ORANGE COUNTY CONSERVATION CORPS (8)

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4. Assessment (1 page max) OCCC programs explicitly meet the needs of youth with significant barriers including low-income barriers, gang involvement, drug use, and domestic violence. Once a Santa Ana resident youth (or homeless youth) enters facilities, the screening, assessment and linkages process takes place with full-time Santa Ana WIOA Program Specialist Mr. Darin Garcia as follows: 1. Prospective participant completes and submits the OCCC application. The Program Specialist determines eligibility for the Santa Ana WIOA Youth Program. 2. Topics discussed during the assessment process are as follows: eligibility requirements for program services; what each youth expects upon arrival; an overview of the program mission; expected results/outcomes (employment, obtaining credentials, higher education attainment) and a description of both the youth's and case managers' responsibilities. 3. During the assessment process, the Program Specialist has the opportunity to discuss important issues in detail and identify youth's individual goals. Program Specialist conducts an interview using an OCCC 5-page questionnaire (attached in W-additional attachments section of RFP) to assesses over 50-points upon entry into programs. 4. Once the youth is deemed eligible to be enrolled in the WIOA youth program, registration in CalJobs and selective services is verified. If youth is not enrolled in CalJobs or selective services, Program Specialist assists in registration as necessary. The youth completes an Individual Service Strategy (ISS); which allows the youth to identify their interests and goals, skills and abilities and personal characteristics. Youth then administered the Test for Adult Basic Education (TABE) pre -test in literacy and numeracy skills. According to the 2012 Anaheim Youth Services Assessment the term "at risk" is widely used when referring to youth who may be at risk of "lifelong disadvantage". The assessment found "youth are at risk due to a number of challenges that have the potential to keep there from achieving success in their lives. The top four risk outcomes identified through this assessment process, including poverty, gang activity, school dropout, and drug use". OCCC recruits and serves to these barriers. OCCC is the type of program needed to help youth overcome these barriers. OCCC hires homeless youth; OCCC hires youth living in deep poverty; OCCC is felony -friendly. OCCC provides a safe haven from gang activity and gang -pressure. OCCC supports youth living with severe mental health, disabilities, addiction(s) and abuse, dual diagnosis, and other conditions; OCCC graduates youth who have dropped out of traditional K-12 educational tracks. OCCC reframe barriers as potential strengths, building one's resistance. OCCC supports youth seeking to escape domestic violence. While OCCC recruitment efforts target all youth of Santa Ana, the majority of youth entering programs continue to live in Santa Ana's lowest income, socio-economically restricted neighborhoods, with active gang recruitment, and drug abuse. OCCC recruits and serves youth with the most significant barriers, meeting or exceeding the out -of -school recruitment numbers every year over the past 13 years for the Santa Ana WIOA Youth Program. OCCC staff provide exceptional customer service to complete the assessment and follow up tasks. Staff go above and beyond. Supportive services are provided, as needed. Staff transport and pick up youth, as needed. Youth gain trust of the OCCC.