again limited the cuts to crime victims and youth intervention programs.

The cuts we must make will come out of the community crime prevention program, not the YIP program.

Thanks for all your work at the legislature, Scott. I’d say it’s definitely made a difference!

Tricia

This means that YIP grant funding will not be cut for the remainder of this year or in 2011! If you have any questions about the Youth Intervention Program and its funding, please feel free to email me at jsbeaty@comcast.net.

Scott

Crime Victims Rights in Clay County by Clare Ryan, YIPA’s Promise Fellow

2010-04-23T08:30:00.001-05:00

It was an eventful and lovely two days at the Clay County Crime Victims Symposium in Moorhead this week! Over 120 youth workers, police officers, attorneys, social workers and others came from across Minnesota and North Dakota. Over the course of the two days we learned about preventing sexual violence, restorative justice, sexting, stalking, and the effects of family violence on children. On Tuesday evening 250 community members from Fargo/Moorhead came to hear Jackson Katz present on images of masculinity in the media and the ways in which gender violence is not just a “women’s issue.”

250 community members listen to Jackson Katz talk about gender violence

I was lucky enough to be able to sit in on some of the sessions. Both reinforced my belief that Minnesota is a special place for young people. Several speakers from other states noted that, “Minnesota has been at the front of this for years,” or “Many of my colleagues working on these issues are in Minnesota.” These issues include restorative justice for juveniles and working with young men to prevent violence and sexual abuse.

As a relative newcomer to youth intervention, I found the restorative justice breakout session very informative. Speakers from the Clay County restorative justice unit and from Lutheran Social Services of North Dakota explained how restorative justice is about bringing people together to help heal relationships that have been damaged by a crime. Restorative justice advocates claims that the person who has committed the offense has an obligation to help heal their relationship to the victim and to the community. They showed how successful it has been for some young people who have committed offenses to meet face to face with the victim and learn the bigger story about how that person has been affected by the crime. Learning, for example, how slashing a person’s tires prevented that person from bringing their children to school or getting an elderly family member to the doctor, has helped a young person realize the true impact of their actions. There are many facts and figures to back up the claim that restorative justice keeps young people from re-offending. For more information on restorative justice.

Jackson Katz signs a copy of his book, "The Macho Paradox"

It was amazing on Tuesday evening how many community members from Fargo/ Moorhead came out to hear Jackson Katz talk about gender violence. There was a mix of college students, coaches, teachers, parents and young people. Jackson’s provocative presentation, which challenged some very deep cultural beliefs about young boys and men, was very well received. People talked about how the media teaches young men to be “macho” and gain control – especially over women. As Jackson said, “This kind of violence is usually about maintaining control over inequality. In communities with gender equality, there is less violence because no one is trying to maintain an unequal relationship.” We also discussed how men need to be deeply involved in preventing gender violence, because true prevention requires a culture that condemns violence, not one that simply teaches women to avoid risk. For more on ways men can be involved in the prevention of gender violence.

Did any of you attend this conference? Anyone participate in a restorative justice program? Have a comment about what young men can do to prevent gender violence?

Even if you did not attend - LEAVE A COMMENT AND WIN A FREE COPY OF JACKSON KATZ’S BOOK!!!!!

We will randomly select one comment to win a free copy of “The Macho Paradox” by Jackson Katz. Retail value $18.99.

What is YIPA?

2010-04-16T08:12:00.005-05:00

What is YIPA?

YIPA (MN Youth Intervention Programs Association) is the advocate in Minnesota for youth intervention programs and is the hub for information and expertise about early youth intervention. As a statewide membership association, YIPA joins organizations like the YWCA of Minneapolis with Ely Community Resources, and the Moorhead Police Department with the Hmong American Partnership. We provide trainings, advocate for youth intervention programs, direct lobbying at the State Capitol, networking, collaboration opportunities, provide research and organizational resources to youth intervention professionals and facilitate fund raising opportunities.

A Banner from YIPA's 2009 Rally for Youth Day at the Capitol

Who Becomes a Member?

YIPA members are a diverse group. Any organization or individual, who provides community-based youth intervention services are welcome to join. Additionally, businesses and other entities that support YIPA’s efforts to promote and enhance the field of youth intervention services can join as Allied Members. Youth intervention spans the continuum of care from prevention to providing specific behavioral interventions to diversion programs (keeping youth out of the costly correctional system). YIPA’s organizational members serve youth ages 6-18 who have just begun to exhibit behaviors that could lead to destructive and/or criminal behavior in the future. This can be a community center with groups for gang and violence prevention, a mental health organization with an intervention program for youth, or a diversion program that deals with referrals from police departments and court services. YIPA members can do more than youth intervention, like the YWCA, which has many programs for youth and families or it can be a purely youth intervention program like Bolder Options who through mentors, provides running, biking and goal setting services for youth referred for school truancy issues. Click here for a list of all YIPA members.

Why Join?

YIPA members benefit in myriad ways from membership. YIPA’s professional development opportunities give members an affordable way to learn from the best in the field. Click here for a full list of up-coming trainings. YIPA members are part of a larger community conversation about youth intervention. They have direct contact with a wide range of programs and approaches across the state. YIPA members have a professional lobbyist to speak for them at the State Capitol. YIPA is a participatant in several regional and statewide youth policy collaboratives. YIPA provides research, social media networking, and continuing opportunities for growth and development. In short, YIPA collectively provides services that individuals and organizations usually do not do on their own because of the cost and resources it would take to provide those services. When groups and individuals come together collectively for a purpose, a lot of good things can happen!

A Breakout Session at YIPA's 2009 Youth Intervention Conference

Who works for YIPA?

YIPA’s staff is small, but manages to provide diverse services for its members and for the youth intervention community as a whole. It’s the volunteers from within the membership, however, that help the staff accomplish all the great things YIPA does for the intervention youth service community!

Scott Beaty, YIPA’s Executive Director, is a registered lobbyist and has over 25 years of experience advocating for early intervention youth services at the Capitol in Saint Paul. He has also steered the direction of YIPA for the past two decades! When not in the office and with his family, Scott can probably be found in a fishing boat or in a duck blind. To talk about advocacy efforts and YIPA’s role in the future of Minnesota contact Scott at jsbeaty@comcast.net.

Jessi Strinmoen, YIPA’s Director of Services, coordinates YIPA’s professional development opportunities. She is in charge of bringing all of our amazing speakers (many of whom have contributed to this blog) into your community. In additional to traveling around Minnesota running youth intervention trainings, Jessi makes reusable cloth grocery bags and sells them on etsy.com! To learn more about YIPA’s trainings and programs email Jessi at jstrinmoen@mnyipa.org.

Chris Klejbuk is YIPA’s membership coordinator. Chris helps grow the YIPA community every year and makes sure that members get what they need from their statewide association. If she’s not helping YIPA serve more and more Minnesota programs, Chris can be found at the St. Catherine University’s Alumnae Association. To become a member of YIPA or to learn more about membership email Chris at cklejbuk@tcq.net.

Ann Marie Grocholski, YIPA’s development director, makes sure that youth intervention gets a piece of the pie from foundations to corporations to all sort of exciting fund raising opportunities. See this post for example. You may not see Ann Marie around much these days as she is about to have a baby! She’ll be back in the swing of things this summer.

Clare Ryan, YIPA’s Promise Fellow, manages this blog and loves to talk to YIPA members about all of the exciting ways that they are serving youth and making their programs better. She’ll be leaving in August to head back East for law school, but she’d be happy to hear from all of you about how to make this blog a better resource for you! To talk about social media or YIPA’s research initiatives email Clare at cryan@mnyipa.org.

Adolescence and Mental Health by Jen Holper, LSW, Community Relations Rep, PrairieCare

2010-04-05T09:57:00.007-05:00

Think of your worst day… you woke up late, stubbed your toe on the way to the bathroom, and then get in the shower to find that all the hot water has been used up and the drain is clogged. Your day continues down this same path… traffic was horrible, meetings start late, and run late and you feel nothing was accomplished, co – workers are getting on your nerves, and your child calls for a ride home because they missed the bus. You want to crawl back into bed, in fact you wish you had never gotten out of bed in the first place.

This is the feeling for many children and adolescents dealing with mental health issues every day, but worse. Throughout their school day they feel down, irritable, unable to focus, frustrated, and angry. They want to just stay in bed. They fall behind in their school work, fight more frequently with parents and peers. They feel alone, no one understands them. Their mood is unstable to the point where it is interfering with their ability to function in their own lives.

Facts from National Alliance for Mental Illness:

· Statistics show that half of all cases of mental illness onset prior to age 14, three quarters by age 24.

· Suicide is the third leading cause of death for youth 15-24

· Jails and Prisons are now the largest psychiatric wards, housing well over 350,000 inmates with serious mental illness

· Studies have shown that only 25%-35% of children and adolescents suffering from a psychiatric disorder will receive treatment. *

Children and adolescents dealing with mental health issues often end up in the “system” due to truancy, risk taking behaviors (Stealing, promiscuity, drug/alcohol use), or as a result of anger outbursts ending up in assault charges. We know that mental health treatment is available and that when kids are treated they feel relief, and are less likely to be involved in the “system”. Treating mental health issues comes in a variety of forms from medications, therapy, to accommodations in school settings.

PrairieCare is partnering with YIPA to provide a training, April 26^th in St. Cloud, “Children’s Mental Health Disorders and the Medications used to Treat Them”, presented by Jane Marie Sulzle, CNS, RN.

Jane Marie Sulzle specializes in the care of children and adolescents. Her experience includes more than 20 years in the medical field, but her passion is working with youth who are dealing with mental health disorders. Jane Marie says, “I have always been drawn to working with youth and to the psychosocial aspect of nursing, so transitioning to psychiatry was logical. I believe in relieving the suffering of both children and their families, using a combination of medication and therapeutic alliances.”

To Register.

Hope to see you there!

*Burns, B., Costello, E., Angold, A., et al. (1995). Children’s mental health service use across service sectors. Health Aff. 14(3): 147-159.

What do YOU think? By Clare Ryan, YIPA's Promise Fellow

2010-04-02T09:43:00.005-05:00

Dear Readers,

When I began to explore blogging for YIPA over six months ago, I had no idea how many wonderful contributors would be excited to share their expertise with the youth intervention community. I love hearing from local and national experts about mental health, youth violence, healthy living, youth engagement and many other issues that link so closely with youth intervention.

But knowing that I love hearing from Linda Flanders about making movies for youth intervention or from Kevin Spading about drug and alcohol prevention , or from 17 year-old Mysee Chang about youth engagement is just the first step. What I really want to know is: do YOU?

What are you hoping to find when you google “KidsChange blog” or hear about our blog at a quarterly meeting? What do you want to learn?

Readers, you are the front lines. You are the ones who see what youth intervention means to young people every day. This blog is for you. We want to know what makes you get up and go to work in the morning. What are the vital youth intervention issues in your community? You don’t have to be on a national lecture tour (although some of our contributors are) to be an expert. All of you have knowledge and experience that ought to be shared.

Please help me steer this conversation towards those issues that are most valuable to you. If you have an idea for a topic, a question that you would like to ask the youth intervention community or a specific contributor, or if you have a story of your own to share PLEASE email me at cryan@mnyipa.org or leave a comment on this post.

Sincerely,

Clare Ryan

Promise Fellow

Minnesota Youth Intervention Programs Association

P.S. We will post something new once a week - be on the lookout Friday mornings or sign up to get the posts emailed to you!

Urgent Action Needed to Protect Youth Intervention Programs! by Scott Beaty, YIPA's Executive Director

2010-03-25T09:18:00.003-05:00

Things are moving very fast up at the Capitol these days. The two bills in both the House and Senate that deal with Public Safety and the Youth Intervention Program have passed through there respective bodies and a Conference Committee made up of 5 Senators and 5 Representatives have been chosen to reconcile the differences in the bills.

The Senate bill language still protects the Youth Intervention Program (YIP) funding from further cuts for the remainder of this year and through 2011. The House language now protects the YIP for the remainder of 2010 but for 2011 allows for not more than a 2% reduction in funding. Of course we want to ask the 10 legislators to please adopt the Senate language. Now is the time to e-mail these legislators as it is their hope to finish by this Friday.

Below is some quick wording you can use to e-mail these legislators. If your are a constituent of any of these legislators it is crucial you do your part in sending out the letter although I am hoping everyone reading this follows through. Cut and paste and it should only take you about 10 minutes to send the e-mail to all 10 legislators.

Dear Senator/Representative XXXX,

I am writing to ask you to please fight for the adoption of the Senate language regarding the Youth Intervention Program funding in reconciling SF 3223, which you are a member of the conference committee.

This year the Youth Intervention Program has already lost 10 of the 67 programs it had in 2009 because of the reductions to the program funding during last years legislative session.

I understand that reductions need to be made to balance the budget but I am hoping that programs that have proven outcomes and a positive Social Return on Investment (SROI) - like the Youth Intervention Program does ($5 return for every $1 invested), will not be where further reductions are made for the remainder of this biennium.

Thank you again for your support!

Your Name
Your title
Your address

The easiest way to e-mail these legislators is to go to this web site http://www.leg.state.mn.us find their names under the House and Senate tabs, click on their respective e-mail address, and paste your letter into the message box.

Here are the names and districts of the legislators on the Conference Committee:

Senator Richard Cohen – District 64
Senator Thomas Bakk – District 6
Senator Linda Higgins - District 58
Senator Jim Vickerman - District 22
Senator Steve Murphy - District 28
Representative Lyndon Carlson – District 45B
Representative Ann Lenczewski – District 40B
Representative Loren Solberg – District 3B
Representative Michael Paymar – District 64B
Representative Pat Garofalo – District 36B

Good luck and thank you in advance for doing this!

Scott

Youth Intervention and Public Health by YIPA and Kevin Spading, Project Director Minnesota Prevention Resource Center

2010-03-19T10:04:00.006-05:00

YIPA believes that many early intervention youth services help to prevent public health issues. Working with youth that are just starting to use tobacco, alcohol and other drugs can prevent costly future health related problems. These problems can be both physical and mental. There are lots of studies (even YIPA’s SROI research) that show the correlations between youth that quit school and take up a life of drug use and criminal behavior. This correlation is also shown in a report by Mark Cohen, an economist at Vanderbilt University.

Youth violence is another powerful public health issue that youth intervention programs help to combat. At the 76^th annual U.S. Conference of Mayors, leaders from around the country adopted a resolution that youth violence is a public health issue, argued for successful community models of youth violence intervention and stated that, “urges the federal government, states and cities to recognize youth violence as a public health epidemic that requires a sustained multi-faceted approach focused on prevention.”

Many other resources exist which indicate the powerful potential in linking youth intervention programs to public health campaigns. The American Public Health Association recently adopted 16 policies at its 137th Annual Meeting in Philadelphia. The newly adopted policies address a broad range of public health issues including urging Congress and states to fund comprehensive culturally competent programs based on scientific evidence and using guidance from the surgeon general’s 2001 report on youth violence. Urges training for state and local public health departments about the role of public health in preventing violence and in effective, evidence-based programs for youth violence prevention. Calls for the support of additional research to understand the community and societal factors that can contribute to or prevent youth violence and how such factors can be modified to reduce risk or enhance protection. Click here for a copy of APHA's full press release.

YIPA is excited to deepen our connections to the world of public health. Below are some opportunities provided by Kevin Spading of the Minnesota Prevention Resource Center, that we encourage youth intervention providers to consider:

ATOD Prevention is a year round pursuit: Spring opportunities! by Kevin Spading

Here at the Minnesota Prevention Resource Center (www.emprc.org) alcohol, tobacco and other drug prevention is a week to week, month by month and season by season pursuit.

This spring, the Minnesota Prevention Resource Center has announced our Program Sharing Call for Presentations for breakout sessions, as well as for exhibitors! On October 13^th and 14^th, we are delighted to announce that Dr. Ed Ehlinger from the University of Minnesota – Boynton Health Services and Dr Tom McLellan from the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) will come to share their vision for a prevention strong Minnesota! Like gardening, prevention requires us to be adaptable to the environment. We need to attend to community issues on a regular basis in order to see positive results for individuals, families and communities. Hearing from these leaders will help guide our work in uprooting problems associated with mood altering substances. Go to http://www.emprc.org/ps2010/ to learn how to apply!

A successful garden means we need be aware of its surroundings and address issues that emerge. The same is true for prevention. A close examination of recent upward trends in prescription and OTC medication abuse drove our theme for this year’s Spring ATOD Forums. This year’s forums will be Not What the Doctor Ordered?: Trends and Tools to Prevent Prescription and OTC Medication Abuse presented by Rick Moldenhauer, Treatment Services Consultant at Department of Human Services, Alcohol & Drug Abuse Division. For more information or to register to attend, go to http://www.emprc.org/springforums2010/.

In addition to these events, keep an eye out for another training called: " Wellness and Substance Abuse Prevention--Making the Connection". This event will be June 1^st at the Neighborhood House, Wellstone Center in St. Paul. The guest speaker will be Dr. Steve Zvonar from the Northwoods Healing Center. Since we know that wellness is such a protective factor for substance abuse, Dr Steve Zvonar will make the case for how disciplines for mental, emotional and physical wellness build protective factors for individuals and families. Look for registration information to be available on the MPRC website by mid-April at www.emprc.org.

As you consider what is happening in your community and what you may be needing to attend to, please consider making sure you remember that ATOD prevention requires time, diligence and utilization of “what works” to allow for your community to bloom with health.

As you can tell, keeping the preventionist “gardener” equipped with all of the latest tools is very important in addressing the onset of problems related to alcohol, tobacco and other drugs. I hope you will take advantage of all of these wonderful opportunities to provide best practice in the “field”.

National Youth Violence Prevention Week!

2010-03-15T14:19:00.005-05:00

March 22 through March 26^th is National Youth Violence Prevention Week in Minnesota!

At YIPA we are writing to make you aware of it and to also encourage your organization to get involved. YIPA has been working with the City of Minneapolis to help promote their activities and they have a great week planned. Minneapolis organizations wishing to get involved and have your organization highlighted should contact Bass Zanjani at bass.zanjani@ci.minneapolis.mn.us.

Although the Tool Kit is something that the City of Minneapolis has put together, it only makes sense to us that YIPA organizations serving other communities can also use the ideas and activities that this Kit outlines to promote violence prevention in your community during the same time period.

As you read through the Tool Kit you will see many excellent ideas and activities for organizations and youth to do to promote violence prevention. We hope this is something every YIPA organization (and many non-YIPA members) can take on in one way, shape, or form. Please pay special attention to how you can get the word out through the social media and other great avenues. Make sure you contact your local media to have them help get involved in your efforts as this could be great PR for your organization. In addition to the Tool Kit there is also a pledge card that can be printed and given to the youth you serve. We see this as an especially great activity for those of you that are working with groups of youth.

If you are interested in seeing the entire Tool Kit put out by the National Association of Students Against Violence Everywhere you can visit the following web site: www.violencepreventionweek.org. This site also have a great media tool kit to help you publicize your activities.