OAK LEAVES FAMILY SERVICE
COLUMN - JANUARY, 2000
It takes a village to raise a child and Oak
Park is just the village to do it.
As my children approach High School age in the Oak Park - River Forest community,
I am increasingly aware of high school children having repeated dealings
with the local police. I can't help but think that their actions are really
cries for help. What steps are the Police Department and other groups within
the community taking to keep these children from continuing these destructive
behaviors and ultimately entering the penal system?
Sergeant Geoff Sjostrom, Supervisor of Youth Service for the Oak Park Police
Department has had similar concerns over the years. "Watching teens come
into the Police Department repeatedly is a very distressing thing. It's
clear that these kids need help that we aren't equipped to give them. They
need support which for a number of reasons they just aren't getting in their
current environment." Probation is a last chance offered to these kids in
lieu of jail time but, if some concrete changes aren't made during that
time, probation only manages to delay the inevitable.
Learn more about the Probation and teens
from the following resources:
- Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention 810 Seventh
Street, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20531 (202) 307-5911
|
In response to these concerns, Family Service has launched an innovative
program funded by a Communities for Youth grant from the Illinois Department
of Human Services. The program involves several local agencies teaming up
to create a consortium with the single goal of taking youth under 17 who
are placed on probation in the community and offering them the support and
guidance necessary to turn their lives around.
The SCOPE program (Successful Completion of Probation Experience) was launched
last September. It is housed in the Pilgrim Church on Lake Street across
the street from OPRF High School. Local organizations currently involved
with the program include; Family Service & Mental Health Center of Oak Park
& River Forest, the Oak Park and River Forest Police Departments, Oak Park
Township Youth Services, the Oak Park Y.M.C.A., the Cook County Probation
Department, Fillmore Center, the FAIR Program, Youth Outreach of Oak Park
and the Oak Park Volunteer Center.
Derek Johnson, Director of the SCOPE program can't contain his excitement
over the support which the community is offering these teens. "The entire
village is coming together to support these kids and to let them know that
they are valued. We don't want to lose them to the penal system and that's
something they haven't heard or felt before -- it's very powerful."
The program addresses the social deficiencies of adolescents and teaches
more pro-social behaviors. "Our goal is to increase the social interest
of the participants and prevent re-offending." states Johnson. "These kids
are acting out in socially unacceptable ways in part because they lack some
basic social skills. If we simply say 'This is your last chance, if you
are brought in again you'll be sent to prison', we're not giving these kids
a fighting chance. They need help to break the cycle of offending and to
get their lives on a more positive track."
How does the SCOPE program work?
The program is broken into two phases lasting a total of six months.
Phase I involves eight weeks of intensive therapy. Each participant meets
with a psychologist three days a week to work on specific skills and issues:
One day/week - Pro-social skill building This includes anger management,
impulse control and empathy training.
Ora Zachary, Youth Advocate and Counselor with Family Service and SCOPE
team member explains: "These children tend to act out impulsively and without
thought of consequences or repercussions. They have anger which they can't
control and little desire to consider others. Pier pressure, a lack of support,
broken homes and other obstacles aggravate the situation and the child ends
up in custody."
"We teach participants to stop, think and explore before they act out. They
need to develop empathy and take the time to think about how their actions
may hurt others. These are skills which can be developed with some time
and direction."
One day/week - Substance abuse
The majority of the participants in the program have had some experience
with drug use. The same social deficiencies which lead to anti-social behavior
can lead to drug and alcohol abuse. "It's not a simple equation," reminds
Zachary, "these kids have a lot of obstacles to overcome in order to be
successful in their probation and in life."
One day/week - Socially acceptable recreational activities
Each week, all of the participants in the program spend time together bowling,
swimming or participating in some other group activity. This time allows
the teens to practice some their new skills while having some fun.
Phase II of the program is designed to continue to provide support while
encouraging participants to take a more positive direction with their lives.
Each participant is assigned a mentor and tutors are available where necessary.
They continue to meet with their SCOPE counselor once a week for four months
to reinforce the new behaviors and prevent relapses into old habits.
Various agencies associated with the program also provide assistance to
families who are dealing with problematic behaviors in children. Involvement
with SCOPE is not required.
How effective is the SCOPE program?
Because the program is so new, no one has completed the entire six months.
But Johnson is very encouraged with the progress thus far; "In a few short
months we have seen dramatic improvements in these kids. Some participants
have gotten jobs while continuing their education, others have improved
their school performance significantly. We even have a participant who has
received his High School Diploma."
"We can't give up on these kids" Johnson adds, "they need some hope and
help and that's what the SCOPE program is all about. We should be proud
of our community for coming to the aid of these kids. As they say: 'It takes
a village to raise a child', and we're just the village to do it."
Mentors and tutors are always needed. Consider volunteering some of your
time to help these teens and join the SCOPE program.
Mr. Johnson received his Masters in Guidance and Counseling from Chicago
State University, he is a Licensed Professional Counselor, holds an Advanced
Certificate in Cognitive Therapy and is working towards his Doctorate from
Adler School of Professional Psychology. He is bi-lingual and has taught
at St. Augustine College, Triton College and Concordia University.
Ora Zachary has over twenty years of counseling experience with at-risk
adolescents and their families. She received her Bachelor of Science degree
from Governor's State University and has been employed with various social
service organizations.
Located at 120 S. Marion, Oak Park, Family Service & Mental Health Center
of Oak Park & River Forest is a not-for-profit social service and mental
health agency that provides counseling, psychiatric and prevention/education
programs to men, women, youth and families. To learn more about our programs
or to make an appointment, contact us at (708) 383-7500.
