Our Programs
Parenting Skills Development Program
The Parenting Skills Development program provides free, regular parenting classes in Somerset County at the Somerset County Detention Center, Eastern Correctional Institute, and the Somerset County Shelter Center to support family change in a class setting. The program employs the evidence-based strategy of Active Parenting, Active Parenting of Teens, Families in Action, and Parenting Inside Out. The classes generally run for six weeks. This program is provided by Community Behavioral Health.
G. R. I. T. Mentoring Program
The Growth, Respect, Improvement, and Tenacity Mentoring Program (G. R. I. T.) is designed to help develop young men and women from different aspects of life through mentoring and promoting positive attitudes, self-discipline, and respect. The program utilizes School Resource Officers from the Somerset County Sheriff’s Office and is mainly considered an after school program. The program will help to enhance reading and math skills through continued education, tutoring, and one-on-one support. The program encourages positive thinking through various skill-building activities, along with defining life goals and objectives through short and long-term goal setting. The program helps students to develop strategies to overcome obstacles through the process of mapping and youth skill-building activities.
Healthy Somerset Community Gardening Program
The Healthy Somerset Community Gardening Program is overseen by the Health Department in coordination with the Eastern Correctional Institute who in turn maintains the community garden. Over the past eight years the garden has produced over 80, 540 pounds of fresh fruits and vegetables. The main months of harvest are from May to November. The harvest is distributed to several local agencies and non-profit offices around Somerset County for residents to pick up. The produce is placed in bags that include recipes and information on how to prepare. In conjunction with the Health Department’s Diabetes Program, the gardening program will incorporate cooking classes teaching residents how to prepare the produce that has been harvested.
Preparing Children for School Program
The Preparing Children for School Program will provide packets of school readiness materials to all students enrolling in Pre-K3 and Pre-K4. The kits will address the learning domains of math, language, literacy, social foundations, and physical development. Parents will also be invited to attend sessions as well as view a video created to teach parents about school readiness. This program is provided by the Judy Center.
The Somerset Youth Crossover Project
The Somerset Youth Crossover Project will be modeled after the Crossover Youth Practice Model by the Center for Juvenile Justice Reform. The planning project will work to implement a system to identify and address the unique issues presented to children and youth who are known to both the child welfare and juvenile justice systems. The model will help to prevent youth from crossing over between the two systems as well as enhance interagency collaboration on behalf of those youth to best meet their needs and position for long-term success. Georgetown University will be the consultant in planning the model of which they have been working on since 2007.
Transportation Study & Pilot Planning Project
The Transportation Study & Pilot Planning Project will address one of the biggest needs in Somerset County which is access to transportation. The planning strategy will involve contracting with a consultant who will conduct a professional study on the barriers our families face in regards to transportation. The consultant will report their findings and possible solutions to improve access to these needs. A small pilot population will be identified to test these solutions in hopes of a larger program being implemented.
Healthy Families Lower Shore Program
Healthy Families Lower Shore is a free and volunteer home visiting program for any new parent in Somerset County. Parents can enroll in the program when they find out they are pregnant and until the baby is four months old. Home visits can occur weekly, biweekly, monthly, or quarterly. During a home visit, the home visit will provide an activity for the parents and the baby. They will also provide helpful safety and developmental information in addition to referrals to other services that the family could benefit from. If you are interested in enrolling in the Healthy Families program or would like more information, please contact Clinical Supervisor, Valerie Jackson-Brownlow, at (410) 251-6829.
All programs, policies, procedures, and activities conducted by and through the Somerset County Local Management Board, it’s employees, contractors, and subcontractors shall be conducted without regard to race, color, national origin, sex, age, religion, marital status, political affiliation, or mental or physical handicap.
