In Carroll County, over 95% of youth graduate from high school.  However, there are appoximately 1,500 youth living in Carroll who are not in school and not working.  These are youth who have a high school diploma but are unable to successfully remain employed or in a higher education setting.  Many have untreated mental health issues and or substance use disorder and often do not engage in treatment.  Barriers to treatment include long waiting list, a shortage of psychiatric services and a lack of reliable and or affordable transportation to providers.  With out prooper mental health and substance use treatment, youth are not able to remain successfully employed.  In addition, prior to Connecting Youth, the county lacked a streamlined process for engaging youth in services.  Youth often received referrals to multiple agencies but lack the support of a case manager to help navigate the complicated system of services.

Carroll County Youth Service Bureau, Human Services Program, BERC (Business Employment Resource Center), Change, Inc.

• For FY 19, this program has added an additional engagement manager, due to both the clilnical case manager and current enegagement manager reaching their full case load capacity much sooner than anticipated.
• The Coordinating Council will be lokoing to incorporate more youth voice on the council.  The council began exploring this option in FY 18, but decided to allow the program to complete it's first year before taking up this process again.  The council continues to have discussions about the most appropriate way to incporporate authentic youth engagement.  It is important to the council that if and when youth are added, they are there for the right reasons.
• Transportation continues to be a major barrier for many youth.  The engagement managers spend much of their time providing transportation to and from crucial appointments.  Strategies to address transportation throughout the county are underway and funds have been secured to help off set the high cost of the limited public tranpsortation for youth in this program.

This program connects opportunity youth with one on one case management, immediate access to mental health and substance abuse treatment, housing and job training skills through Carroll County's WIOA program and the Customized Employment program through Change, Inc.  Community business and local child serving agencies have also formed a coordinating council to provide comprehensive services and guidance to opportunity youth.  Agencies include Carroll County Public Schools, Carroll Community College, the Departments of Social Services, Department of Juvenile Services, Change, Inc., Goodwill, the Literacy Council and the Community Mediation Center. 

Connecting Youth In Carroll County targets youth age 16-24 who are not in school, not working, and/or who may be homeless.