Cicero Youth Task Force - Institute for Latino Studies

Transcription

Cicero Youth Task Force - Institute for Latino Studies
Cicero Youth Task Force
Action Priorities
January 2005
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Cicero Youth Task Force
Action Priorities
January 2005
Committed to enhancing the quality of life for Cicero children
and families by working together to prevent youth risk factors
Written by the members of the Cicero Youth Task Force
For additional information on the Cicero Youth Task Force, please contact:
•Patricia Seghers, PhD, LCSW (Facilitator), Community Care Options at 708-795-4800 ext. 3035
•Adam Alonso, MSW (Assistant Facilitator), Corazón Community Services at 708-656-1400
•Jean Rehor, BA (Parliamentarian), Town of Cicero/Cicero Youth Commission at 708-863-8979
•Jen De Lisle, BA (Secretary), Four Community Prevention Program at 708-383-7500 ext. 317
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Executive Summary
The Cicero Youth Task Force (CYTF) is a
volunteer coalition of over 40 individuals and
organizations who are dedicated to the
well-being of youth and families in Cicero. Its
mission is to enhance the quality of life for
Cicero children and families by working together
to prevent youth risk factors. Task force members
cooperate to share information on organizational
activities, to leverage support and resources, and
to develop a comprehensive strategy that serves
the needs of children, youth and families in the
community.
Cicero is a growing community with a young
population – in 2000 close to 35% of residents
were under the age of 18. In addition, approximately 80% of the population is Latino and
two-thirds of Cicero households are bilingual.
Many families face challenges related to poverty,
employment, language, and education. While
there is an urgent need to expand the range of
activities and services for children and youth,
the inventory of such services is limited (see Appendix 1). For example, there are approximately
20,000 children between the ages of 6 and 17
in Cicero, and fewer than 3,000 children are
engaged in after school activities on a regular
basis. There are 11,664 children under the age of
6, so the need for such programs will continue
into the future.
CYTF members are committed to ensuring that
a variety of prevention initiatives are available to
address the challenges and risks that youth and
families face in today’s society. Members recognize that addressing the educational status of
children is fundamental to its work. The CYTF
has identified five areas of priority concern and
developed strategies and goals that address these
priorities:
Priority Areas and Goals
•
After School Issues – To increase
activities for youth during out-of-school
•
•
•
•
time.
Counseling – To increase availability of
affordable, accessible, home and
office-based mental health services for
families.
Early Childhood Education – To
coordinate and expand existing services
for young children.
Parental Participation – To increase
parental participation in school and
community activities and to involve
parents as active leaders in the
community.
Safety – To make Cicero streets safe for
children and free from gang violence so
that children can grow in a safe and
healthy environment.
Strategies
•
Promote and increase collaboration and
partnerships among agencies, schools,
hospitals, parents and youth in order to
expand services.
•
Identify resources and grant
opportunities to expand services.
•
Work with School Districts #99 and
#201 and the Cicero Education Task
Force to implement strategies to address
priority areas.
•
Develop a youth leadership group and
expand the CYTF to include youth.
•
Develop a parent leadership group and
expand the CYTF to include parents.
The CYTF invites community participation and
support to implement these strategies and achieve
these goals. Only by working together can we ensure that children will have enhanced leadership
and educational opportunities beginning at birth.
Only when parents are engaged in their children’s
schools will children achieve their highest potential and will the Cicero community be safe and
free from violence.
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Resumen Ejecutivo
El Cicero Youth Task Force (CYTF) es una
coalición voluntaria que cuenta con más de 40
personas y organizaciones dedicadas a procurar
el bienestar de niños y sus familias en Cicero. Su
misión es trabajar juntos para prevenir los factores de riesgo en la juventud y así mejorar la
calidad de vida para los niños y las familias de
Cicero. Los miembros de CYTF comparten información sobre actividades organizadas que sirven para promover ayuda y recursos. De esta
manera se desarrolla una estrategia comprensiva
que contribuye a servir las necesidades de esta
comunidad.
Cicero es una comunidad en crecimiento cuya
población es en su mayoría joven - en el 2000,
35% de sus residentes eran menores de 18 años.
Aproximadamente el 80% de esta población es latina y dos tercios de sus habitantes son bilingües.
Existe una urgencia en ampliar el ámbito de actividades y servicios para estos niños y jóvenes
pero el inventario de estos servicios es limitado
(Apéndice 1). Por ejemplo, de los 20,000 niños
que viven en Cicero entre las edades de 6 a 17,
aproximadamente menos de 3,000 participan en
actividades o progamas después de la escuela en
forma regular. De acuerdo con el censo del 2000,
hay 11,664 niños menores de 6 años en Cicero,
lo cual indica que la necesidad de estos programas continuará en el futuro.
La preocupación de los miembros de CTYF es
el de asegurarse de que exista una variedad de
medidas preventivas disponibles para poder responder a los desafíos y riesgos que la juventud y
las familias enfrentan en la sociedad de hoy. Sus
miembros reconocen el trabajo fundamental que
ellos tienen: el de mantener el estatus educativo
de los ninos. El CYTF ha identifacado 5 áreas de
preocupación principal y ha desarrollado estrategias y metas para responder a estas prioridades:
Áreas de Prioridad y Metas:
•
Actividades después de la Escuela:
incrementar el número de actividades
disponibles para para jóvenes después de
la escuela.
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•
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Asesoramiento: aumentar la disponibi
lidad de servicios de salud mental para
las familias , tanto en hogares como en
los centro de trabajo. Estos tienen que
estar accesibles y a precios razonables.
Educación Pre-escolar: coordinar y
ampliar servicios existentes para niños en
edad pre-escolar.
Participación de los Padres: incrementar
la participación de los padres en la
escuela y en actividades comunitarias y
de esta manera incluirlos como líderes
activos.
Seguridad: asegurar que las calles de
Cicero sean seguras para los niños, libres
de violencia y de pandillas permitiendo
que los niños puedan crecer en un
ambiente sano y seguro.
Estrategias:
•
Promover y aumentar la colaboración
entre agencias, colegios, hospitales,
padres y jóvenes para expander servicios.
•
Identificar recursos y oportunidades de
subsidios para expander servicios.
•
Trabajar con los distritos escolares #99
y #201 y con Cicero Education Task
Force para implementar estrategias y
poder responder a las áreas de prioridad.
•
Desarrollar un grupo de líderes jóvenes
y expandir el CYTF para poder incluir a
estos jóvenes.
•
Desarrollar un grupo de líderes de padres
y expandir el CYTF para poder incluir a
estos padres.
EL CYTF invita la participación y el apoyo de la
comunidad para implementar estas estrategias y
alcanzar las metas trazadas. Solamente trabajando juntos podemos asegurar que los niños tengan
mejor dirección y oportunidades educativas desde su nacimiento. Cuando los padres participen
en las actividades escolares de sus hijos, sus niños
podrán alcanzar su potencial más alto y la comunidad de Cicero podrá ser una comunidad segura
y libre de violencia.
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Table of Contents
Introduction.................................................................................................................................... 1
Cicero Community Description..................................................................................................... 2
Population
Age
Immigrant Status and Language
Household and Poverty Status
Education
Summary
Priority Areas and Goals................................................................................................................ 5
Priority Areas................................................................................................................................. 6
After School Issues
Counseling
Early Childhood Education
Parental Participation
Safety
Appendix 1:
Summary of Youth and Family Services in Cicero................................................ 20
Appendix 2:
Cicero Youth Task Force Membership................................................................... 28
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INTRODUCTION
Several individuals representing a variety of organizations met in December 2003 to form the
Cicero Youth Task Force (CYTF). The Cicero
Youth Task Force is a volunteer coalition of individuals and organizations who are dedicated to
the well-being of youth and families in Cicero.
A list of 40 organizations involved with the task
force is attached (see Appendix 2). The task force
members are experienced in providing services
to youth and families through a variety of programs.
contribute their skills and resources to improving outcomes for the children and families in the
community.
The mission of the CYTF is to enhance the quality
of life for Cicero children and families by working together to prevent youth risk factors.
The task force has established bylaws and elected
officers. They are:
•
Patricia Seghers, PhD, LCSW of
Community Care Options (Facilitator)
•
Adam Alonso, MSW, of Corazón
Community Services (Assistant
Facilitator)
The task force is committed to the following ideals. Children will have more educational and
leadership opportunities beginning at birth and
continuing throughout their school years. Parents
will be engaged with their children, in their children’s schools and in their children’s lives. The
community will be safe and free from violence.
Sufficient mental health services will be available
to deal with the challenges people experience in
the community.
Members are particularly concerned with ensuring that a variety of prevention initiatives are
available to address the challenges that youth
and families face in today’s society. The CYTF
has worked to identify areas of priority concern
and develop strategies that will be put in place to
address these priorities.
The CYTF members work together to share information on organizational activities, to leverage
support and resources and to develop comprehensive strategies that serve the needs of children
and families in Cicero. Through the relationshipbuilding and networking that occur in task force
meetings and activities, a broader base of community institutions is informed of activities that
are occurring in Cicero. The community is being fostered and organizations are not working
in isolation. In addition, organizational members
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•
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Jean Rehor, BA, of the Cicero Youth
Commission (Parliamentarian)
Jen De Lisle, BA, of the Four
Community Prevention Program
(Secretary)
The CYTF builds upon the previous work of
many dedicated organizations and individuals
that have been committed to coordinating services in the Cicero/Berwyn areas for more than
20 years. Their organizing body was called the
Children and Youth Coalition of the Berwyn-Cicero Area. The Coalition began with the Cook
County Department of Public Health and Youth
in Crisis, Inc. in November 1983 and initially focused on teen pregnancy issues in Berwyn and Cicero. Over time, the coalition shifted to address a
broader youth agenda across both communities.
However, given the population growth and multiple needs of each community, the Cicero Youth
Task Force was created to address issues facing
youth specifically in Cicero.
The CYTF’s commitment to expanding the range
of activities and services for children and families
in Cicero is underscored by the need for services
identified in the attached service inventory (see
Appendix 1). This inventory indicates that fewer
than 3,000 children are engaged in after school
activities provided by organizations such as the
Park District, Boys’ and Girls’ Club, Boy Scouts
and Girl Scouts. Many more children need to be
reached.
CICERO COMMUNITY DESCRIPTION
In the last decade, the Cicero community has witnessed a substantial demographic shift. The 2000
census reported that the town’s population grew
by 27% between 1990 and 2000, from 67,436 to
85,616. As of 2000, nearly 80% of this population was Latino (88.3% of all Latinos living in
Cicero are of Mexican origin).
Population
Total Population of Cicero - 1990 and 2000
1990
TOTAL POPULATION
Number of Latino
% Latino
% Latinos who are Mexican
2000
67,436
24,931
37
87.1
% INCREASE
85,616
66,299
77.4
88.3
27%
166%
Source: www.nd.edu/~latino. Analyzed by the University of Notre Dame, Institute for Latino Studies, Metropolitan
Chicago Initiative
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Age
Immigrant Status and Language
In 2000 there were nearly 30,000 children in Cicero under the age of 18. This represented an increase of over 50% since 1990. Nearly 10,000
children were under age 5 and over 20,000 were
between the ages of 5 and 17. In 2000 more than
one in three (34.6%) Cicero residents were under
the age of 18. Those figures were expected to increase by 2005.
Many area residents are immigrants (43.6%) and
just 25.6% of all households indicate that they
speak only English at home. Most of the households (65.7%) are bilingual. In addition, many of
the foreign-born residents are recent immigrants,
with 42.6% arriving in the United States between
1990 and 2000.
Foreign Born and Ability to Speak English - 1990 and 2000
1990
Number of foreign born
% Foreign born
% Foreign-born citizens
% Speak only English at home
% Speak English and other languages
Arriving 1990 - 2000
Arriving 1980 - 1989
Before 1980
Number of Children
25,000
20,275
2000
16,119
23.9
36.2
57.9
39.3
41.4
58.6
37,343
43.6
27.0
25.6
65.7
42.65
29.8
27.5
Source: www.nd.edu/~latino. Analyzed by the University of Notre Dame, Institute for Latino Studies, Metropolitan
Chicago Initiative
20,000
9,373
15,000
1990
2000
13,126
10,000
6,014
Number of Foreign Born
Cicero, IL 1990-2000
5,000
0
under 5
5-17 years
40,000
37,343
35,000
30,000
25,000
Children in Cicero - 1990 and 2000
AGE
Less than 5
5-17
% Pop. under 18
1990
2000
6,014
13,126
28.4
% INCREASE
9,373
20,275
34.6
55.9%
54.5%
Source: www.nd.edu/~latino. Analyzed by the University of Notre Dame, Institute for Latino Studies, Metropolitan
Chicago Initiative
20,000
16,119
15,000
10,000
5,000
0
year 1990
year 2000
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Households and Poverty Status
Summary
Census data report that there are a total of 23,115
households in Cicero. Half of these households
comprise two to four individuals, and nearly one
in three has five or more persons. More than half
of these households own their own homes. The
unemployment rate in Cicero in 2000 was 9.6%.
The median household income in Cicero in 2000
was $38,044, and nearly one out of every five
children was living in poverty.
These data describe the community that the CYTF
is committed to serving. It is primarily a community of Mexican immigrants, many of whom arrived recently in the United States. As the CYTF
strives to fulfill its mission of working to prevent
youth risk factors, it is important to understand
the community’s cultural and linguistic context
as well as the issues of cultural adaptation and
integration that confront new immigrants.
Demographic Characteristics - 1990 and 2000
HOUSEHOLD SIZE
Number of households
2-4 persons
5+ persons
% Who own a home
% Unemployed
Median household income
% Poverty*
% Children in poverty
1990
2000
56.1
8.9
$35,797
13.9
19.4
23,115
50.1
32.5
58.8
9.6
$38,044
15.5
19.7
Source: www.nd.edu/~latino. Analyzed by the University of Notre Dame, Institute for Latino Studies, Metropolitan
Chicago Initiative
* in 2000 the poverty threshold for a family of four was $17,603.
Many outstanding organizations work with families and youth in Cicero. However, the presence
of nearly 30,000 children in the community offers a tremendous opportunity and challenge,
which is to keep children engaged in positive after school activities.
Education
About one in three Cicero residents have less than
nine years of formal schooling and over 50%
have less than a high school education. About
6% have completed college.
Educational Attainment in Cicero - 1990 and 2000
EDUCATION
% Less than 9th grade
% Less than high school
% High school grad or higher
% Bachelor's degree or higher
1990
2000
20.5
43.6
56.3
7.1
31.0
51.7
48.4
6.2
Educational Statistics are reported for adults aged 25 and over. Source: www.nd.edu/~latino. Analyzed by the
University of Notre Dame, Institute for Latino Studies, Metropolitan Chicago Initiative
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PRIORITY AREAS AND GOALS
Beginning in April 2004, the Cicero Youth Task
Force worked to identify priority areas of concern
for children in Cicero. These issues were then
organized around common themes. As a result of
this process, the following areas emerged as the
top priorities:
•
•
•
•
•
After School Issues
Counseling
Early Childhood Education
Parental Participation
Safety
Other identified issues include:
•
•
•
•
•
•
Job and employment training for
teens ages 15–19
Programs to prevent students from
dropping out of high school
Drug prevention programs for youth
Youth programs that are holistic
(addressing mind, body and spirit)
Addressing the immigration status of
undocumented families
Voter registration
While these are important issues, the task force
chose to first focus on the top five issues.
working with the local school systems is critical
in order to implement the goals and strategies of
the task force and to improve the overall educational outcomes of children in Cicero.
At subsequent monthly meetings task force
members were asked to respond to the following
questions:
•
What is the issue?
•
What resources already exist in the
community to address this issue?
•
What are the gaps?
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What are some of the ways to address
this issue on both a short-term and
long-term basis?
•
What are the action steps?
Who will do it?
•
What resources are needed?
It was understood that short-term strategies
would be accomplished during the first year
through the volunteer resources of the member
groups. Long-term strategies will require additional resources.
Currently, task force members are engaged in
lively discussion, sharing their knowledge of the
community, developing strategies and identifying
resources to improve the quality of life for children and their families.
The task force also recognizes that while the educational status of children was not specifically
identified as an issue, education is fundamental to
all of the priority areas. The CYTF understands
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STRATEGIES
As a result of these discussions the CYTF has
accomplished the following:
•
Development of a document identifying
the priorities of the task force.
•
Development of a dissemination plan for
the CYTF Priorities document.
Additional strategies include:
•
Promote and increase collaboration and
partnerships among agencies, schools,
hospitals, parents and/or youth in order
to expand services.
•
Identify resources and grant
opportunities to expand services.
•
Work with School Districts #99 and #201
and the Cicero Education Task Force
(CETF) to implement strategies to
address the priority areas.
•
Develop a youth leadership group and
expand the CYTF to include youth.
•
Develop a parent leadership group
and expand the CYTF to include parents.
Priority Areas and Goals
After School Issues
Goal: To increase the opportunities for youth in
Cicero during out-of-school time.
Issues
Cicero is home to a tremendous number of children. Approximately one-third of the population
is under the age of 18 and the 2000 census counted nearly 30,000 children in this age group. Yet
only a limited number of organizations is working
to keep children engaged in positive after school
activities. The lack of after school programming
is especially acute for children between the ages
of 13 and 18. The after school committee seeks
to build on the strengths of young people and
invest in them so that they can nurture skills to
be the future leaders of society. In addition, after
school programs should ideally be “public places” where children can gather in a safe environment, free from violence, and participate. These
programs will minimize the number of students
who drop out of high school or who become teen
parents. Programs will also assist students in preparing for future education and leadership. While
a variety of resources exist, collectively they serve
fewer than 3,000 of the 20,000 youth between
the ages of 5 and 17.
Existing resources
•
Cicero Youth Commission has two
sites serving 350 children ages 5 to 12.
•
Girl Scouts serve approximately 400
girls up to age 14 at nine schools.
Volunteers lead their efforts.
•
The Park District (all sites combined) has
two pools, and basketball and soccer
programs serving 500 children, baseball
serving 400 children, volleyball, and
many classes such as piano. An
additional 200 children are served in
classes. Participants are ages 5 to 14.
•
Hawthorne Park District has one
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•
•
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building for after school programs
offering volleyball, basketball for grades
4-8 and outdoor soccer serving 90 youth.
The Boys’ Club serves 82 youth on a
daily basis, through programs such as
Smart Moves, Street Smart
and Smart Girls.
The Boys’ Club is a Teen REACH site.
The Children’s Center (including both
sites) serves approximately 65 children
ages 5 to 12.
The Four Community Prevention
Program sponsors three ongoing after
school programs at Unity Junior
High School, which serves approximately
120 students a year.
Unity serves an additional 800
children on a weekly basis.
Cicero Youth Task Force (CYTF) is a
resource but does not serve
youth directly.
The Teacher’s Center at Northeastern
Illinois University (NEIU), University
of Notre Dame, and Interfaith
Leadership Project (ILP) are working to
implement an education planning
process.
Youth in Crisis (see Counseling section).
Catholic Charities is establishing a new
after school program at a local
Cicero school.
The Illinois Employment and Training
Center provides job training to
youth ages 18 and older.
Pav YMCA has nearly 2500 members
•
who are Cicero residents and 600
residents who participate
in YMCA programs on an annual basis.
In addition, there are 70 campers, 22
holiday campers, and 10 children who
participate in camp and after school
activities.
Unity Junior High launched the
following activities for youth during
their inaugural year:
o
$15,000 Grant Winners (the
Original Unity Tigers)
o
Over 1,000 students showed up
for the first intramurals program.
o
Between 625 and 750 students
participated in the Extended Day
Guided Reading Program.
o
Math Olympiad Participants
o
Art / Science Fair
o
Speech & Drama Winners
o
Town Spelling Bee Winner
o
Hosted the Fine Arts Fest.
o
Hosted the Young Authors’ Fair.
o
Multiple Student Government
Events
o
Finalists in the Fatherhood
Initiative Essay Contest
o
Several Parent Workshops
o
Paw Pride Program
o
Talent Shows
o
Hispanic Heritage Celebrations
o
Stay On Track Program
o
IPA & SCOTY Awards
o
Honor Roll Celebrations
o
Celebrations of Achievement
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o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
2 Choirs
Vocal Instrumental Group
2 Chess Clubs
Physics Club
Poetry Club
Space Club
Computer Club
Several extracurricular Fine Arts
classes
8 Space Camp Scholarships
Lock In with over 200
participants
Unity students also play other
schools in organized sport teams.
Gaps in services
•
Available space, especially free space for
programs
•
Money/funding for programs
•
Transportation to and from facilities
•
Services for special needs youth
•
Programs focusing on older youth ages
14 to 21
•
More programs for youth ages 5 to 13
•
Programs that run Monday through
Friday after school for all school-age and
older youth
•
Staff and volunteers are needed for
additional programs.
•
Some schools are not open late.
•
Free or low-cost programs that offer
computer classes
•
Job training
•
Tutoring
•
•
•
Sports/recreation programs and
open gym time
Drug education/prevention
Leadership development
Strategies to address gaps
•
Utilize Mary Queen of Heaven facilities
•
Corazon Community Services to open in
the fall, three days per week, providing
youth programs serving youth 14–21.
•
Contact Ann Cothran at Morton East
High School to find out about the 21st–
Century Community Learning Centers
(CCLC) grant they received.
•
Work with School District # 99 for 21st–
CCLC funding and partnerships with
community-based organizations (CBOs).
•
Explore CBOs as Supplemental
Education Services after school providers
for School District #99 and
Morton High Schools.
•
Meet with Cicero Board of Education
to explore applying for a 21st–Century
learning grant next spring.
•
Explore the status of Supplemental
Education Service grant with the Cicero
School Districts.
•
Work with the town of Cicero to see if
there are other resources that could be
applied for.
•
Build relationship with Northeastern
Illinois University (NEIU) teacher’s center
to identify funding opportunities.
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•
•
•
Determine status of other organizations,
e.g. El Valor, that may provide services
in Cicero.
Develop a strategy to engage the Town of
Cicero, and the CYTF and the Cicero
Youth Commission to provide
comprehensive after school services.
Identify the level or resources that the
Town of Cicero provides to
youth services.
Short-term action steps
•
Meet with Cicero Board of Education
to explore applying for a 21st Century
learning grant next spring.
•
Explore the status of Supplemental
Education Service grant with the Cicero
School Districts.
Counseling/Mental Health Services
Goal: To increase the availability of affordable
and accessible, home- and office-based, mental
health services for families in Cicero.
Issues
Cicero has a tremendous need for mental health
and crisis services that are available, affordable,
and family-focused and that incorporate people
with bilingual and bicultural competencies. The
need for these services has increased
What resources are necessary?
•
Space
•
Grant writing
•
Partnerships with Cicero Schools and
other service providers
•
Identification of funding opportunities
Members of this committee are:
Adam Alonso, Mayra Nava, Sandy Cervenka,
Jean Rehor, Vicky Acosta, Dan Canavan, Mary
Newman, Sherry Scouffas, Donna Adamic, Jen
De Lisle.
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substantially due to the expansion of the population, especially for children ages 3 to 18. Increasing the availability of these services in a bilingual
and bicultural setting is important, understanding that the population is primarily Spanishspeaking. In addition, a large number of undocumented individuals are unable to access state
programs such as Kid Care, Medicaid and Food
Stamps. Additional services are needed to respond to emergencies. Finally, providers indicate
that there are difficulties with the state’s processes to enroll individuals who are eligible for Medicaid, into managed care companies. Families do
not receive clear information about the ramifications of enrolling in managed Medicaid.
Existing resources
•
Catholic Charities provides home- and
office-based counseling and case
management services to families.
•
Community Care Options (CCO) has a
Spanish-speaking child/adolescent
psychiatrist, 20 slots on an ongoing
basis. CCO also provides home-based
case management for 27 clients,
counseling for 25 high risk children and
adolescents, and SASS – screening,
assessment and specialized services for all
eligible children and adolescents who are
risk for psychiatric hospitalization.
•
John H. Stroger Hospital has three
adolescent psychiatrists.
•
Family Service and Mental Health
Center of Cicero provides counseling
services for 40 children, home-based case
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•
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•
management services for 15 children,
parent advocate services for 3
parents, and parent education classes for
30 parents at any one time. Fees for
counseling and advocate services are
based on a sliding scale. Home-based
case management services are free but
require a school referral, and parent
education classes are free. All services are
available in English and Spanish.
Pillars offers counseling for victims of
sexual assault, an art therapy group, and
medical advocacy.
Pilsen–Little Village Mental Health
Center offers individual and family
counseling/therapy, medication
monitoring, and psychiatric evaluations.
Services are home based, school based,
office based and environmental based.
Services are ongoing.
Youth Outreach Services offers
individual, family, and group counseling
and outpatient substance abuse treatment
for youth.
Sarah’s Inn provides counseling for child
victims and witnesses of domestic
violence, art therapy, playgroups,
tutoring, parent education classes, and
speakers on violence prevention.
Youth In Crisis (YIC) has bilingual staff
and offers the following services at
no cost:
10
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o
o
o
o
o
o
Short-term counseling services to
approximately 350 youth and
their families annually. There has
historically been no waiting list
for counseling services.
Has a grant from the Illinois
Department of Human Services to
provide 24-hour crisis intervention
to Cicero youth/families in
situations of runaways, lockout
youth, and “ungovernable” youth.
These are usually responses to
calls from the police department
or school districts.
Works closely with the Cicero
Police regarding youth first
offenders or referrals for station
adjustments, to divert from future
juvenile justice systems.
Provides a Family Solutions
Program that is a ten-week family
support group program to help
families communicate effectively,
devise better conflict resolution
strategies, etc. Two groups are run
concurrently, one in English and
another in Spanish.
A mentoring program that
connects youth ages 10 to 16 with
adult volunteer mentors trained
and screened
YIC conducts a gang intervention
program at Unity Junior High
School in Cicero for 7th and 8th
graders who have been referred by
o
school personnel and could benefit
from extensive decisionmaking and healthy lifestyle
direction through a ten-week
curriculum-based program after
school. Three cycles of this
program will be conducted this
school year and involve up to
60 kids.
Mujeres Latinas En Acción
provide services related to
domestic violence issues.
Gaps in services
•
Demand exceeds availability in
many areas of mental health services.
•
Affordable mental health services are
shrinking given state funding restrictions
and the shifts within Medicaid that
involve managed care companies.
•
There is an acute need for bilingual
providers, counselors, and psychiatrists.
•
There is a need for more bilingual family
case management services, both
home based and community based,
so that families can remain emotionally
and financially stable.
•
MISA services for dually diagnosed
children are limited.
•
Transitional services for 18 year olds
who are moving from their family setting
to independent living are limited.
•
There is a lack of access and funding for
psychiatric care, medicine, and
counseling for undocumented families.
11
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Strategies to address gaps
•
Seek out other state/federal grants and
form partnerships with schools, hospitals
and community health agencies.
•
Seek out funding that is not restrictive
and limited to state requirements.
•
Obtain long-term funding for more
services.
•
Create a resource directory of affordable
and available services in the community.
•
Collaborate among all agencies to
maximize possibility of grants.
•
Work closely with the schools to
maximize grants interfacing school
and community-based agencies.
Short-term action steps
•
Agencies maintain sensitivity to the need
of the Spanish-speaking population by
hiring bilingual staff as positions become
available.
•
Write a clarifying statement about the
ramifications of managed Medicaid and
distribute it or circulate it via newspaper.
•
Use of student interns, when available, to
help decrease the existing waiting lists at
agencies.
•
Enroll all eligible families in Kid Care or
Kid Care Families.
•
Cross reference information among
community agencies to maximize services
for families.
•
Compile a directory of current services
within the community.
Members of this committee are:
Beatriz Albelo, Amy Barth, Michele Chalifoux,
Michelle Murray, Ana Padron, Leticia Romero,
Regina Rossetto, Mike Rudolph, Pat Seghers,
Sandy St. Pierre, Dave Terrazino.
Early Childhood Education
Goal: To coordinate and expand existing services
in Cicero for young children.
Issues
More than 2,000 babies are born each year
in Cicero. The adjusted
2000 census reports
that 11,664 children
under six years of age
were living in Cicero
in 2002. This number
is higher than that any other neighboring community, and although quality services for young
children already exist, the available services are
insufficient to meet the needs of all children.
Gaps in early childhood services
•
Insufficient funding to meet the current
need for services
•
Inadequate opportunities for early
childhood programs for 3–5- year- olds
•
Limited number of programs that address
the needs of young children with
disabilities
12
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•
•
Inadequate availability of licensed
quality child care
Limited certification of the early
childhood work force
Some existing resources
There are some excellent programs serving children from birth to five years in Cicero, but more
programs are needed in order to prepare children
for school.
•
The Children’s Center of Cicero/Berwyn’s
child development programs
•
Morton East High School, teen moms
program
•
Early Care Planning Group of Berwyn
and Cicero (Illinois Facilities Fund -IFF)
•
Early childhood programs for children
with disabilities (birth to three).
Strategies to address gaps
•
Enssure the provision of high quality
early childhood programs for all
children, ages birth to five years old and
their families.
o
Strengthen partnerships between
school districts and other groups
interested in the needs of children
ages birth to five.
o
Facilitate a dialogue between
kindergarten teachers and early
childhood program providers.
o
Research the number of
accredited early childhood
programs in Cicero and explore
ways to encourage further accredi
o
o
o
o
o
o
tation (early childhood, at-risk,
Head Start, community
pre-school, park district and
special needs programs).
Increase capacity and locations of
parent/child activity program
(including book and toy lending
libraries and Lekoteck, a
recreational program for young
children with disabilities).
Increase parent education
opportunities and promote
existing programs.
Include parents of young children
in CYTF Parent education
committee goals.
Include early childhood parent
education activities on a
community website.
Increase the number of children
(ages birth to three) who are
screened for developmental and
social/emotional delays and refer
to quality services.
Facilitate recruitment of qualified
bilingual early childhood
professional coordination with
MR high school, Morton College
and through participation
community fairs.
13
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o
•
•
Establish an early childhood
center or a welcoming center for
families with young children to
provide resources, referral, and
educational opportunities.
•
Check in with potential
initiators.
•
Produce a community
resource directory and
distribute broadly.
o
Increase mental heath resources
and providers to support not only
children and their families but
also childcare providers, teachers,
and those who support caring for
children in their home.
Increase childcare capacity.
o
Increase childcare capacity,
center based and home based
including childcare of children
with disabilities and those with
medical conditions.
o
Liaison with Early Care Planning
Group of Cicero and Berwyn,
facilitated by the IFF and
committed to increasing local
childcare capacity.
Enssure that all young children have
accessible, comprehensive, and
coordinated health care.
o
Promote KidCare And Access to
Care.
o
Promote the practice of good
oral health
•
Advocate at local, state, and federal
governments for programs that are
beneficial to young children
o
Identify a cadre of concerned
individual and determine
needed tasks
o
Create a public celebration of
early childhood during the “Week
of the Young Child”
April 3 – 9, 2005.
Short-term action steps
•
Liaison with All Our Kids (AOK): Early
Childhood Network-Cicero
•
•
•
•
•
Hold a community-wide celebration
during the “Week of the Young Child”
which runs from April 3-9, 2005.
Liaison with Early Care Planning Group
of Cicero and Berwyn, facilitated by the
IFF and committed to increasing local
childcare capacity
Monitor status of ECEP proposal
submitted by Northeastern Illinois
University (NEIU).
Promote early childhood education
opportunities by working with Action
for Children and the Carol Robertson
Center, to hold a minimum of two
workshops.
Increase the number of home day care
providers by exposing community
members and high school students to
career opportunities.
14
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•
Increase communication
among community
coalitions to improve
coordination of services.
Ongoing action steps
•
•
•
Monitor the health
status of young
children (AOK).
Promote early childhood
career opportunities.
Monitor status of other
early childhood
education.
Members of this committee are:
Rosalind Larsen, Kate Armstrong, Margarita
Paredes, Pat Makris, Cheryl Bulat.
Parental Participation
Goal: To increase parental participation in school
and community activities and involve parents in
active leadership in the community.
Issues
There is limited parental participation in many
school and leisure time activities, including those
that require volunteer support (e.g., Girl Scouts).
In part this is due to the fact that many parents
have limited English-speaking ability. Often children translate for parents. Many parents are not
“connected” to their children’s schools and do
not feel comfortable in the school setting. Some
family members, especially women, may not feel
they should get involved given cultural norms.
Yet increased parental participation would benefit children, families, and schools in a myriad of
ways.
Existing resources
•
Girl Scouts of Whispering Oaks Council
Latina Adult Volunteer Advancement
(LAVA)
•
Interfaith Leadership Project’s “No Child
Left Behind” trainings
•
Cicero Education Task Force – Parent
Involvement Committee
•
“Parent / School Liaisons” within each
District # 99 building tied to Title I
funding, directed by Betty Husain, served
over 100 parents
•
“Wiggle Worms” – parent / toddler
15
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•
•
•
•
•
program to teach parents how to work
with young children’s academic progress
(program sites are held at certain District
# 99 schools).
“PACO” – community agency that works
with parents and toddlers (program sites
are held at certain District # 99 schools)
“P.E.P. – Parents as Educational
Partners” provided by District # 99
Betty Husain.
Northeastern Illinois University –
development of parenting models
Cicero School District # 99 holds a
Resource Fair once a year and invites all
agencies to bring materials and
information.
Unity Junior High School held parent
workshops during its inaugural year.
Gaps in services
•
There is a need for information at all
Cicero schools on how parents can
become involved in their children’s
education.
•
Increase parent education about gangs
•
Promote better communication between
families, school and community agencies
•
Limited communication among parents
and schools
•
Immigration status of many parents
poses challenges to engagement.
•
Limited English-speaking ability of many
parents
•
Limited activities for the entire family
•
Need for parent outreach/support
•
•
Support for bilingual classes/resources
Need more community organizing and
developing internal leadership.
Short-term action steps
The parent participation group of Cicero Youth
Task Force will work together with the Cicero
Education Task Force in implementing the strategies.
On a strategic level, committee members will attend both CYTF meetings and Cicero Education
Task Force meetings, acting as representatives for
both and networking resources between the two.
The networking would work as outlined below,
bringing information, resources, ideas, and strategies from one group to another and implementing these strategies through the networks of parents connected to schools.
Youth
Task Force
Parent
Participation
Committee
Education
Task Force
Given this structure, the short-term strategies
would be:
•
Parental Participation members join
Cicero Education Task Force and attend
meetings.
16
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•
•
•
•
Invite all Parent-School Liaison members
from the school district to join Education
Task Force.
Invite parent leaders to come and sit on
Parental Participation Committee and
attend CYTF meetings along with Cicero
Education Task Force meetings.
Members from Parent Participation
Committee may join specific School
Improvement Teams as consultants to
help build parent participation in the
schools. (Specifically starting with Cicero
West Elementary School and trying to
build Parent-Teacher Organizations.)
Parent Participation Committee members
will report back to the CYTF on specific
strategies discussed at Education Task
Force meetings. Committee members will
also be looking to network resources
from the CYTF to help bring about more
parent participation. (For example,
asking community resources to network
with schools to have classes for parents
in district schools. Another example
could include asking community
resources for names of parents who could
be leaders in upcoming parent programs.)
a copy machine, etc.
Members of this committee are:
Ivette Franco, Martha Cruz, Maria Nieto, Alicia
Barajas, Elizabeth Sherman.
Safety
Goal: To make Cicero streets safe for children
and free from gang violence, so that children can
continue to grow in a safe and healthy environment.
Issues
Teachers indicate they can keep students safe on
What resources are necessary?
•
Human resources of time commitment
are mainly needed, for example, parent
leaders to take a part in this committee.
•
Advertising resources are needed to
distribute all the information to invite
parents to become more involved – paper,
17
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school property, but ensuring safety after school
is an issue. There is a need to ensure the safety of
students walking to and from school to minimize
their expose to gangs and violence. Members of
the task force that work in the schools (including
school psychologists) indicate that gang recruitment is happening at Unity, at Morton East and
at the elementary schools. In addition, homeless
youth are at risk. While there is police presence
at Unity and at Morton East, there are limited
patrols at elementary schools. In addition, there
is a need for bilingual/bicultural officers.
•
Existing resources
•
Police Department (one “gang” squad)
makes rounds between Unity,
McDonald’s and Morton East High
School.
•
A Cicero police officer who specializes in
gang issues who is available during
regular 9-to-5 work hours.
•
School Security
o
Unity Junior High School has a
total of 6 off-duty policy officers.
o
Morton East High School has 2
off-duty police officers and 15
internal security officers.
o
New freshman center also has
security.
•
Crossing Guards
•
School specific programs (intramural
sports, after school activities)
•
Parents (available to transport children
to/from school)
•
Parent-teacher organizations
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Youth Programs such as Youth In Crisis
gang intervention program (see
Counseling section), Salvation Army
Cicero Youth Commission (see After
School section for numbers of children
that participate.)
Other neighborhood social service
agencies such as Catholic Charities,
Interfaith Leadership Project, Sarah’s Inn,
Pilsen–Little Village Community
Mental Health
Some school sport programs exist, but
they are limited and/or inconsistent.
There are varying levels of parental
involvement in school.
Morton East High School has a
curriculum on dating violence and gang
avoidance.
Unity Junior High School got a grant for
violence prevention, which will be led by
students.
Possibility of master’s level social work
student from the University of Illinois
Gaps in services
•
Inconsistent practices among schools re
availability of after-school programs and
police presence
•
Lack of education/training for crossing
guards
•
Limited community resources and
education for local businesses and
parents re gangs and other issues
affecting Cicero youth
18
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•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Lack of involvement by businesses that
are youth hangouts
Weak/inactive parent-teacher
organizations
Shelters for homeless youth
Inconsistent police coverage in the
community before/after school
Need collaboration and coordination of
efforts between community agencies to
address the mind/body/spirit needs
of youth
Limited parental and community
participation due to fear of retaliation
Lack of a community policing program
Not enough communication and
coordination among service providers.
Need to share information among
agencies. An example is the park district
offering a program and not having a
sufficient number of children attending.
Recruitment could have come from task
force members
Possible inaccessibility of Youth
Commission to all youth living in Cicero
Is there coordination between Youth
Commission and police department to
ensure safe passage of children to Youth
Commission?
Language barriers
Dissemination of resource information
available to community residents via
school/town, e.g., create hotline for
sharing of community resources
information available to residents.
•
•
•
Need for inclusion of Cicero police in
Cicero Youth Task Force
Need for street gang intervention
programs
Need to work with local elected officials
so that they can create “youth friendly”
legislation
Strategies to address gaps
•
Education – parent, community, crossing
guards, businesses – education regarding
gangs
•
Build strong parent/teacher organizations
•
Disseminate resources, coordinate
among service providers (shelter for
homeless youth).
•
Pursue involvement of Cicero police on
the task force (community policing
efforts)
•
Increase collaboration among agencies,
schools, and parents through the CYTF.
•
Review police incident data to identify
areas of increased incidents of violence in
the Cicero community.
•
Develop an action plan related to these
“hot” spots.
•
Increase participation of community
residents on the CYTF
•
Review the parent/teacher organization
structure in place throughout the school
district(s) and utilize these groups as a
means of increasing community
involvement on safety issues.
•
Create neighborhood police programs in
conjunction with police.
19
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Short-term action steps
•
Cicero police involvement in the task
force – Randy Braverman will discuss
this issue at an upcoming meeting with
the Cicero Police Chief. The goal is to get
police involvement on the Safety
committee. The committee will also
consider drafting a letter to the police
department inviting their participation.
•
Education – Rafael Leon has committed
one intern from the Pilsen–Little Village
Mental Health Center (PLVMHC) to
address parent, community and local
business education regarding gangs.
The intern will begin in August 2004.
•
Dalia Rocotello will investigate the
possibility of educating Cicero crossing
guards in the area of gang awareness.
She will discuss this with the Cicero
Police Department, as the crossing guards
fall under their supervision.
What resources are necessary?
•
Meeting space at local schools for
activities on gang education (described
above)
•
Assistance of the Cicero Police
Department
Members of this committee are:
Randy Braverman, Rafael Leon, Dalia Rocotello,
Roberta Vinyard, Ross Pesce.
20
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Appendix 1 – Summary of Youth and Family Services in Cicero
As reported by members of the Cicero Youth Task Force
Priority
Organization
Areas
After School Issues
Cicero Youth
Commission
Girl Scouts
Clyde Park
District
Hawthorne Park
District
Boy Scouts
Boys’ and Girls’ Club
The Childrenís Center of
Cicero/Berwyn
Pav YMCA
Illinois Employment
Training Center
Unity Junior High School
and the Four Community
Corazón Community
Services
Catholic Charities
Unity Junior High School
Program/Service
Approx. #
Children Served
After school activities
350, 2 sites
Troops, Literacy, Science and Nature
Workshops, Special Interest Groups
(sports, photography, personal issues,
etc), Summer Activities
Pool, basketball,
Soccer
Baseball
Other classes, e.g., piano
After school
Volleyball, basketball,
Soccer
After school
Troop
400, 9 sites
Recreational
After school
Family memberships
Family participants
Summer camp
Holiday Camp
“School’s out” days
Youth job training
After school prevention program
After school tutoring
After school, H.S. youth
After school
Various clubs and school related activities
(See after school section on pages 11-12).
500
400
100
90
100
82
1 site
80
65
2 sites
2,462
6,542
70
22
10
120
800
Duration
Ongoing
Seasonal
Seasonal
Seasonal
Ongoing
Ongoing
Seasonal
Ongoing
Ongoing
Ongoing
Ongoing
Ongoing
Ongoing
Summer
Holiday
Varies
Ongoing
New program
1 x per wk
New program
New program
One year
21
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Priority
Areas
Counseling
Organization
Catholic Charities
Community Care Options
Family Service and Mental
Health Center of Cicero
John H. Stroger Hospital
(formerly Cook County
Hospital)
Pillars Care Center
Pilsen-Little Village Mental
Health Center
Sarahís Inn
Youth in Crisis
Youth Outreach Services
Mujeres Latinas en Acción
Program/Service
Office and home-based counseling/case
management
Child psychiatrist
Home-based case mgmt
Counseling for high risk children and
adolescents
Counseling
SASS
Child and Family Therapy
Home-based case management
Parent education classes
Parent advocate services
Approx. #
Children Served
Ongoing
20 slots
27 slots
25 slots
All eligible
40 slots
15 slots
30 slots
3 slots
Child psychiatrist
Counseling for victims of sexual assault,
art therapy, medical advocacy
Individual and family counseling/therapy,
medication monitoring and psychiatric
evaluations
(Services are home-based, school-based,
office-based and environmental-based.)
Counseling for teen victims and witnesses
of domestic violence
Art therapy
Tutoring
Parent education classes
Speakers on violence prevention
Counseling
Crisis Intervention, family support,
mentoring, gang intervention
Individual, family, group counseling,
outpatient substance abuse treatment
Services related to domestic violence
issues
Duration
Ongoing
Ongoing
Ongoing
Ongoing
Ongoing
Ongoing
Ongoing
Ongoing
Ongoing
Ongoing
Ongoing
Ongoing
350 families
Ongoing
Ongoing
Ongoing
Ongoing
22
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Priority
Organization
Areas
Early Childhood Education
The Childre n’s Ce nte r of
Cice ro/Be rwyn
Program/Service
He a d S ta rt
Ce nte r-ba s e d, 3-5 ye a r olds
Home -ba s e d, 3-5 ye a r olds
Ea rly He a d S ta rt/childca re
0-3 ye a r olds
Da y ca re /p re -s chool
3-5 ye a r olds
IS BE P re -K, 3-5 ye a r olds
P .A.C.O. #99, 0-3 ye a r olds
Cook County De pa rtme nt Fa mily ca s e ma na ge me nt
P ublic He a lth
He a lth y Fa milie s Illinois
WIC
Approx. #
Children Served
Duration
179
63
On g oin g
76
20
150 fa milie s
2,700
Ongoing
20
5,963
Ongoing
Cice ro P ublic Libra ry
Youth S e rvice s
400 p e r yr.
Fa mily Childca re P rovide rs Home da yca re s e rvice s for working
pa re nts
Fa mily Focus
Nue s tra s Fa milia s
300+
Ongoing
187 la s t yr.
Ongoing
Morton Colle ge
Childca re for s tude nts
20
Ongoing
S chool Dis trict #99
P re -K a t ris k
S p e cia l Educa tion
250
200
Ongoing
S uburba n Acce s s , Inc.
Child & Fa mily Conne ctions #7
200
As ne e de d
ICG
The ra py s e rvice s , 0-3 ye a r olds
150 childre n
Ongoing
Throu g h A Child’s E ye s
At-ris k p re -K p ro g ra m
P e nding
Ne w gra nt
Northe a s te rn Illinois
Ea rly Lite ra cy
Unive rs ity (NEIU)/Te a che rs
Ce nte r a nd Childre n’s
Ce nte r
23
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Priority
Organization
Areas
Parental Participation
Girl S couts
Dis trict # 99 – Cice ro
Inte rfa ith Le a de rs hip
P roje ct
Cice ro Educa tion Ta s k
Force
Unity J r. High
Priority
Organization
Areas
Other Resources
Program/Service
La tina a dult volunte e r a dva nce me nt
P a re nt/s chool lia is ons
Wigg le Worms
P ACT
P EP
Re s ource Fa ir
No Child Le ft Be hind tra inings
Approx. #
Children Served
Duration
All s chools
Ne w
S e le ct Cice ro S chools
Ne w
Ongoing
P a re nt Involve me nt Committe e
P a re nt works hops
Program/Service
Approx. #
Children Served
Duration
Cicero Youth Task Force
Illinois Facilities FundEarly Care Planning Group
Cicero Education Task
Force
Northern Illinois University
(NEIU)-Teachers
Planning to create more early childhood
education facilities
Planning to enhance educational
outcomes for children
All Our Kids: Early
Childhood Network
Church Youth Groups
Working to improve early childhood
services through improved coordination
Education Planning Process
24
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Appendix 2 – Cicero Youth Task Force Membership*
Name:
Affiliation or Position:
Amy Barth
Youth in Crisis, Inc.
Adam Alonso
Corazón Community Services
Donna Adamic
School District 99
Randy Braverman
Unity Junior High School–Director of Security
Jen De Lisle
Four Community Prevention Program–Family Services OPRF
Dan Canavan
Cook County Sheriff Youth Services
Beatriz Albelo
Sarah’s Inn
Maria L. Hernandez
Town of Cicero–Office for People with Disabilities & Cicero Youth Comm.
Pat Seghers
Community Care Options–Fillmore
Vicky Acosta
CEDA Near West
Rosalind Larsen
Cook County Department of Public Health
Sandy Cervenka
Girl Scouts of Whispering Oaks Council
Art Urban
Town of Cicero Health Department
Dennis Raleigh
Hawthorne Park District
Roberta Vinyard
Unity East Junior High School
John Usmial
PAV/YMCA
Dr. Rosario Pesce
Morton East High School
Michelle Murray
Morton East High School
Jean Rehor
Cicero Youth Commission
Ivette Franco
Four Community Prevention Program–Family Services OPRF
Regina Rossetto
Family Service and Mental Health Center of Cicero
Larry E. Banks
Clyde Park District
Maureen Sherwood
Community Mental Health Board
Rafael Leon
Pilsen-Little Village Community Mental Health
Michele Chalifoux
Prevent Child Abuse Illinois
Kate Armstrong
ICG Rehabilitation Services
Sandra St. Pierre
Infant Welfare Clinic
Maria Nieto
Girl Scouts of Whispering Oaks Council
Alicia Barajas
Interfaith Leadership Project
Mayra Nava
Morton East High School–Psychology Department
Magda Favale
CEDA Near West
25
hhhhhhhhhhhhh
Mike Rudolph
Riveredge Hospital
Sherry Scouffas
West Suburban Special Recreation Association (WSSRA)
Dalia Rocotello
Catholic Charities
Mary Newman
Riveredge Hospital
Sylvia Puente
University of Notre Dame–Institute for Latino Studies
Alma Tempel
Hartgrove Hospital
Elizabeth Sherman
School District # 99–Cicero West School
Martha Leticia Cruz
Family Service and Mental Health Center of Cicero
Margarita Paredes
Community Care Options
Anna Padron
Community Care Options
Sonia Ruiz
Unity Junior High School
Pat Makris
The Children’s Center of Cicero/Berwyn
Maria Castillo
Morton East High School Clinic
Kat Kruse
Victims of Trafficking Assistance Program
Sheila Janis-Buenrostro
Unity Junior High School
Dave Terrazino
Youth in Crisis, Inc.
Fran Reitz
Town of Cicero–Cicero Youth Commission
John Madejczyk
Boys Club of Cicero
Kia Benton
Youth Outreach Services in Cicero
Tera Bannon
The Children’s Center of Cicero/Berwyn
Tameka Wilson
Child & Family Connections #7
Tom Plach
Proviso Child Advocacy Center (CAC)
Cathy Bedard
Community Support Services
Zafra Stork
Cook County Department of Public Health–HIV Prevention
Zeke Montes
Tele Guia de Chicago/El Imparcial
Roshani Saraiya
Interfaith Leadership Project
Gina Gamboa
Northeastern Illinois University–CTC
Dianna Bonneau
Mujeres Latinas en Acción
Callistus Joseph
Isaiah Counseling Center
Delia Fuentes
Isaiah Counseling Center
Bob Cammarata
Through a Child’s Eyes/ICG
Cris Pope
Interfaith Leadership Project
Veronica Sandoval
Community Support Services
Vianey Velazquez
Youth, Equality & Power
Rosa Perez
Youth, Equality & Power
Esperanza Salgado
Youth, Equality & Power
*Please note that this membership list includes the names and organizations of active task force members as of
January 2005. This is not an exclusive list of providers in the area.
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Institute for Latino Studies
230 McKenna Hall
University of Notre Dame
Notre Dame, IN 46556
574-631-4440
fax 574-631-3522
www.nd.edu/~latino
Metropolitan
Chicago Initiative
Our thanks to the University of Notre Dame’s, Institute for Latino Studies and the MacNeal
Health Foundation for printing this document
Special thanks to everyone who put in extra time and effort
All photos © Alan Pogue 2001, 2003, 2004.