2019–2020 Academic Year
111 S.E. Third Street, Suite 405, Evansville, IN • 812-421-8336 • youthfirstinc.org
SOCIAL WORK PROGRAM Building Resilience through Connectedness
From the beginning, the founders of Youth First, Inc. recognized that consistent, caring relationships would be the key to fulfilling the organization’s mission to “strengthen youth and families by providing evidencebased programs that prevent substance abuse, promote healthy behaviors, and maximize student success.” Trusted, impactful relationships are even more important today as the world navigates unprecedented uncertainties. More than 40,000 students and their families and educators continue to count on Youth First to buoy their mental health and well-being during extraordinarily stressful times. The Youth First integrated school mental health model is based on a risk and resiliency approach to prevention and early intervention. Free-of-charge, easy-to-access services decrease stressors and increase well-being by elevating the protective factors known to prevent risky behaviors and improve family and school connectedness. This brief summarizes Youth First Social Work program services and outcomes as analyzed by independent evaluator Diehl Consulting Group. This is the 15th consecutive year that our data confirms statistically significant improvements in the lives of students.
Youth First Social Work Strategies
59
Social Workers
80
K-12 Schools
40,054 Students with Access
25,148 Students Served
3,105
At-Risk Students Receiving Individual and/or Group Services
ADVERSE GENDER BREAKDOWN
Female Male
CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES 53% 47%
Economically Disadvantaged Parents Divorced or Never Married
RACIAL BREAKDOWN
White Multi-Racial Black Hispanic Other
79% 9% 8% 2% 2%
History of Family Substance Abuse History of Abuse and/or Neglect History of Family Mental Illness History of Family Domestic Violence Currently Incarcerated Parent
61% 48% 42% 33% 24% 22% 11%
GEOGRAPHIC BREAKDOWN
Urban Rural Suburban
47% 45% 8%
PUBLIC vs. PRIVATE SCHOOL BREAKDOWN
Public Private/Parochial
Reason for Referral Mental Health Concern Academic Concern
83% 17%
Home Life Concern Social Support
LIVING SITUATION
Living with a Parent Living with a Relative Living with Non-Family
Social Skills Concern 89% 9% 2%
SCHOOL DISCIPLINARY HISTORY
NO
70%
30%
YES
STUDENT ASSESSMENTS CONDUCTED
413
1,451
Suicide Risk
Substance Abuse
38% 22% 21% 11% 8%
Source of Referral 40%
Teacher/Administrator
29%
Parent/Caregiver
18%
Student Self-Referral
9%
Social Worker Instigated
2%
Friend of the Student
2%
Mental Health Professional
Strengthened Protective Factors
Students and parents reported significant improvements in protective factors in 2019-20. Statistically Significant Improvements from Baseline To 3 Months Children’s Hope
Coping Skills
Decision Making
Peer Resistance
Family Attachment
Resiliency
Mood Management
Communication
Family Conflict
Parent-Child Bonding
Reduced Individual Concerns Teachers, parents and students reported significant reduction in the intensity of concerns in 2019-20. Examples of Individual Concerns
Parents: poor decision making, depression, defiance, anger, family conflict Students: negative self-image, anxiety, depression, anger, academic performance Teachers Surveyed = 558
Parents Surveyed = 458
Intensity Rating (5-60)
Teachers: grades, attendance, poor decision making, disengagement, conduct issues
Reduced Concerns for Students
45 40 35 30 25
Students Surveyed = 380
Baseline
3 Months
5 Months
Increased School Adjustment Teachers reported significant improvements in school adjustment in 2019-20.
Increased School Adjustment
Adjustment score (1-7)
5.2
Examples of Adjustment Behaviors • School attendance • Homework completion • Classroom participation • Peer relationships
5.1
5.0 Teachers Surveyed = 664
4.9
Baseline
3 Months
5 Months
Decreased Problematic Behaviors Teachers reported significant decreases in problematic behaviors in elementary students in 2019-20.
Teachers Surveyed = 317
Positive Academic Progress
99%
of 2019-20 caseload students advanced to the next grade level or graduated.
Behavior Rating (0-100)
• Physically hurts others • Poor social behavior • Hides inner thoughts • Easily loses temper • Quits tasks without finishing • Poor attention span
Decreased Problematic Behavior
35
Examples of Problematic Behaviors
30
25 20
Baseline
93%
3 Months
5 Months
of 2019-20 caseload students who were graduating seniors had college or career plans.
2019-2020 School Partners Public
Barr-Reeve Community School Corp. East Gibson School Corp. Evansville Vanderburgh School Corp. Loogootee Community School Corp. MSD of Martinsville MSD of Mount Vernon MSD of North Posey Mooresville Consolidated School Corp. North Daviess Community School Corp. North Gibson School Corp. Orleans Community School Corp. Paoli Community School Corp. Pike County School Corp. Richland-Bean Blossom Community School Corp. Signature School South Gibson School Corp. Springs Valley Community School Corp. Warrick County School Corp. Washington Community School Corp.
Independent, Parochial & Private Catholic Diocese of Evansville Evansville Christian School Evansville Day School
*Dubois County is a new county in 2020-21
2019-2020 Social Work Program Investment: $4,267,886
This brief was prepared by Youth First, Inc. in association with Diehl Consulting Group. The information provided in this brief is extracted from the 2019–20 School Social Work Evaluation Results report submitted to Youth First, Inc. by Diehl Consulting Group.