Mentors Inspiring Success Project

One of the major challenges that foster care children often face in their personal development is the lack of the involvement of a consistent, caring adult in their lives. The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) will assist communities in establishing or expanding mentoring and support services for youth in foster care and foster care youth involved in the juvenile justice system. The legislative authority for this initiative can be found in the Department of Justice Appropriations Act, 2009, Pub. L. 111-8.

The goal of the Mentors Inspiring Success Program is to assist children involved with the foster care system by establishing a close connection with an adult through a mentoring relationship. In the short term, the program will prevent foster care placements, transition children out of foster care and prevent children from re-entry into the foster care system. In the long-term, children will develop the life skills necessary to become successful adults who are not reliant on the social services or justice systems. Children 17 or younger who are currently involved in a Sherburne County Social Services case and are at risk of, or are currently in, foster care placement will be served. The program will establish and implement the Mentors Inspiring Success Program. Sherburne County Social Services case managers will refer children appropriate for the program. Mentors will work closely with the case manager to assist in setting goals with the mentee and work with them on a weekly basis for a minimum of 12 months. Performance measures will be used to ensure program goals are met. Information will be collected through tracking documents, qualitative data from case managers and mentors, survey data and the Social Services Information System database. CA/NCF