Orange County NC Website
Our department received a $ 2 . 5 million grant to do campaigning around gun safety . There have been <br /> several meetings that Billy Lassiter has held and they have created a gun safety committee where they <br /> will be looking at different campaigns for media, social media, and billboards . What they found during <br /> the pandemic was that it was the highest period for gun purchases at any point in history and people were <br /> not educated about proper gun safety and storage . Many were being left unsecured in vehicles leading to <br /> vehicle break- ins and the guns would then end up on the streets . <br /> There is another committee within out department called RED — Racial and Ethnic Disparities . This came <br /> about a national campaign to reduce disparities among minority youth within the juvenile Justice <br /> bou from <br /> p g YY J J <br /> system . It is actually part of our juvenile justice strategic plan and we are encouraging local JCPCs to look <br /> at local data as it relates to your county and consider forming a JCPC subcommittee and devising some <br /> local strategies . Crystal Lewis is our RED specialist and has all the RED data . If interested , she can come <br /> to a meeting and present information and data related to RED . (Members expressed interest in her coming <br /> to present; David will work on getting her on the schedule. ) <br /> There is a program that began in Fayetteville about 6 - 7 years ago by the Fayetteville Police Department <br /> called EKG (Educating Kids on Gun violence) that has gained a lot of traction . The department is <br /> embracing the program and trying to get funding for it to be implemented statewide . There may be <br /> funding available coming to the JCPCs to replicate the program . <br /> The department would like to provide some baseline training to providers on YASI. YASI is the new <br /> assessment form that juvenile court counselors are completing on youth . A YASI score is provided on <br /> referrals and providers are required to enter that in NCALLIES . The training would help providers under <br /> the YASI and how the score is determined, but providers would not be required to complete the YASI on <br /> their youth . <br /> In the coming months , you may want to review the JCPC Bylaws to see if any updates are needed . <br /> Announcements <br /> Orange Partnership , through Freedom House Recovery Center, was one of seven in the county at a <br /> community level to receive a SAMHSA grant . It is a five year grant that will bring about $ 1 . 8 million into <br /> our community to focus on things around mental health, nicotine misuse , and cannabis -related issues we <br /> are seeing with youth . <br /> WIOA NextGen program is accepting referrals to work with youth and young adults aged 16 - 24 who are <br /> interested in education , training , and employment . All youth must have an identified barrier, one of which <br /> being justice involvement. If you have any youth that are interested in these services , please refer them . <br /> Dispute Settlement Center is hosting monthly community listening circles that are still happening <br /> virtually for now . <br />