by David Morgan, Lawrence County Executive
A grant that will give life-changing help to youth in our court system is one of the best Christmas gifts Lawrence County could receive.
Lawrence County Juvenile Court is the recipient of a three-year, $450,000 Family Engagement Program grant from the Tennessee Office of Criminal Justice Programs. We are one of six counties across the state receiving the award.
Structure for Success (the name of our program) is designed to improve the long-term outcome of children who come to the attention of Juvenile Court. It will address needs that haven’t been addressed before, helping youth build better lives now, as adults, and ultimately, parents. Lawrence County has the highest percentage of children in foster care in the 13-county South Central Tennessee area. Structure for Success is a way to change those numbers.
How do children come to the court’s attention? Some break rules that require the court’s involvement, and some are referred because they are clearly headed in that direction.
Juvenile Magistrate Ashley Dunkin gets referrals from the school system, law enforcement, Department of Children’s Services, the District Attorney’s office, and other youth-focused organizations. If a child is in crisis, they go on what is now about a month-long waiting list for therapy.
Ashley’s top priority is eliminating the delay. Over three years, grant funds will pay for 2,425 hours of therapy to address any trauma in the child’s past and help develop good decision-making skills. The goal is for the child and possibly their parent/guardian to have a mental health evaluation and begin therapy within ten days of their first interaction with Juvenile Court.
The Structure for Success Director is another key part of the plan. Through discussions, assessments, and home visits, this professional will get to know each child and family, determine specific needs, and formulate a plan to meet them. That can mean working with the school system to address missed time, helping a teen find part-time work, or addressing poor living conditions at the child’s home.
The Director will play the role of case manager, checking in frequently to determine progress and emerging needs. Case management will continue with bi-weekly check-ins for one year after the child completes the program.
Our grant application received support from Lawrence County Schools, the Lawrence County Sheriff’s Department and Lawrenceburg Police Department, General Sessions Judge Mike Harris, and the Lawrence County Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition.
Lawrence County is blessed to have Ashley Dunkin, who puts all her great intelligence and heart into a very challenging job. She and her team have an amazing record of service to Lawrence County. I’m thrilled that this grant will help them make an even bigger impact on our community.
