A Centre County organization is starting a new program aimed at middle and high school students who are missing too much school, with a goal of reaching young people before they end up in the court system.
The Center for Alternatives in Community Justice already has the Youth Aid Panel, which works with first-time juvenile offenders. This year, the CACJ is building on that, piloting a new youth counseling program focused on students in the State College Area School District who are missing too many classes and are considered truant.
“It folds in well with preventing kids from getting into the juvenile justice system in the first place," said Elizabeth Siegelman, executive director of the CACJ. "If we can get them the help that they need early, then they won't become incarcerated as a youth. And then it's a lot easier if you have a record to get into the criminal justice system as an adult.”
In Pennsylvania, students are considered habitually truant if they have six or more unexcused absences in a school year. That can eventually lead to court.
Siegelman said the program will be another option before their cases end up in the system.
“They can do counseling with us first, sort of figure out what's going on, what's preventing the child from going to school, what are the other factors that are going on and then connecting them to further resources for themselves and the family," she said.
Siegelman said they plan to work with about 30 students in the program’s first year. The focus will be on middle and high school students, but she said they are open to working with elementary students if needed.
The CACJ received a grant from the Centre Foundation for $11,471 to pilot the initiative. The program is free to students who participate, and Siegelman said they hope to find more funding to continue it in the future.
