IPSU is designed to provide intensive supervision and services for at-risk youth who exhibit ongoing delinquent and at-risk behavior at school, home, and the community. By providing intensive services to youth, one of the primary goals of the IPSU is to prevent a youth from being placed out of the home. IPSU has five specialists that provide intensive case management services. These specialists include two Sex Offender Treatment Specialists and three LIFE Specialists. The IPSU Specialists use collaborative community resources (e.g., intensive outpatient, standard outpatient, etc.) to specifically target substance abuse, mental health issues, sex offending behavior, and delinquency.

The Juvenile Cognitive Alternative Rehabilitative Effort – Specialized Treatment Program (JCARE-STP) was introduced in 2012. This is a secure treatment program located in the Juvenile Justice Center that serves males between the ages 14-16 who are felony adjudicated sex offenders who would otherwise be committed to the Ohio Department of Youth Services (ODYS). The program contracts with Lighthouse Youth Services for sexual offender treatment, utilizing evidence based modalities of cognitive behavioral therapy and relapse prevention planning.

The LIFE Program is a home-based family counseling program for youth ages 10-18 and their families. This program began in 2006 and has continued to make positive changes for the youth and their families. The counseling is provided by South Community, Inc., and is free of charge. LIFE utilizes the Functional Family Therapy (FFT) model, and is tailored to the unique needs of each child any family. Youth involved in the LIFE Program receive specialized supervision, and are connected to a Natural Helper if desired. In order to be accepted into the voluntary program, youth must have a mental health diagnosis and be involved with the Court.

LIFE Court, the Mental Health Treatment Court, was established in 2017. This is a Specialized Docket certified by the Supreme Court of Ohio focused on serving youth between the ages of 13-17 who have been diagnosed with severe and persistent mental health diagnoses who would most likely be placed in out of home residential treatment. The program works with South Community to provide case management. Youth and families are also referred to a myriad of other services with the goal of keeping the youth in the local community.

Supervisor

Lindsay Birnbaum
937.225.5887
lbirnbaum@mcjcohio.org