NCJ Number
70868
Date Published
1980
Length
77 pages
Annotation
This manual is intended to help universities, agencies, and individuals develop programs similar to the Gainesville, Fla., Project CREST, which provides professional counseling to delinquent youth in three Florida counties.
Abstract
Project Crest (Clinical Regional Support Teams) has been designated an exemplary project by the National Institute of Justice. The program, designed to supplement State probation services, uses a dual treatment approach under which probation officers impose restrictions while counselors work to establish a supportive relationship with the youths involved. CREST uses a volunteer counseling staff drawn from graduate students in counselor education and also has a citizen advisory board. Following a general description of the program, the manual discusses CREST's history and how the project is affected by changes in Florida's juvenile statutes. A section on organization and operations discusses volunteer staff recruitment and training, administrative and clinical supervision of the volunteers, and the project's working relationship with the Florida Youth Services program. Additional subjects covered include CREST's treatment philosophy, service delivery methods, and the role of the citizen advisory board. A discussion of CREST evaluation studies, service costs, and budget follows. Finally, steps involved in planning and implementing a CREST program in other communities are reviewed. Figures, tables, photographs, and an appendix presenting forms the CREST counselors use to record client progress and counseling activities are included.