Juvenile After School Program (JASP)
Loretta J. Manus / Program Director

Program Overview:

The Mon Valley Juvenile After School Program (JASP) has been serving the Mon Valley for 11 years. It is the ultimate program that offers children ages 8-18 an alternative to incarceration. These children are given the opportunity to expand their horizons through supervised skilled programs.

Referrals are accepted via: The Washington County Juvenile Probation Office, Children and Youth Services, Peer Jury, Magistrates, Police, or Parents in need of structured guidance for their children. The program is specifically designed to address the problems that plague today’s youth.

If we are not part of the solution, then we are part of the problem.

By retrieving today's youth, and restoring our communities, we can retain the rights of others, and rebuild the foundation of tomorrows leaders through our ultimate goal, “CHANGE”

Mission:

Mon Valley JASP is an after school program in collaboration with the Washington County Court of Common Pleas Juvenile Division and Washington County Children and Youth Services (CYS). JASP primarily functions as an alternative to institutionalization and also serves displaced youth in need of continuous daily supervision.

The JASP operates Monday-Friday, 3-9PM. As the court continues to experience an influx of first time offenders, as well as repeat offenders, the offenses become more severe due to improper supervision. Such activity causes a human and financial burden on the Court and County. Therefore, JASP serves as a catalyst to prevent repetitive offenses.

Objectives:

• Address the physical, emotional, cultural, and educational needs of each youth
• Operate a diversified supervised program that addresses problems that plague the juvenile, the victim, and the community
• Reduce recidivism
• Address accountability and responsibility for own behavior
• Retrieve, Retain, and Rebuild youthful offenders
• Address peer mediation and conflict resolution
   

Program Goals:

• Provide a closer supervision which goes beyond the realm of mere babysitting
• Provide an opportunity for resocialization and re-adjustment in society
• Improve academic deficiency or acquire general education equivalency
• Instill responsibility
• Eliminate chemical dependency
• Develop positive attitude
• Eliminate negative actions
• Accent positive thinking
• Cause a diverse effect in the life of a youth
• Ensure a better tomorrow via intervention and prevention
• Bridging the gap between victim and offender
• Reduce placement by 10%
• Retrieve today’s youth,
• Rebuild family foundations
• Restore communities
• Retain the rights of others
• Resolve these issues most prevalent that require peer mediation and conflict resolutions
• Reach the ultimate goal, “CHANGE” and to accept nothing but “CHANGE”

Referral Criteria:

• Youth ages 8-18 years old are referred by: the Juvenile Probation Office, Children and Youth Services, Peer Jury, Magistrates, Police, and/or Parents

• Unsupervised youth categorized as a contributing factor to further delinquency risk.

• Youth seriously in need of structure, supervision, life skills training, self-esteem building, and tutorial resources

• Reinforcement response to violations of probation
   
• After care: A step-down phase in reintroduction of the youth from placement to the community service, reducing lengths of placement by an average of 2 months.

Program Components:

• Academic excellence (Aptitude vs. Attitude), via Intermediate Unit I
• Develop reading/study skills
• Life skills via food sanitation, food preparation, and general housekeeping.
• Exploring the Arts: Performing, Creative, and Culinary
• Continuing education prep: Computers, remedial reading and math, SAT, & GED
• Counseling/Group Therapy: D&A counseling in-house and through contracted services
• Family-Parent/child communication skills and family counseling
• Job training-resume writing, interviewing, job searching, carpentry, cosmetology, and horticulture.
• Peer Mediation
• Conflict Resolution

We Promote Employment Opportunities for College Students

Apply for employment by contacting:

Loretta J. Manus
724-483-3171
lj_manus@excite.com

Mon Valley Juvenile After School Program Staff

Loretta J. Manus -- Program Director

Kelley Wiltz -- Program Manager/Head Counselor

John Sechrist -- Assistant Program Manager/Assistant Head Counselor