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Juvenile services presenter outlines Pathway Prep, parent program and community partnerships
Summary
At the JERAC quarterly meeting, Jeremiah McAdams described a prevention-focused juvenile program called Pathway Prep, a five‑session parent curriculum pilot and partnerships with local agencies; staff said four juveniles are currently active and that sustaining funding is uncertain.
Jeremiah McAdams, presenting the juvenile grant report to the investment advisory council (JERAC) on Sept. 5, said the county’s juvenile services program is emphasizing early prevention through school- and community-based partnerships and new curricula. McAdams said four juveniles are currently active in services tied to the Why Try curriculum and related programs, and staff are piloting a program called Pathway Prep for older teens and young adults.
The Pathway Prep program is aimed at 16- to 20-year-olds and focuses on job-readiness: building résumés, practicing interview skills and connecting participants with openings. McAdams said staff use follow-up contacts and informal coaching — for example, helping a juvenile study for a driver’s permit; that participant passed the test after staff-supported study sessions.
Why the program matters: council members heard that prevention and early engagement can steer youths away from later court involvement and better connect families with services. McAdams said program staff are spending substantial time building referral and service relationships with local partners.
McAdams described a five-session parent curriculum the program plans to run using a model called Operation Parents (sourced from Kentucky). The county intends to partner with Centerstone, the Department of Child Services (DCS), local treatment providers and other community agencies to deliver single-hour sessions on topics that include substance use, risky behaviors and online safety. McAdams said the county has secured childcare and refreshments, will offer attendance incentives such as raffles, and plans to hold sessions at the Learning Center in Greensburg; the parent sessions are intended to be free to participants and funded from probation and partner resources.
On staffing and sustainability, McAdams said roughly half of the salary for the juvenile services staff member referred to as Gracie is paid by the circuit court and the other half paid from local program funds. He said future funding is uncertain, and staff are planning to apply for additional grants and look for other ways to sustain the outreach if current state or department funding is reduced.
McAdams also reported that Gracie received certification to teach Why Try for both adults and juveniles and will begin a first adult Why Try class with wellness participants next week. He noted the program has secured curriculum books and that staff are coordinating with other local providers so classes are not missed if a presenter is unavailable.
Next steps reported to the council include finalizing dates for the parent sessions, circulating information to courts and schools for required referrals, and pursuing additional grant applications to sustain staff and expand prevention work. Funding renewals and state allocations were described as uncertain and under review.
