(Bannock County Newsletter, August 13, 2024; Cover Photo Credit: Bannock County)
One year ago, Bannock County took a huge step to improve the access to support systems for youth and families in the area. Today, hundreds of families have been connected to the support they need through the help of The Village.
What is it?
The Village: A Place for Youth and Families serves children of all ages in the 6th Judicial District, including Bannock, Bear Lake, Caribou, Franklin, Oneida, and Power Counties, as well as the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes.
The Village prevents children from entering the juvenile justice and child welfare systems by providing early intervention services and support for families.
Teachers, parents, counselors, aunts or uncles, and law enforcement can refer a struggling child to The Village for an “assessment.” The Village staff will screen the child to find out what underlying issues are contributing to the concerning behavior. Then, the staff connects the child and their family to the appropriate resources to address those issues.
They also offer other services, like tobacco prevention education, counseling services, and the River Buddies program, where teens in foster care go on a guided fishing trip to Island Park.
Previously, children had to be cited by law enforcement or the school district in order to access the services that could help them get back on track.
But now, kids don’t have to be funneled into juvenile detention or probation for problems that can be solved at home with a bit of help from community resources.
How are things going?
It’s been a busy year at The Village. Here is a glimpse at the successes of The Village’s first year of operation.
- 655 – The number of referrals for service The Village received in the first year of operation. Of those referrals, 83% came from law enforcement, 12% were self-referrals, 4% came from schools, and 1% were child protection referrals.
- 408 – The number of kids and families The Village provided services and case management for.
- 190 – The number of families who obtained clinical assessments and follow-up services from The Village.
- 5,000 – The number of hours of support that AmeriCorps members and interns provided The Village.
- 41 – The number of families that received counseling services from January 2024 to June 2024.
- 37 – The number of youth who participated in the Idaho Public Health’s tobacco education class hosted by The Village.
- 27 – The number of youth who participated in the Bannock Youth Foundation’s “Making Sense of Your Worth” program at The Village.
- 32 – The number of parents who participated in the Idaho Office of Drug Policy’s “Families in Action” education program at The Village. The class helps parents and adolescents work together to set healthy boundaries and build trust between one another.
Here’s to another year of helping children and their families! Congratulations to The Village team.
