A r c h i v e d  I n f o r m a t i o n

Mental Health Clinic
Public Health Services
Juvenile Court Office
Department of Human Services
Mid-Iowa Community Action
Alternative Services, Inc.
Domestic Violence Alternative
Covenant Medial Center
Catholic Charities
Job Service of Iowa
Jobs Training Partnership Act (JTPA)
Job Corps
Iowa Valley Community College
Mesquaki Alcohol & Drug Abuse

What is the goal of the project?

To help ensure that every South Tama student graduate is employable, healthy and drug-free. It is STCSBYSP's premise that any student on any given day could be at risk so it strives to serve all students while targeting those most at risk.

Who participates in the project?

South Tama middle and high school students (grades 6-12), drop-outs to age 21, and their families. The program also offers various services to other adults in the community under the belief that a healthier community leads to healthier families who raise healthier kids. Starting in the fall 1994, the project expanded its services to the elementary level. The project's school has a 16.3 percent minority population consisting mainly of Native Americans (11.3 percent) and Hispanic (4 percent). In 1993-94,962 students had at least one contact with the Center.

What services are provided?

• Mental health, individual, family, group, and crisis counseling; diagnostic evaluations; emergency hotline
  
• Health services including pregnancy testing, physicals, nutritional counseling, WIC, dental assessments, immunizations, and education
  
• Substance abuse assessments, educational groups, support groups
  
• Intense supervision and independent living.
  
• Family development and basic needs.
  
• Pre- and post-pregnancy counseling and adoption services
  
• Counseling for family violence and sexual assault
  
• Employment services such as work experiences, job training, apprenticeships, college/career exploration, job searches, etc.
  
• GED, Learning Lab for credits needed to graduate, and tutoring
  
• Recreational services
  
• Limited daycare
  
• New for 1994-95: a mentoring program

How are collaborators evaluating their success?

Since the spring of 1991, staff at the Center have tracked demographics, services, contacts, and outcomes. This information is added to a database throughout the school year. A copy of this information (minus names and addresses) is sent to the Iowa Department of Education, where it is tabulated and summarized. Evaluations are also generated through annual student and parent surveys.

What are the collaborators learning?

Overall, these have been highly favorable of the SBYSP, and results show an increase in attendance and grade point averages (GPAs); however, the programs have not yet decreased the drop-out rate. Results also have indicated a need to work harder to pull in Native American students since this population makes up 50 percent of the drop-outs, yet only 11 percent of the student population. Detailed evaluation results are lengthy and may be requested from the people listed above.

Contact person

John Legg
High School Principal
South Tama County Schools
1715 Harding Street
Tama, IA 52339
(515) 484-4345 (Phone)
(515) 484-5152 (Fax)

[School-Based Youth Services Program: New Brunswick, New Jersey]

[The Children's Aid Society's Community Schools Program: New York, New York]