Ohel's School Based Prevention and Mental Health 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).

Ohel proposes to implement several non-stigmatizing, community based prevention services including: 1) Teacher Training Program (teachers will be trained to recognize signs of at-risk behavior and to provide 10 prevention and wellness groups in their school throughout the academic year), 2) ALLIES ' Adolescents For Lasting Learning, Identity, Empowerment and Socialization (a non-stigmatizing adolescent leadership self-esteem and social skills building program that uses community service and collaborative team projects), 3) Community Based Workshops and Presentations for parents, educators, and youth and 4) Youth and adolescent workers to provide counseling in community settings such as schools and drop in centers. Goals achieved via this program include prevention and remediation of at-risk behavior via (1) improved social skills; (2) improved academic performance; (3) improved self-esteem and (4) the formation of a positive relationship with an adult role model. The achievement of these goals will reduce the incidence of juvenile delinquency and violence, drug abuse, gang participation and school failure.

NCA/NCF