Youth Empowerment Project (YEP) – Desert View Family Services & Counseling

Youthful Empowerment Project (YEP)

Youthful Empowerment Project (for students & youth)

Pre-Diversion Program

We partner with all school districts in San Juan County (1st grade- twelfth grade)

About The Service

Youthful Empowerment Project (YEP) is a diversion program that works in conjunction with all school districts in San Juan County to provide students and their parents with the knowledge of New Mexico’s new truancy law, known as the Attendance for Success Act, which continues to focus on early intervention and support.
Students in our program are monitored on a weekly basis and work with their case coach to overcome issues that keeping them from attending school, improve their grades and attend school on a regular basis that complies with the NM Statue.
A case coach can make referrals to inside and outside agencies to provide added support including but not limited to mental health counseling, medical check ups and homework clubs/tutoring.

Eligibility

Students who have accumulated up to 5 unexcused absences or show a tendency to abuse their excused absences.
YEP is also open to those students who have a history of truancy or absenteeism.
A referring agency may also refer a student if there are behavioral issues that need closer monitoring.

Duration and Referral

YEP works with a student and their family for 90 days with the possibility of being extended up to 120 days based on the students progress, the families growth and the referring agencies consideration.
Referrals will be accepted from: San Juan County District Schools, Juvenile Probation, Desert View’s FSS Program, JCC Program, Wraparound Program and Children Youth & Families Department.

What is Youthful Empowerment Project?

San Juan County’s YEP supports student accountability by providing support, structure, resources, and accountability for students (and their parents) who struggle with chronic tardiness or absenteeism or behavioral infractions.

San Juan County’s YEP (which is a program of Desert View Family Counseling) has been serving Students and families in our community since 2008.

YEP is a diversion program for students and families who want to avoid getting involved with the legal system because of the students truancy and behavior issues have escalated with the school district.

One on one case coordination, personal accountability (for both grades. attendance and behavior), mandatory participation in our “No Opportunities Wasted (N.O.W.) life Skills Group. Community Service Projects, etc.

All students who struggles with substance abuse will require an assessment, counseling, substance group and possible drug testing.

Students are referred to us by the Farmington, Aztec, Bloomfield and Kirtland Schools.

More About YEP

WHAT IS TRUANCY?

An unexcused absence from school or excessive (5 or more) unexcused absences from school
States enact school attendance laws which determine:
The age at which a child is required to begin attending school
The age at which a child may legally drop out of school
The number of unexcused absences which make a student legally truant
In many states, youth missing more than 10 days of school are required to repeat the entire school year.
Truancy is a major problem nationwide, yet states do little to prevent it and little to re-engage truant youth.

Children who are truant are more likely to:

Have lower grades
Be suspended or expelled
Drop out
Be delinquent
Be unemployed after age 18
Cost the community a lot of resources

Responsibilities of Student Defendants.

The student must appear for an intake with his/her parent, guardian, or custodian.
The student must complete his/her requirements within the time frame given (usually 60-90 days depending on the case).
Students must follow YEP rules of conduct.
The student must not commit any other offenses or behavioral infractions while on YEP.

New Student Referrals

Parent or guardian will be receive a phone call from Desert View with 3-5 days of the initial referral. An intake will be schedule with a YEP Coach to go over the program. During that time, the rules and expectations are discussed as well as filling out all paperwork pertaining to your case. If you know that you have been referred and have not yet received a call from us, please contact or text us. (505-947-4471) The student must have parent or guardian with them.

Current YEP Clients

Remember to check in weekly! You can do this by calling or texting.
Grade Tracking Forms can either be dropped off or emailed to truancy@mydesertview.org or to your assigned coach.

larry@mydesertview.org
or
roberto@mydesertview.org

These need to be turned in every week.