For more information contact: Boonshoft School of Medicine, Judi Engle, Office of Public Relations, (937) 775-2951

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 14, 2003

Reclaiming Futures–Montgomery County, Ohio
Receives $1 Million Dollars

DAYTON, OHIO—The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation has granted Reclaiming Futures– Montgomery County, Ohio, $1 million dollars for the next four years to address substance abuse treatment issues and services for young people in Montgomery County who are involved in the juvenile justice system.

Directed by Richard Rapp, M.S.W., A.C.S.W., of Wright State University School of Medicine, Reclaiming Futures–Montgomery County, Ohio, is a broad coalition of Dayton community partners whose principles include putting youth and their families first in the rehabilitative process. Rapp states, “If youth make a wrong decision it can affect their lives forever in a negative way. If they make the right decision, youths have the opportunity to grow and become successful. Their needs are now, their challenges are now.”
Judicial leadership plays a critical role in the coalition. Michael B. Murphy, Administrative Judge of the Juvenile Division of the Common Pleas Court, will participate in a two-year fellowship program developed by the foundation.

One objective for the coalition is to improve the quality of existing treatment services available to young people, including consistent, reliable, and appropriate substance abuse and mental health screenings and assessments for youth who enter the juvenile justice system.

A circle of support of natural helpers will be identified for these youth and may include their immediate and extended family, educators, neighbors, peers, along with social service
agencies, civic groups, community and faith-based organizations, and local recreational facilities. These people and organizations will support the program and will assist in identifying the strengths and abilities of these youth.

Initial partners of the Reclaiming Futures–Montgomery County, Ohio, coalition include: Montgomery County Juvenile Court; the Montgomery County Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services Board; the Center for Interventions, Treatment and Addictions Research, Wright State University School of Medicine; Samaritan CrisisCare; Eastway Corporation; City of Dayton Department of Parks, Recreation, and Culture; Big Brothers/Big Sisters; Project Impact; Dayton Rotary; Shiloh Church; Mt. Calvary Church; and The Dayton Foundation. The coalition has now been joined by numerous other community youth service providers.

Reclaiming Futures is a five-year, $21 million initiative of The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation based at the Graduate School of Social Work at Portland State University in Portland, Oregon. Reclaiming Futures–Montgomery County, Ohio, is one of 10 funded programs from 280 applicants to the foundation. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation was established as a national philanthropy in 1972 and today is the largest U.S. foundation devoted to health and health care. To learn about its mission and work, see http://www.rwjf.org.

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