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Central Shenandoah Office on Youth reports expanded services, rising need among younger juveniles
Summary
Jenny Newman told council the Office on Youth served diversionary and detention-alternative youth and expanded prevention programs; she reported an increase in younger participants and weapon incidents and stressed prevention's cost-effectiveness, a point echoed by a citizen speaker.
Jenny Newman, director of the Central Shenandoah Office on Youth, presented the office's annual report to the Waynesboro City Council on Nov. 24, summarizing services, trends and program outcomes.
Newman said the office served 57 youth through detention alternatives and 63 through diversionary programs in the reporting year and emphasized that participants are becoming younger (shifting from ages 15——1 to more 10——3-year-olds). She reported that the truancy board diverted 17 students from juvenile court in FY25 and that 82 students were carried forward into the new school year, with graduates and GED completions noted. Newman described multiple programs (including a new fatherhood program, Check and Connect truancy prevention, Screenagers docuseries delivered via an Augusta Health grant, Badger Bike Club and the Walk and Wheel safe-routes initiative), partnerships with schools, the YMCA and Augusta Health, and the office's role in coordinating with courts and social services.
Newman highlighted program costs and leverage: the office reported providing a life-changing intervention for one participant for about $122 of taxpayer money and leveraging an additional $0.42 per local dollar in external grants. She argued prevention programs are more cost-effective than court involvement.
In citizen comment, Jeff Fife, chair of the regional Office on Youth, thanked staff, urged volunteers and described vacancies for Waynesboro representation on the regional commission, repeating the $122 prevention ROI and urging local involvement.
Next steps: council thanked Newman and indicated continued support; the presentation does not record a council motion or vote.
