NEED FOR MIDNIGHT TONIGHT - METHODS WORKSHEET FOR GRANT WRITING AND FUNDING

Statement of Needs Questionnaire

More than fifty percent of the male population of youth between the ages of 16

to 18 years old in Essex County needs some form of vocational training. Essex

County is the largest County in the New Jersey and most individuals within that

age group do not have a high school diploma or GED and more than half have

either been detained or arrested for illegal activities. The Juvenile Justice

Commission conducted a survey of incarcerated adolescents to determine what

they felt they needed in order for them to become productive members of society

and to focus on their educational and vocational needs. Their highest priority was

to learn how to deal with peer pressure and having the courage to make the right

decisions and choices. New Jersey has a wide variety of programs and services that

are available to youth, much more than was available years ago, however, there is

a limited number of mentoring programs in the New Jersey.

Adolescents that are not able to return to school there is home schooling there

is also in-home therapy sessions that is available to all youth whether they are at

home, in residential placement or incarcerated. Adolescents are able to perform

community service that will satisfy some probation requirements. Most if not all

of the services that available for adolescents require a diagnosis of substance use,

trauma or mental health issues. Adolescents with a level of care diagnosis of III.5

will be able to access all of these services and more. However the adolescents that

are diagnosis at a lower level of care are not privy to many of these services and

they need them. The increase of licensed clinicians has increased and adolescents

are receiving services, however there is still not enough clinicians to care for the

large population of adolescents in Essex County let alone in New Jersey.

Adolescents with mental health and substance use histories are generally the

first to receive services. Care Managers have large case loads and work extra hours

in order to ensure that adolescents are receiving the services that they need. One of

the issues with providing services for the youth is that often times they are missed

diagnosis and is referred to programs that are not equipped in assisting them with

addressing issues and concerns that will help them to flourish and be successful in

treatment. Mentoring is an essential but there are very few programs that provide

that service in residential and outpatient services and they are limited programs

such as these located in Essex County. The need for positive male role models is

essential to their success. Most adolescents come from one parent homes being

raised by the mother or grandmother.

A Study show that males with positive male role models are 2 times more likely

than non-mentored boys to enjoy school and believe academic success is

important. Males with positive male role models have higher grades and better

school attendance than boys without solid male role models. Males with positive

male role models are 2 times less likely than those lacking role models to bully,

fight, lie, cheat, lose their tempers, or express anger if the male figure is missing

from their lives.

An example, Jahmiere is a 17 year old male who lives with his mother and

three siblings. Jamiere has always had a good relationship with his father. When

he was 10 years old his father was arrested for domestic violence against his

mother, and he spent the next 10 years in prison. Jahmiere’s behavior begins to

change and he would no longer listen to his mother. He had fights in school,

bullied his peers stole money from his mother and beat up his younger siblings.

Jahmiere was angry and the only way he knew how to express that anger was in a

violent and aggressive manner. A couple of things happened to Jahmiere his

confidant was gone and he suffered loss and separation from his father. He

gravitated towards older boys and men on the street and eventually joined a gang

in an effort for them to fill the shoes of his absent father. The example that was

shared is the story of many male adolescents trying to deal with and accept not

having a father or a positive role model in their lives. Resolving this issue by

implementing programs geared directly towards mentoring our youth and

coordinating with care managers and community program is critical. This evident

by the over populated detention centers, increased substance use and criminal

behavior.

The Loft has provided services to male adolescents since 1996. The program is

has a three year CARF accreditation and is fully staff with licensed clinicians. The

organization has an excellent reputation for providing quality service to

stakeholders. The clients are able to attend school and work towards adding

credits to complete high school, or opt to take the GED examination. The loft

offers job training. There is no other residential program that offers an onsite

mentoring program, State of the Art classrooms equipped with smart boards and

chrome books to assist the visual or independent learner. The loft provides an array

of services and has been named the provider and employer of choice.