Berkeley County Commission authorizes $650,000 OJJDP grant application to add juvenile mentors

The Berkeley County Commission voted to authorize staff to apply for a three-year Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention grant totaling $650,000 to expand mentoring and support services for juveniles served by the county Day Report Center.

"These sorts of services aren't readily available to youth in our county," Tim Zion, director of community corrections, told the commission, describing the catalyst juvenile program that serves adolescents ages 12 to 17. He said the program has grown "quite a bit" and is operating at or near capacity.

Erin Mills, clinical supervisor at the Day Report Center, said Catalyst serves youths who are actively using substances or who have been negatively affected by a caregiver's substance use and often present with trauma, anxiety or depression. "One of the things that we were hoping to add to our continuum of treatment was a trauma informed mentor," she said, describing the role as supporting education, transitions and daily life skills beyond clinical sessions.

Amanda Gavin, a county grants administrator, told commissioners the OJJDP opportunity would be a three-year, $650,000 federal award with no local match required. The grant proposal would fund a full-time mentoring coordinator at the Day Report Center, dedicate half the time of a current peer recovery coach as an adult mentor, and fund a full-time mentor position at the Boys & Girls Club of the Eastern Panhandle. Remaining grant funds would cover mentor training, supplies and evaluation. Gavin said the initial pilot would aim to serve about 40 students per year and could expand if demand grows.

Commissioners discussed regional coverage for referrals and capacity. Officials said most referrals come from school counselors and juvenile probation; the Day Report Center provides transportation and works with schools to reach students who cannot come to the center. Zion and Mills said the program also receives referrals from Department of Health and Human Resources (THHR) for children involved in open CPS cases.

After discussion the commission moved and seconded a resolution authorizing county staff to submit the OJJDP application and pursue the three-year $650,000 award. The motion passed with the ayes recorded on the floor.

The grant application, if successful, would run from October (year of award) through September 2028 and would initially focus on Berkeley County with outreach and referral coordination described for neighboring Jefferson and Morgan counties as part of regional service planning. The proposal and service model described to commissioners emphasized a mix of clinical therapists, peer recovery coaching and new mentor capacity to address school attendance, family instability and community supports.

No amounts for program evaluation benchmarks or projected per-student costs beyond staffing were provided during the presentation. Commissioners asked staff to proceed with the application process and return with any required local approvals if the grant is awarded.