Youth Assistance Services
This program is offered by the communities of the Grosse Pointes and Harper Woods. They function to prevent and address juvenile delinquency. Voluntary participation in these programs offers youth who have committed first time misdemeanor offenses an alternative to the Wayne County Juvenile Court.

Youths participating in these programs are generally referred by local youth officer or Wayne County Court. Youth's participation is voluntary and confidential.

For information, please call  313.332.0972

Youth Assistance Program
The Youth Assistance Program utilizes the following components to address offenses committed and fulfill a youth's successful participation in the program:

·        Work Service requires a youth to complete a minimum of 15 hours of volunteer service at one of our approved community based sites.

·        Supportive Mentoring includes meeting with a trained volunteer mentor over a period of 6-8 weeks. The youth and mentor work together on identifying feelings and behavioral goals.

·        Project Impact is an adolescent peer group which meets for a total of 10 hours and is facilitated by trained professionals. Subject matter focuses on self-esteem, values clarification, chemical use and other adolescent issues.

Status Offense Service
The Status Offense Service program was created upon recommendation of referring youth officers and designed to address status offenses such as curfew violations, truancy or trespassing. It enables youths to take responsibility for their actions in proportion to the offense. Youths are required to complete a minimum of 15 hours of volunteer service at one of our approved community based sites. In addition, other Youth Assistance Program components may be selectively utilized to meet a youth's individual needs.

Chemical Assessment and Referral Services are completed on all youth to identify or address concerns regarding a youth's possible substance use. Prevention services are an integral part of the program that addresses broader substance use issues and their impact on children and families. Chemical assessments are used to determine the appropriate level of referral that may be needed.

In-Home Drug Test Kits are available on site for a nominal fee.

Parenting Resources and Referrals
Information on adolescent and family issues is available to community parents and youths. This service offers printed materials and information on workshops conducted by practicing professionals. As part of their youth's participation in the program, parents are encouraged to attend workshops within the community that focus on subjects such as: effective communication, building self-esteem, discipline, chemical prevention and other relevant adolescent issues.

Intern Program
Internships provide the opportunity for college students to experience all aspects of agency functioning. Students from Psychology, Social Work, Counseling and Humanities programs are closely supervised and trained in a number of areas. Interns participate in client mentoring, group process, assessment and referral, self-directed developmental projects and community networking.