Lighthouse Christian Academy School, 2315 Hill Ave, Gadsden, AL 35904, US

The Primary Mission of the St. Clair County Day Program, Inc is to prevent juvenile crime in the County and to provide a positive, cost-effective alternative to incarceration. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION The St. Clair County Day Program, Inc is an innovative Department of Youth Services licensed day treatment facility for seventy-five (75) high-risk adolescents and their families. Implementation of the program is the result of community concern for increased school dropout rates, high juvenile crime statistics, and strain experienced by the juvenile court. Adolescents, ages 11-18 are ordered to attend the program by the St. Clair County Juvenile Court Judge. One probation officer provides supervision for all students during their involvement in the program. The Day Program provides direct services to these high-risk adolescents and their families. These services include Academic Remediation, GED Preparation, Behavior Management, ROPES course training, Parent Project education, along with individual, group and family counseling. The services a student receives are outlined and individually tailored to address the factors putting them at risk. This outline includes primarily academic and clinical goals that formulate an individualized success plan. The Day Program operates on a year-round basis. Students attend the program, Monday through Friday from 8: 00 a.m. to 2: 45 p.m. Office hours are from 7: 30 a.m. to 3: 30 p.m. Services are provided by a staff composed of professionals in the fields of counseling and education. Funding for the program is the result of a countywide collaborative effort including the United Way of Central Alabama and various grant sources. The academic portion of the program currently consists of five (5) master and bachelor level certified instructors, one (1) part-time GED Instructor and one (1) part-time art instructor. St. Clair County School System employs two (2) of the full-time instructors. Bridge, Inc provides three (2) full-time counselors, Eastside Mental Health allocates approximately ten (10) hours of services each week. Additional clinical services include one (1) clinical coordinator/prevention counselor and one (1) bachelor level counselor/prevention specialist. A school-based prevention effort launched by the agency, employs a counselor/case manager in a St. Clair County Middle School. A juvenile services case manager provides linkage to other services available in the community, along with aftercare and follow-up of all participants. A community service coordinator supervises all court ordered community service hours completeed on site. The administrative staff consists of an administrative assistant, whose salary is provided by a juvenile court service fund and a director who is employed by Pell City School System.