SUCCESSES
Some of the accomplishments and results of the Jackson County Community Services Coalition are:
- The Jackson County Community Services Coalition was chosen as the Outstanding New Agency by the Mississippi Center for Nonprofits and the Clarion Ledger in June 2002.
- Received a state MAP grant to provide an underage drinking program for 1600 sixth graders in 3 school districts. Two additional staff personnel were added to implement the program
- Completion of a survey of 6, 8, 10, 12 grades in Jackson County establishing baseline use of alcohol/drug use by youth in Jackson County; click HERE to view results.
- CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) became a Coalition program in September, 2002. Currently there are 32 volunteers serving 85 children in the Jackson County Youth Court.
- Partnered with the Sun Herald newspaper as part of their Fighting Back prevention task force targeted at informing the public about the problems of substance abuse in south Mississippi; to date over 45 stories have been published relating to substance use and prevention; the newspaper won numerous national awards for their eight day series during Red Ribbon Week 2002.
- Received a national grant to host a community forum to address prescription drug abuse; two follow-up sessions are scheduled to provide information to small businesses and to bring pharmacists together to address this issue. The results of this forum were presented at the national CADCA conference in Washington, DC, February 2003.
- Hosted the national trainers of the Rapid Response Team for a week in March 2002 to assess the current situation in Jackson County and work with Coalition members to develop a strategic plan to combat underage drinking
- Received grants to implement an after school art program with the Boys and Girls Clubs at several locations
- Working with a group started by Supervisor Frank Leach to address alcohol and drug issues in Ocean Springs and St. Martin; the Coalition was chosen to take the lead of the group
- Developed a program, FOCIS (Focus on Children in Separation) for divorcing parents with children. It is court-ordered for many couples seeking a divorce in Jackson County that have children ages 5 – 18. It involves 2 sessions for parents and children. The classes are provided to minimize the negative impact on the children. The program began in May 2002
- Established a Teen Action Group to address issues facing teens regarding alcohol and drugs
- Partnered with the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics and the Home of Grace to present 9 trainings on the topic of methamphetamine and four on ecstasy; this included numerous TV appearances and newspaper and TV coverage for Jackson County; Other topics have also been covered totally over 20 seminars addressing alcohol and drug issues; Helped initiate George Cty Families Against Drugs and helped them apply in 2002 to become a Drug Free Communities Support Program
- Established a Kid Care fund to provide Christmas and/or birthday presents for children in custody or under supervision; Gave 21 children Christmas presents in December 2002
- Worked with the Youth Court to write a grant that provided 11 computers for the Youth Court. The computers are networked together so all information can be shared.
- The same grant established a first time offenders program for the Disorderly Conduct charged youth from the schools. They are the ones referred to the Court because of fighting in schools. We have seen over 130 youth in 5 months ages 10 – 17. This is diversion program to keep their case out of the court and the child out of the Detention Center.
- Chosen as a Core Arts Initiative site by the Mississippi Arts Commission. This is a three-year grant that will bring the arts to the youth incarcerated at the Detention Center and also to the youth at the Pascagoula and Ocean Springs Alternative Schools. This will include visual, sculpture, clay, and expressive arts. A total of 200 children were involved in the first year. The third year over 900 children received art services.
- Coordinated the Children’s Services Fair at Singing River Mall for five years. Over 25 children’s services agencies attended providing information and activities for about 1000 participants at the mall; Was chosen as a Make A Difference award winner by USA Today in 2000.
- The multidisciplinary team coordinated by the Coalition has reviewed over 180 children in the 4 years since its inception; this team is used by all school districts and many agencies. It meets twice a month to review children’s cases that are involved with numerous agencies or cases that need additional services or long term placement.
- The Coalition began Kids Time in 2000. Since then, more than 21,000 have attended this annual event.
- Brought together over 20 representatives of various agencies involved with child abuse investigations to develop a Child Abuse Investigation Protocol. This protocol helps ensure one quality interview for the child by a trained forensic interviewer. The protocol was signed in May 2000.
- Coordinated two Appreciation Nights for direct line staff working at Youth Court, Dept. of Human Services, the Detention Center, the Rhonda Crane Shelter, the Adolescent Offender Program, and the Center for the Prevention of Child Abuse; involved fun and food and door prizes
- Partnered with Rohm and Haas Company, Jackson County Arts Council, and Mississippi State Committee of the National Museum of Women in the Arts to develop a Camera Project with 23 children from the Boys & Girls Clubs. They were given disposable cameras to take pictures of people or things of importance to them. Several of the photographs from each child were enlarged and displayed at a reception in their honor.
- Developed a Summer Arts Camp for the Boys and Girls Clubs in Pascagoula, Gautier and Ocean Springs; Three professional artists worked with the youth teaching them music, visual arts, and drama
- Held regular meetings to showcase the local agencies and provide information to Coalition members
- The Board of Directors completed an eight year strategic plan with long range and short range goals.
- Received an Underage Drinking grant to provide training for convenience stores, judges, and law enforcement regarding this issue; this grant will include a court watch component to enforce the message that the community wants the laws enforced regarding drinking by those under 21 years of age
- Chosen as a Drug Free Communities Support Program site by Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention; Completed a survey of almost 4,000 6, 8, 10, 12 grades in Jackson County establishing baseline use of alcohol/drug use by youth in Jackson County; A public awareness campaign has been conducted regarding the use of alcohol, tobacco, and illegal drug use by minors; Developed a website for Coalition/CADAP ; Developed community services newsletter
- Have sponsored many TV and radio commercials encouraging parents to be aware of the activities of their children and teens and to be involved
- Auditioned and selected talent for a TV commercial to be produced in Jackson County to show that it is illegal for parents to host underage drinking parties; the ad was completed and is currently airing on WLOX and local access channel
- Sponsored a meeting with local judges and numerous interested agency representatives, parents, law enforcement, or teens to encourage stricter fines and/or other consequences for youth caught participating in underage drinking
- The Executive Director of the Jackson County Community Services Coalition was chosen as Mississippi’s Juvenile Justice Advocate for 2001.
