Violence Prevention and Intervention Counseling Program

The OJJDP FY 09 Earmarks Programs further the Department's mission by providing grants, cooperative agreements, and other assistance authorized by the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act of 1974, as amended, to organizations identified in the Explanatory Statement Regarding H.R. 1105 (Omnibus Appropriations Act, 2009), 155 Cong. Rec. H1653 (daily ed. Feb. 23, 2009) (statement by Rep. Obey, Chairman of the Committee on Appropriations of the House).

El Centro's Violence Prevention and Intervention Counseling Program is designed to respond to an acute crisis of urban violence, the high percentage of the at risk populace in the target community, concentration of gangs, significant level of drug sales, and the need for community based services. The target area is among the worst in relation to violent crime and substance abuse in Los Angeles and the area lacks sufficient gang prevention and intervention counseling programs. Another major problem is the lack of directed support programs for young minority women, which will be addressed within this program.

The Violence Prevention and Intervention Counseling Program in this inner city community will substantially increase services and opportunities for an at-risk population that consistently exhibits anti-social behavioral patterns negatively impacting the community. The program constitutes an extension of the Family Development Network by providing individual, family and group counseling, intensive case management, parenting, prevention, intervention and advocacy services to a populace considered to be at risk, and who are significantly affected by internal and external stressors that intersect with family oriented domestic violence and community violence. The primary goal of the program is to ensure the successful transition of clients into productive lifestyle choices, and to assist individuals and families to maximize their capability to address difficult and perplexing issues that had a persistent negative influence on behavioral patterns. Another goal of the program is to insure that at-risk clients participate in a range of proactive counseling, parenting, educational enhancement, employment training and socialization activities to initiate changes in regressive lifestyle patterns. In addition, the program will track educational progress, reductions in gang activity, reduction in substance abuse and improvements in socialization skills. NCA/NCF