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Individual Services

Adolescent Response Unit (ARU) -This program has partnered with the FITS program to serve our youth and their families. ARU is a contracted program through Children and Youth who work with adolescents from age 12-17 investigating allegations of neglect and/or abuse. The ARU program serves nearly 200 families in a year. The ARU worker meets with youth and families on a monthly basis helping them to be self-sufficient members of the community. The ARU worker is able to provide resources to families such as counseling with FITS or another provider, assistance with the completion of important forms, assistance with obtaining housing, food, or employment, advocates for the family and child in the school setting, and makes any other necessary recommendations in order for a family to stay intact. The ARU worker is able to monitor progress through the development of a family service plan. The program’s overall main goal is to assure the safety and well-being of each child. 

School Based Program -The School Based program provides services in both Park and Taylor Elementary Schools within the Columbia School District. and is a contracted program through Children and Youth. In each school, the youth workers are able to provide one on one individual intervention to students from kindergarten to 6th grade as well as support school personnel in and outside of the classroom when dealing with daily challenges. The worker also provides in-home intervention twice a month to youth and their families. Each client has a wide array of needs from academic to behavioral concerns. The worker actively discusses and monitors the advancement of the student by speaking with school personnel (i.e. teachers), making consistent contacts with the student and his/her parent to update them on the student’s progress, as well as discussing any family concerns. The worker is able to help strengthen the communication between the home and school and then empowers the parent to maintain regular contact. Overall the main goal of the program is to help the student succeed in the school, home, and the community. This service is available free of charge to the families in the Columbia Borough School District.  From 3:00-5:00 the worker is present at the clubhouse to facilitate homework club and tutoring to all club members.

Charles (LC) Brooks
"The club gave me scholarship opportunities to attend school and lead me in the right direction. I attend Hofstra University majoring in Sociology with a minor in humanities and played football, currently transferring to another institution for the same major and minors."

Learn more about LC's story >>