CYC Announces Continuation of $600,000 Grant

CYC Announces Continuation of $600,000 Grant
Program focus on mentoring for Children of Incarcerated Parents

The continuation of the grant will continue the important work of matching children of incarcerated parents with caring adult mentors. While over 385 children were matched with caring adults over the last three years, the need is still great.

"We're very pleased with our success and progress to date in matching children with incarcerated parents to a mentor but we know we still have a lot of work ahead of us."; states Simone Bess, Vice President of Mentoring for the CYC, "In fact we have even received letters from prison inmates asking for us to include their child in the program," says Bess.

Ohio is known to have the 7th largest number of incarcerated adults and 22nd highest level of incarceration in the nation. Urban Institute studies show that, like the rest of the nation, this is due to longer terms of imprisonment and increased admissions. In Ohio, the state prison system's level of intake has increased in every year: from 16753 in 1997, to 19850 in 2002, and 24297 in 2006. Hamilton County, Ohio is more likely to confine both juvenile and adult offenders than any other county in the state. Research also indicates that children of incarcerated parents are seven times more likely to become involved in the juvenile and adult criminal justice systems.

CYC will partner with Talbert House, an agency that offers innovative services focused on substance abuse, mental health, community corrections, and welfare-to-work.