OJA Sets Community Meeting to Develop Juvenile Services in Three Southern Oklahoma Counties
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
A community meeting will bring together residentsand leaders of three southern Oklahoma counties to develop juvenile prevention anddiversion services in their communities.
The meeting, which brings the area one step closer to a shared plan, is set for 2 p.m.Tuesday, June 11, at the Asbury Complex in Comanche.
The Office of Juvenile Affairs (OJA) is coordinating the effort to address youth involvedand at risk of involvement in juvenile justice since last year’s closing of Youth Services forStephens County. Meetings were held in March and in April in Stephens, Cotton andJefferson counties. In addition to meetings, residents had the opportunity to take part inan online survey.
This month’s meeting will bring residents and leaders from the three counties together tolook into connections between needs, strengths and strategies of the three counties.
“We’re hopeful this process will identify exactly what the community needs, and that waywe can target our funding to ensure those services are implemented,” said AmandaMcClain, OJA’s community-based programs administrator. “We appreciate theinvolvement of those who have engaged in this process and dedicated their time to attendmeetings and provide feedback. Their input plays a significant role in developing andimplementing prevention and diversion services for the young people in theircommunities.”
OJA allocates funds to designated youth service agencies. To ensure community needsare met, a comprehensive plan is being developed to target existing dollars towardbuilding and implementing programs to meet the needs the communities identify throughthis process, McClain said.
Those attending the earlier meetings in Stephens, Jefferson and Cotton counties includedyoung people, family members, judges, court staff, district attorneys, juvenile justice staff,elected officials, school representatives and faith-based leaders.
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