BOARD APPROVES RIDLEY-THOMAS' REQUEST TO EXPAND SCOPE OF SERVICES FOR SOUTH L.A. PROGRAM SERVICING SINGLE PARENTS 18 to 24 YEARS OLD

 

   FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

   January 26, 2010                                                                       Contact:  Aurelio Rojas 213-280-6579  or   James Bolden 213-200-5314

 

BOARD APPROVES SUPERVISOR RIDLEY-THOMAS’ REQUEST TO EXPAND SCOPE OF SERVICES FOR SOUTH L.A. PROGRAM SERVICING SINGLE PARENTS 18 to 24 YEARS OLD

Program’s focus is on child abuse and neglect prevention, intervention, and treatment funding

 

LOS ANGELES – At the request of Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas, the Board of Supervisors today authorized the Department of Children and Family Services to enter into a contract with the Gramercy Housing Group for a program to provide services to single parents between the ages of 18 and 24 in the Second District.

The two-year demonstration program will also include those who are pregnant or who have a young child under the age of 5.

Research strongly indicates that single young parents with small children are a high-risk group for possible abuse and neglect. Services provided by the Gramercy Housing Group are specifically geared to provide supportive services needed to prevent abuse or neglect.

On July 21, the Board of Supervisors approved funding allocations from surplus funds available through Assembly Bill 2994 Child Abuse and Neglect, Intervention, and Treatment Funding for four specialized programs.

The funding will provide $100,000 a year for years for the demonstration project. There is no requirement that the youth served by this program be recently emancipated foster youth, but the Gramercy Housing Group said these youth are the primary target for its services.

The Gramercy Housing Group provides child abuse preventive services to youth on a first-come, first-served basis. The services being are within the scope of AB 2994 which established a County’s Children’s Trust Fund for the purpose of funding child abuse and neglect prevention and intervention programs operated by non-profit organizations.

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