What to Expect for Clients—Groups

Adolescent Issues Group (8 weeks):
Group leaders educate participants about important issues affecting at-risk youth. Topics include decision making, drug and alcohol abuse, sexually transmitted diseases, dating and domestic violence, and conflict resolution.

Anger Management Group (12 weeks):
Group leaders help participants identify the factors contributing to their anger, explain choices they have, and help build coping skills. Topics discussed include dating and domestic violence, the impact of racism and sexism on dealing with anger, and the ways drug and alcohol use can promote violence.

Referral Process:
When a youth is ordered to participate in a group as a condition of probation, the following steps take place:
1) The Probation Officer completes a referral form and submits it to the Juvenile Court Clinic along with information from the probation intake process.
2) The Group Leader from the Court Clinic calls the youth and his/her family to schedule an initial appointment prior to the start of the group. This meeting is an opportunity for both the youth and parent(s)/guardian(s) to meet the Group Leader and learn more about the group.
3) The youth will be notified of the group’s start date. The youth is expected to attend group on the start date and continue to attend weekly until the end of the group.

Group Expectations:
1) It is expected that the youth will attend group weekly until the group has ended.
2) Youth are expected to arrive on time and be prepared to participate.
3) If a youth is unable to attend group on a particular day, he/she must notify the Group Leader.
4) The Group Leader reports attendance to Probation Officers after each group. Unexcused absences may prevent completion of the group, which may be a probation violation.