PROGRAMS

This Court believes that a child in trouble is a family in trouble.  Families of youths involved with the Court are found to have a variety of dysfunctions including physical and sexual abuse, neglect and substance abuse.  In order for the Court to be effective with youths on probation, it is critical that families cooperate.  Special programs have been developed to assist families of children on probation.  They are:

Lessons In Family Enhancement
An educational program that teaches the family communication skills, conflict resolution management, adolescence and time adjustment, freedom and responsibility skills, domestic violence information, living the life with goal setting and peer pressure.
Mondays at 5:00 P.M. for 4 weeks at the Youth Center.  A $5:00 fee per session for the family and open to the public. 

PACT
Parents And Children Together
Group family counseling Tuesdays, Wednesdays, or Thursdays at 5:00 P.M.  One night a week for 6 weeks at the Youth Center.  A $5:00 fee per session for the family and open to the public.

CHARTING NEW DIRECTIONS
An art program that provides interaction between youth and professional artist(s) while developing life skills.  The program uses art as a creative process for personal development with youth. 
A joint project with the Mobile Arts Council

STEPPING UP
A mentor/tutor program that matches college students with youth needing academic assistance.
A joint project with the Spring Hill College Foley Community Service Center and
Big Brothers / Big Sisters

FREE BY CHOICE
A program involving Alabama prison inmates and juveniles on probation in Mobile County. Attendance ordered by the Juvenile Probation Officer
A joint project with the State of
Alabama Department Of Corrections

CAPP
CHEMICAL ABUSE
PREVENTION PROGRAM
A four session drug/alcohol educational program for juveniles and parents.
A joint project with the Drug Education Council.

FIRST OFFENDER FOR ALCOHOL MINOR IN POSSESSION
An informal alternative to a juvenile court record for youth found to be in possession of alcohol. The program includes:
   1.  Minor and parent must complete the 
        CAPP Program
   2.  Minor and parent must attend the
         Victim’s Impact Panel ($50.00 fee)
   3.  Minor will complete a minimum of
         25 hours community service
   4.  Parents are encouraged to suspend
        minor’s drivers license for 2 weeks
        and enforce a curfew.
 
A joint project with the Drug Education Council, the Underage Drinking Task Force, and the Victim’s Impact

A.L.L.
ATHLETICS / LEADERSHIP / LEARNING
A sports program that teaches young men leadership and learning skills while using fitness/sports training with tutoring and counseling.  The program is a project of the Detention and Probation Departments at the Youth Center.

JAM
Juvenile Anger Management
A 12 week program designed to help teens cope with anger through alternative behavior and skill enhancing techniques.
Ages 13-17 with a limit of 15 per group
Attendance ordered by the Juvenile Probation Officer
A joint project with Lifelines Family Counseling Center Of Mobile, Inc.

S.T.O.P
Stop The (Sexual) Offender Program
A Court Ordered program for juvenile sexual offenders.

A joint project with Mobile Mental Health

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH ALABAMA AND UNIVERSITY OF MOBILE

The Court has entered into a partnership with the University of South Alabama and the University of Mobile to develop both an undergraduate and graduate level of Internship Program

At the University of South Alabama, the Sociology Department and the Political Science and Criminal Justice Departments provide undergraduate students who are required to spend 120 hours working with the Court.  The graduate departments at the University of South Alabama in Psychology and Counseling provide students each who spend ad minimum of 900 hours of counseling with families of nondelinquent youth (C.H.I.N.) and the Crisis Center.  The graduate program in Marriage and the Family at the University of Mobile provides students who spend 50 hours counseling with families.