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71 °F Forecast | Road Cams Sunday, September 12, 2004 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics Tempo AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map SPECIAL SECTIONS Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Prime Times Wellness Connection Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Wedding Guide Rogue Valley's Finest EXTRA Newspaper in Education Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People MARKETPLACE Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Classifieds Place an ad eSouthernOregon Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar CUSTOMER SERVICE Frequent Questions Advertising Information Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Network Affiliate Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend August 17, 2004 Walker grant funds reach $1 million this year By JONEL ALECCIA Mail Tribune Three programs that tackle tough transitions for mentally ill and unemployed people will receive nearly $272,000 from the new Reed and Carolee Walker Fund. That brings total awards to nearly $1 million this year from the fund spawned by a $29 million legacy from an Ashland couple. Final recipients include Community Works of Medford, which received nearly $65,000 for mental health treatment for young people for and for two entrepreneurial projects. About $112,000 was granted to two local agencies to provide intensive follow-up care to young people leaving residential psychiatric treatment. The project represents the first-ever collaboration between the Southern Oregon Child Study and Treatment Center in Medford and the Southern Oregon Adolescent Study and Treatment Center in Grants Pass. Advertisement About $95,000 will go to Southern Oregon Goodwill Industries of Medford to extend and expand a Welfare-to-Work program that targets key problems for the hardest-to-place unemployed. First grants announced in May designated nearly $714,000 for 16 Southern Oregon nonprofit agencies. But a funding committee needed more time to consider the best use of money to target mental illness and other complicated issues, said director Amy Cuddy. "We wanted to find out is it better to go after the 10 sickest children or to go after 100 children earlier to prevent those 10?" Cuddy said. All of the programs provide support for people leaving structured programs and heading back into daily life, she added. "We wanted to address transition points in children’s lives because they’re the time when real change can occur," Cuddy said. Recipients said the new funds will be welcome resources. At Community Works, the money will pay for youth and family counseling and expansion of the Mission Candles business run by young people at the Lithia Springs School in Ashland, Director Arnie Green said. In addition, the money will help explore the possibility of providing private counseling services through Community Works. About 30 psychiatrically troubled young people a year will receive 10 hours a week of care through the partnership of SOCSTC and SOASTC, said Tom Gunderson, SOCSTC director. "The real heart of this is Jackson County kids are placed outside the county," he said. "We’re placing too many kids in institutional care. " The pilot project may keep some kids closer to home, help them avoid institutional care or reduce their stay, Gunderson said. Goodwill Industries will target problems that keep about 40 unemployed people from getting and keeping jobs, said spokesman Russ Levin. "To be able to go to work, you have to address issues of child care, transportation," he said. "These are the hardest-to-serve people. They never had a job, they have very little education and a whole litany of other issues." The next round of Walker Fund applications will be available in November. Reach reporter JoNel Aleccia at 776-4465, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2004 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback ADVERTISERS A D V E R T I S E R S SPECIAL SECTIONS Auto Finder Job Finder Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Opportunities