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Service agencies jockey for $450,000 State money aims to fight youth crime By JONEL ALECCIA With nearly half a million dollars in new funds to prevent juvenile crime at stake, members of Jackson County's social service community are lining up with their hands out. Five agencies or coalitions of agencies positioned themselves this week to snag a share of some $450,925 allocated by the state Legislature for assessment of and intervention with at-risk youth. Community Works, the Southern Oregon Child Treatment and Study Center, the Rogue River School District, county Mental Health Services and a coalition of 10 agencies headed by the Medford School District are vying for all or part of the money advocated by Gov. John Kitzhaber. It's a sharply competitive process, acknowledge members of the county Commission on Children and Families committee that will make the funding decisions. "The thing that makes this interesting is that this is new money," said Alan Young, county juvenile services director. "And there's not often a whole lot of new money." Overall, the Legislature authorized about $750,000 last session for Jackson County programs to prevent juvenile crime. The $450,925 is the amount available for contracted services. Available from March 1 through June 30, 2001, the money is aimed at services for county youth ages 7 to 17, many of whom are at risk for, but have not yet committed, criminal behavior. The allocation includes nearly $65,000 for nonoffender assessment; about $252,000 for nonoffender case management; about $67,000 for intensive parent training; and about $67,000 for mental health services. Agencies hoping to receive the funds must submit detailed proposals within two weeks; allocations will be made two weeks after that, said Carin Niebuhr, a county administrator heading the project. Community Works, the Rogue Valley's largest social service agency, initially requested the entire $450,925. Community Works executive director Arnie Green said the bid was a preliminary response and that the agency hoped to partner with other groups to provide services once the money was distributed. "We had every expectation that we would be involved in a collaborative process," Green said. "It's called `Community Works' because we are deeply involved in collaboration." However, a coalition of 10 groups led by the Medford School District is also seeking allocations for all but the mental health component of the project. Partner agencies include OnTrack Inc., Southern Oregon Drug Awareness, the Medford Police Department, the Jackson County Sheriff's Department, state Adult and Family Services, Kids Unlimited, Hall Enterprises, the Upper Rogue Community Center and the West Medford Community Coalition. It's a rare union, even the partners agree. "I didn't think I'd sit around the table with these people like this," said Rita Sullivan, director of OnTrack. Carolyn Hayes, director of at-risk programs for the Medford School District, said cooperation is key if preventing youth crime is the goal. "The powerful thing is the governor's agenda and his directive that the agencies do need to come together and act as a cohesive whole," Hayes said. During Kitzhaber's first term, the Legislature revamped Oregon's juvenile laws, allowing some violent offenders to be treated as adults and expanding regional detention centers. During his second term, the governor wanted to target preventing crimes and helping young people at risk for committing serious crimes -- and he emphasized that communities must take the lead. To that end, agencies must come up with detailed plans outlining specific results, Young said. "This is very focused money to reduce juvenile crime," he said. "Agencies just doing the same old thing won't cut it." Today's Edition : News | Sports | Business | Weather | Tempo | Classifieds Mail Tribune Copyright � The Mail Tribune 2000, Medford, Oregon USA