Prevention
This after school program provides positive social, educational and recreational activities. A summer program is also offered. Several new programs began this year. Collaboration with friends of Jazz provides instruments to members, teaches them to play, and gives them the instrument to keep at the end of the period. The hiring of a retired construction worker to head the woodshop has brought expertise and excitement to this activity center. A newly renovated computer room has children lining up at the door for their opportunity. This center is reaching state of the art, as all the computers are networked and accessible to the Internet.
Halifax Teen Center
Dauphin County funds a part-time coordinator position and some miscellaneous supply expenses for this after school program operated by the Halifax United Methodist Church. Participants come to the program by self-referral and can attend as many days per week as they wish. The program is supervised by volunteer adult mentors, who provide structure, support, tutoring, and organized activities for the youth. The program is also open during the day in the summer months.
Family Support of Central PA
Dauphin County funds a portion of this parent support group aimed at child abuse prevention. The free groups are led by professionally trained facilitators and offer free childcare during meetings. In recent years, the program has added a bullying prevention component, which spreads the message through school puppet shows. Their newly added component is Grandparents Raising Minor Children.
North Dauphin YMCA
Mentoring Program: A program matching at-risk students in Northern Dauphin County with a mentor who meets with them 1 1/2 hours per week at the YMCA. During this time spent together, they engage in recreational/physical activity, tutoring, and counseling. Children in grades 2 through 12 are referred by local school districts, district justices, and counseling agencies.
Multi Systemic Therapy (MST)
An intensive in-home counseling program designed to work with youth 10 to 17 who are adjudicated delinquent or dependents who are exhibiting pre-delinquent behaviors such as verbal/physical aggression, drug and/or alcohol use, and truancy or who have committed a summary offense. The primary goals of MST are to reduce youth criminal activity, reduce drug and alcohol abused and other types of anti-social behavior, and achieve outcomes at a cost savings, while decreasing rates of out-of-home placements.