The purpose of the anger management class is to help youth recognize anger, define the primary motivators, and manage anger effectively. Youth are taught to manage their anger through an understanding of the different types of anger (repressive, aggressive, passive) and the different anger motivators (anxiety, disappointment, embarrassment, fear, frustration, guilt, hurt, jealousy, sadness, and shame). The class consists of seven, 75-minute sessions, utilizing a format of handouts, videos, moral dilemma scenarios, discussion and peer input to reach learning goals.
2. Community Service Work Program
Community service work, unpaid volunteer work, is a basic tool for holding youth accountable, and a tangible way for youth to “pay back” the community for the harm caused by their offense. As opposed to the traditional concept of community service as punishment, Probation Officers approach community service as a means of holding youth accountable and to build transferable skills. In designing community service work opportunities for youth, Probation Officers seek to: match the type of work project to the type of offense committed; to expose youth to positive adult role models; involve the community in project design and supervision; accomplish worthwhile tasks; teach transferable skills; and bring recognition and a sense of accomplishment to youth.
3. Girl Scouts
The purpose of the Girl Scout/Mentoring Program is to expose court-involved girls to new ideas and experiences; provide pro-social group activities; opportunities to start and complete projects; learn life skills, including positive decision-making and job readiness; and increase their connection to positive adults and their communities. Troop leaders/mentors organize activities for the girls at least twice per month. Activities have included community service projects with the elderly and young children; art projects; health education; visits to local colleges; horseback riding; and camping trips. The troop receives a significant amount of support, including financial, materials, program guidance, and transportation, from the Girl Scouts - Heart of Michigan.
4. Minor in Possession (MIP) Weekend
The MIP weekend is a structured, three-day substance abuse education/early intervention program. The program provides 15 hours of substance abuse information and education, four hours in an experiential adventure ropes course, and one and one-half hour parent/child group focusing on substance abuse, limit setting and communication. The purpose of the program includes enhancing at-risk youths’ life and social skills, including decision-making, drug refusal skills, communication, cooperation, self-confidence, and understanding how events, feelings, and thoughts affect choices youth make around alcohol and drug use.
5. Retail Fraud Class
The purpose of the Retail Fraud Class is to deter youth from committing further retail fraud offenses and educate first-time offenders regarding the impact of retail fraud on merchants and consumers through lecture, an educational video, value-clarification exercises, and group discussion.
The Retail Fraud Class is primarily designed for first-time retail fraud offenders, however, youth under probation supervision for other offenses including retail fraud may participate.
6. Victim Impact Awareness Class
The victim awareness program is a time limited class that meets weekly and follows a pre-designed Balanced and Restorative Justice curriculum. The victim awareness class, facilitated by Probation Officers/Caseworkers trained in the curriculum will help respondents become more aware of the impact of their crime on their victims. They will learn that their offenses impact many people beyond the primary victim. They will learn that values that are street acceptable are not acceptable to the rest of the community. Through a series of classes, the empathy skills of juvenile offenders will be enhanced and their level of accountability will increase.
7. Domestic Violence Treatment Program
The purpose of the domestic violence treatment program is to reduce the likelihood of physical violence between parents and youth on probation.
Parents and youth attend concurrent groups addressing many of the same principles: emotions, with a particular focus on anger and how it is used in social situations; identifying your own level of anger and recognizing when it is near out of control; and de-escalation techniques including parent or child initiated time outs (how to step out of the confrontation without feeling like you are losing). In addition, parent sessions focus on effective parenting tools/methods for different developmental stages, focusing on adolescence.
Wraparound is needs-driven, family centered, strength-based, culturally-competent, individualized and comprehensive. Wraparound is not a program or service, but rather is a process based on collaboration and working with community resources. The parents and youth are integral parts of the team and must have ownership in the individualized plan. The focus is on keeping youth safely in the community.
Wraparound in Washtenaw County is a partnership between the Department of Human Services, Community Support and Treatment Services, the Washtenaw Intermediate School District, Washtenaw County Department of Public Health, the Washtenaw County Trial Court, Judson Center, the Student Advocacy Center, Parents Representatives, and others under the auspices of the Washtenaw County Human Services Community Collaborative.top of page