Article and photo by: Monica Brown
Denney Juvenile Justice Center will begin new program that will benefit youths within the county’s At-Risk Youth and Juvenile Offender Drug Treatment court. With the $10,000 grant from Tulalip’s Charitable Donations Program, Denney is using the funds to train juvenile justice workers and create activities for the youth to become engaged in activities which are positive and create a place where youths will feel safe to discuss issues that are troubling them.
The youths in the program will be separated by gender which will give them a chance to talk with justice workers about specific topics which they might have otherwise hesitated talking about. The first open group will be made available to teenage girls, then boys and then possibly to all youth within the Denney Juvenile Justice Center. Parents are encouraged to attend and become involved in the activities arranged.
The idea of the program is to engage the youths into talking about what is hindering their recovery from drug abuse. By expanding their involvement in positive activities and build relationships with parents, youths will be more capable of overcoming issues which have caused them to abuse drugs.