Lifeline Youth Services Starts Campus Project In Pierceton
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By Teresa [email protected]
Six years in the planning, the project's first phase - two residential facilities and an alternative school - should be finished and ready for occupancy by the end of summer.[[In-content Ad]]It is north of U.S. 30 and east of Ind. 13.
"It's a great day for us," said Mark Terrell, Lifeline's chief executive officer. "We're changing hearts and creating hope for a generation, making a lasting change."
Terrell thanked the Pierceton, Warsaw and Kosciusko County communities for a whole-hearted welcome.
An all-boy campus, Lifeline's Pierceton location will initially take in about 60 children between the ages of 12 to 15. About 70 staff members will work there.
It's not a holding facility.
"They are here for two reasons," Terrell said. "They've made poor decisions or their family has made poor decisions. They're here because of delinquencies, truancy from school, shoplifting, alcohol or drug use. They're not criminals or fire-starters or violent.
"They also come because they've either been abused or neglected by their families.
"Our objective is to get them back home, if that's possible. We work with families so they can go home. For the ones that shouldn't return to their family, we work with adoption agencies or foster homes."
The organization operates Black Lake Lodge in Whitley County, as well as Beyer Manor west of Warsaw and Riverwood, which houses girls, in Warsaw.
Black Lake Lodge is sold, and the boys there and at Beyer Manor will move to Pierceton.
Most of the children, 95 percent, are sent through a government agency, like welfare, the courts or department of corrections.
"There also are private placements, families coming to us for help. They are 5 percent of the population and growing."
Stays are as short as 30 days and up to nine months long.
"We help kids make lasting changes," Terrell said. "Our kids are in school and receive individual and group counseling. We want them to be good citizens."
Part of citizenship means continuing their education. Terrell said the clients are very bright, but usually behind in school work.
"We help them keep up, catch up and get ahead," Terrell said, adding that the staff works closely with a boy's school teachers to make sure they're on pace.
The alternative school is Freeway accredited, which means credits are given once mastery of a subject is achieved.
"For example, my daughter has to spend 70 days in calculus. If it takes her 30 days to master the subject, she still has to take 40 more days. With the Freeway system, a master credit is issued as soon as the subject is learned and the kids move on.
"For once in their life, they're ahead when they go back to their regular school.
"Since the state has determined a 16-year-old can be emancipated and live independently, we have an independent living program in Fort Wayne, for boys with six apartments. With 24-hour supervision, they're to get a job, make money, secure transportation and transition to their own place."
The clients are tracked when they leave the Lifeline system. Terrell said they have a 67 to 70 percent success rate at the residential homes, and an 80 percent success rate with the independent living program.
"We'll never be successful with everyone. Compare that to the success rate of the national prison system - 8 to 15 percent. That's a warm and fuzzy percent, isn't it? That's why we cannot build prisons fast enough."
Terrell credits the agency's faith-based foundation for the high success rate.
"We do not expect or demand religious participation, just respect. I believe it makes a difference," he said. "Most kids and families who are in trouble could care less that we're faith-based."
Families are welcome to visit their children. In addition to counseling, the boys' families are offered counseling, too.
For people who can't visit regularly, "there's not a good way to drive up from Evansville," Terrell said, offsite visits using video cameras will be available.
"The cameras will also allow judges to interview the children."
This will save the Kosciusko and Whitley counties' sheriff's departments staff hours of time and expenses in collecting, delivering and returning the clients to campus.
Terrell said he welcomes questions. The agency's toll-free number is 800-509-6884. His e-mail address is [email protected]
On the Net: www.lifelineyouth.org
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Six years in the planning, the project's first phase - two residential facilities and an alternative school - should be finished and ready for occupancy by the end of summer.[[In-content Ad]]It is north of U.S. 30 and east of Ind. 13.
"It's a great day for us," said Mark Terrell, Lifeline's chief executive officer. "We're changing hearts and creating hope for a generation, making a lasting change."
Terrell thanked the Pierceton, Warsaw and Kosciusko County communities for a whole-hearted welcome.
An all-boy campus, Lifeline's Pierceton location will initially take in about 60 children between the ages of 12 to 15. About 70 staff members will work there.
It's not a holding facility.
"They are here for two reasons," Terrell said. "They've made poor decisions or their family has made poor decisions. They're here because of delinquencies, truancy from school, shoplifting, alcohol or drug use. They're not criminals or fire-starters or violent.
"They also come because they've either been abused or neglected by their families.
"Our objective is to get them back home, if that's possible. We work with families so they can go home. For the ones that shouldn't return to their family, we work with adoption agencies or foster homes."
The organization operates Black Lake Lodge in Whitley County, as well as Beyer Manor west of Warsaw and Riverwood, which houses girls, in Warsaw.
Black Lake Lodge is sold, and the boys there and at Beyer Manor will move to Pierceton.
Most of the children, 95 percent, are sent through a government agency, like welfare, the courts or department of corrections.
"There also are private placements, families coming to us for help. They are 5 percent of the population and growing."
Stays are as short as 30 days and up to nine months long.
"We help kids make lasting changes," Terrell said. "Our kids are in school and receive individual and group counseling. We want them to be good citizens."
Part of citizenship means continuing their education. Terrell said the clients are very bright, but usually behind in school work.
"We help them keep up, catch up and get ahead," Terrell said, adding that the staff works closely with a boy's school teachers to make sure they're on pace.
The alternative school is Freeway accredited, which means credits are given once mastery of a subject is achieved.
"For example, my daughter has to spend 70 days in calculus. If it takes her 30 days to master the subject, she still has to take 40 more days. With the Freeway system, a master credit is issued as soon as the subject is learned and the kids move on.
"For once in their life, they're ahead when they go back to their regular school.
"Since the state has determined a 16-year-old can be emancipated and live independently, we have an independent living program in Fort Wayne, for boys with six apartments. With 24-hour supervision, they're to get a job, make money, secure transportation and transition to their own place."
The clients are tracked when they leave the Lifeline system. Terrell said they have a 67 to 70 percent success rate at the residential homes, and an 80 percent success rate with the independent living program.
"We'll never be successful with everyone. Compare that to the success rate of the national prison system - 8 to 15 percent. That's a warm and fuzzy percent, isn't it? That's why we cannot build prisons fast enough."
Terrell credits the agency's faith-based foundation for the high success rate.
"We do not expect or demand religious participation, just respect. I believe it makes a difference," he said. "Most kids and families who are in trouble could care less that we're faith-based."
Families are welcome to visit their children. In addition to counseling, the boys' families are offered counseling, too.
For people who can't visit regularly, "there's not a good way to drive up from Evansville," Terrell said, offsite visits using video cameras will be available.
"The cameras will also allow judges to interview the children."
This will save the Kosciusko and Whitley counties' sheriff's departments staff hours of time and expenses in collecting, delivering and returning the clients to campus.
Terrell said he welcomes questions. The agency's toll-free number is 800-509-6884. His e-mail address is [email protected]
On the Net: www.lifelineyouth.org
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