Marietta Daily Journal - Cobb Briefly August 6, 2005

August 2005 Bright Side

Cobb and Douglas County youth who have been detained because of a crime and who have a problem with substance abuse soon will have extra support as they re-enter the community. The Cobb Community Services Board, (CSB) has received a four year $1.78 million grant for youth offender re-entry from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), announced Cobb and Douglas CSB Executive Director Tod Citron.

The four-year grant will provide funds to the CSB to serve Cobb County and Douglas County youth between the ages of 14 and 18. Many of the teens in the program are referred to the CSB as part of their involvement with the Juvenile Justice System.

"I am proud to work with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and provide this important funding for Cobb and Douglas counties," Georgia's U.S. Senator Saxby Chambliss said. "These funds will help strengthen the services provided by the Community Services’ Boards to ensure that many more of our youths get access to the vital treatment and support they need to live healthy, productive lives."

"The grant will allow youth with a substance abuse problem and who have been detained for committing a crime to receive treatment and support. The program is designed to keep them from re-offending and relapsing," said Pam McCollum, CSB Director of Child and Adolescent Services.

"The first stage of this grant project will be focused on community and stakeholder development to ensure we're all working together, developing policy and procedures, hiring staff, and training, with start date of January 1 ," said Ms. McCollum.

The grant money will provide for three levels of treatment: residential; intensive outpatient and assertive continuing care. Length of time in the program will be individualized for each youth. During the Assertive Continuing Care phase, staff will be integrating the youth into the community. The staff will work in the home with family members and help the youth develop skills for recovery.

"Research indicates that high- risk youth who participate in jobs are less likely to get into trouble," said Pam McCollum about the earlier grant. "The program is modeled on the best practices of the successful adult customized employment program developed by the Community Services Board for adult clients in the mental health and developmental disabilities programs."