The Juvenile Justice Center of Philadelphia was established in 1976. JJC was established ti provide
children and youth in home, out of home, community and school-based services focusing on
intervention, prevention, and community-based services. The Juvenile Justice Center is a non-profit
organization that focuses on the safety and welfare of children, youth and families in Philadelphia who
are the most vulnerable. The founder of the JJC is not mentioned. The JJC's mission is to prevent
children and youth from entering the child welfare and Juvenile system through support services in
their homes, community, and schools.
In 1974, the congress enacted the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act (Pub. L. No. 93-
415, 42 U.S.C. § 5601 et seq.). The act established the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency
Prevention to support local and state efforts to prevent delinquency and improve Juvenile Justice
Systems. Grants programs were created to help support organizations that would assist in the Juvenile
Justice System . The signing of this law opened doors for justice centers that could provide resources
to children and youth. The signing of this law also supports states and local establishments that
provide a space for youth awaiting trial in criminal courts to keep them out of adult lock-ups to ensure
sight and sound separation. This relates to the Juvenile justice Center of Philadelphia because the
organization was founded after the signing of the JJDP Act. Also, the Juvenile Justice center is a non-
profit organization that provides resources to children and families to prevent children entering the
juvenile justice system, which was established because of the signing of the JJDP Act.
The Portland Refugee Support Group (PRSG). This organization is considered a 501 (c)(3) non-profit
organization. It was founded in 2016 and has grown by bounds and leaps. This organization was
established to help refugee families. Presently, the amazing volunteer team of Portland Refugee
Support Group helps more than 200 refugee families of 12 various ethnicities throughout Vancouver,
Washington, Portland area & Salem, and Oregon. The organization aims to provide support services to
refugees involved through resettlement agencies. It has been identified that the Portland Refugee
Support Group is dedicated to working with refugees with the aim of empowering them to be effective
members of society and become independent through psycho-social support, education, and life skills
training. The organization understands the difficulties of refugees who are trying to acclimate to a new
life. It has faith that refugees will be able to survive on their own in their new house and will adjust
faster with the right support (Who we are, 2021).
The mission of the Portland Refugee Support Group
Portland Refugee Support Group has a mission to help its clients and service users navigate a path to
lead a successful life in the United States of America. The organization has some core values that
focus on an instrumental role and draw attention towards its dedicated services. Research shows that
the chief values of the Portland Refugee Support Group include respect, diversity and inclusion, trust,
integrity, compassion, collaboration, and community (Our mission, 2021).
The focus of the Portland Refugee Support Group
The Portland Refugee Support Group's work focuses on some important major components such as:
Community education about refugees through media, lectures, panels, and others.
Child and adult education, including assistance with school work and tutoring.
Provide life skills training to refugees to increase their ability and confidence to care for themselves,
their houses, and their family members.
Give psycho-social support to the refugees through social events to build social capital and form
community connections. Along with that, it also supports referrals to mental health care and
personalized counselling (Our mission, 2021).
Historical Event Relationship
The Portland Refugee Support Group has conducted many historical events in the past with an aim to
has conducted many historical events in the past with an aim to empower refugees by extending
education and social support to them. In this section, the major focus has been given to the differences
and similarities between the history of the human services field and the historical event of the Portland
Refugee Support Group.
In April 2022, the Portland Refugee Support Group organized an event on food and supply
distribution for Afghan refugees (Our mission, 2021). At this event, the organization played an
important role in supporting Afghan refugees by supplying food. Further, this event has aimed to
provide legal support, education, housing, and living supplies. Portland Refugee Support Group is
always ready to help refugees in different forms. However, the research has identified some
similarities between the history of the human services field and the historical event of the Portland
Refugee Support Group; both work for the improvement of people's life.
On the contrary, the history of the human services field and the historical event of the Portland
Refugee Support Group has some dissimilarities. Usually, the history of human service says that they
work to meet a range of human needs by implementing interdisciplinary experiences and knowledge.
While the Portland Refugee Support Group's social event on food and supply distribution for Afghan
refugees access resources to improve their circumstances.
Overall, this research has highlighted the overview of the Portland Refugee Support Group. Along
with this, it has elaborated on the differences and similarities between the history of the human
services field and the historical event of the chosen agency.
Human Services. I chose this because of how much has changed and/or improved since the early
times. During the time in Colonial America relief for help was supported by individuals and groups
donating resources or labor to schools, hospitals, or needy people. But the population grew and
assistance was needed even more. Colonists used the "Elizabethan Poor Laws" to meet needs. There
are four principles in this law. First, define poor relief as a public responsibility. Second, is the
resident legal, because services were provided at the local or parish level. The third, was the family
responsibility, only members for needy individuals. You were denied public aid if you had parents,
grandparents, children, or grandchildren. The fourth concerns children and work by declaring children
of paupers were apprentices to farmers and artisans who agreed to care for them. The 19th Century
had three philosophies that influenced social justice or the lack of it in America. The philosophy of
"individualism" viewed America as the land of opportunity. Hard work to success. Laissaz-faire,
(leave alone) was an economic concept that focused on societal and government responsibility. The
20th Century's "New Direction in Mental Health" early in the 1900's called the "sociological era"
continues social reform. Providing services for the ones in need by the organization of the Social
Worker, a profession of people with the specific skills of knowledge and understanding to work with
the poor.
Reading the vast improvement in mental health care, the separation of the diagnosis of everyone of
different health care problems by introducing the "Mental Health Study Act of 1955". (Public Law -
84-82) which provided funding for a Joint Commission on Mental Illness and Health, "To analyse and
evaluate the needs and resources of the mentally ill in the United States and make recommendations
for a national Mental Health program. (Albee, 1962, p.x.) This commissioned the training, research,
facilities, and programs.
The historical part of Human Services is the depletion of some services by Richard Nixon and Gerald
Ford began the limitations in funding on Human Services, cutting back welfare, and decline in Federal
spending. Jimmy Carter brought in Human Services which brought in a wide range of resources. He
was in office for four years then the Reagan administration came in and cut funding down again. The
most disappointing and tuff administration was under Barach Obama and his Health care reform. To
put it mildly, it was a disaster and I remember the Speaker of the House, John Boehner, telling
America to not agree with Barach's health bill. It would cost too much and a tax penalty was added if
no insurance coverage was not used. I saw the disaster of people I knew who had to pay hundreds of
dollars to their taxes until Trump ended it in 2018. But today there are so much more resources in
Human Services and it is good to know that even today people in need are getting the help that is
offered.
Woodside, M. An Introduction to Human Services (2021) pages 62-63, pages 67-69, pages 72, pages
75-76.
Tognotti, C. (September 25, 2015) Remember John Boehner's Obamacare Meltdown
https://www.bustle.com/article/113145-remember-john-boehner's-Obamacare-meltdown/
Who we are. (2021). Portland Refugee Support Group. Retrieved November 17, 2022, from
https://www.pdxrsg.org/who-we-are.html
Our mission. (2021). Portland Refugee Support Group Retrieved November 17, 2022, from
https://www.pdxrsg.org/-our-mission.html
Juvenile justice center of Philadelphia. Juvenile Justice Center of Philadelphia. (n.d.). Retrieved
November 18, 2022, from https://juvenilejustice.org/
Legislation. Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. (n.d.). Retrieved November 18,
2022, from https://ojjdp.ojp.gov/about/legislation
