Birmingham City Council approves juvenile re-entry program

The Birmingham City Council on Tuesday approved the RESTORE juvenile re-entry program to provide comprehensive services and support for youth ages 16 to 19 who are currently committed to the state’s Department of Youth Services.

The program is a partnership with Jefferson County Family Court, Jefferson County Family Resource Center and the Jefferson County Juvenile Detention Center and part of a wider collaboration to focus on root causes of violence in order to address prevention and re-entry.

“We know that 69 percent of the youth ages 13 to 22 who were murdered last year had prior family court contact,” Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin said in announcing the program. “83 percent of the perpetrators under the age of 22 charged with murder or attempted murder last year had prior family court contact. RESTORE will provide impactful intervention for this population at risk with support and services not just for the youth but their family, too.”

The city will provide $225,000 in funding that will go to:

· Comprehensive family intake and assessment

· Intense strength-based case management

· Benefits assessment

· Pay for essential documents such as State ID

· Creation of a participant educational/career plan

· Transportation for participants

· Provision of work/training equipment, clothing, testing/certification/licensure costs

· Incentives for progress and success

· Work with families to ensure safe housing and stability

· Advocacy, systems navigation and community-based services

“This is a program that I believe will make a significant impact on the lives of children and families within the Birmingham community as well as the entire Jefferson County community,” said Presiding Judge Janine Hunt-Hilliard of Jefferson County Family Court. “We have children in family court that I believe, if given all the services, not only to them but to their families, will make a significant impact in their lives and change their trajectory. And that is what we intend to do.”

In his “State of the City” address on Tuesday to the Kiwanis Club of Birmingham, Woodfin announced the program as part of his administration’s effort to address violent crime through investments in prevention and re-entry programs as well as enforcement. He noted that his fiscal year, the city has committed:

· $1 million to Common Ground, a conflict resolution program utilizing the H.E.A.T. curriculum for at risk youth in Birmingham City Schools

· $1 million for a second year to mental health support for Birmingham City Schools students

· $2.1 million as a funding-partner with the Jefferson County Department of Health in a hospital-linked violence intervention program

· $1 million for Safe Haven programs at Birmingham recreation centers

These investments are enhanced by the city’s support to expand early childhood education through Birmingham Talks and the launch of a financial literacy curriculum for Birmingham City School students with the BHM Financial Freedom program.

Combined, these programs are part of an overall engagement to focus on root causes of violence in order to enhance the continuance of care to better address prevention and re-entry, Woodfin said.