Dayton, OH - News Detail

Dayton, OH (June 1, 2004) - Montgomery County is one of only ten communities in the nation chosen to receive a $250,00 per year for the next 3 years to provide improved services for substance-abusing youth and their families with the inclusion of Natural Helpers. The grant was awarded by Reclaiming Futures, a national project funded by The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to provide leadership in building community solutions to substance abuse and delinquency.

Since 2002 Reclaiming Futures-Montgomery County has worked to pair first-time or repeat offenders and high-need youth who have become involved with the Court with "Natural Helpers" in the community. Natural Helpers—who include business, religious and community volunteers—are specially trained and carefully linked with juvenile offenders to work with family members, probation officers, treatment providers and others to plan a positive program for ongoing treatment and mentoring.

This grant will enable Reclaiming Futures-Montgomery County (RF-MCO)—a collaborative effort by a number of community partners— to provide substance-abusing youth who are Court involved with the added support of the Cirde of Care and intergraded collaboration as coordinated by Natural Helpers volunteers.

Reclaiming Futures is a five-year project of The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation involving ten communities nationwide in the effort to reduce drug and alcohol abuse by teens in the juvenile justice system; to improve public safety, reduce corrections costs, and increase accountability among young people; and to engage communities to reclaim teenagers and inform the public dialogue. For more information about Reclaiming Futures-Montgomery County, call (937) 22&4780 or write to Judge Michael B. Murphy at Montgomery County Juvenile Court, 303 W. Second Street, Dayton, OH 45422. www.reclaimingfutures.org .