By
taking away a necessary step, troubled youth may fall back into trouble.Treatment is an essential step toward rehabilitating the state’s troubled youths.
The Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) provides treatment using what’s called a “step-down” approach at the state’s non-secure residential facilities and group homes.
Highly skilled teachers, counselors and mental health professionals work in facilities that offer adjusted levels of restrictions on troubled youths to help them lead productive and crime-free lives in their communities.
Since January 2007, three of these facilities have closed, and two other facilities were targeted for closure but the Legislature restored their funding.
OCFS appears to be implementing a misguided policy to shut down community-based, non-secure youth facilities and group homes.
Shouldn’t the goal be to do everything we can to help these troubled youths turn their lives around?
OCFS’s current policy is more likely to result in sentencing these youths to a future in adult correctional facilities.
Tell OCFS: Don’t eliminate that essential step toward rehabilitation.
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This ad was created by the PEF PR department
and appeared as a black & white version
on May 7, 2007 of the Albany Legislative Gazette. © Copyright 2007.