Troup County Juvenile Court makes requests for Delinquency Grants 1 and 2
Published 10:00 am Wednesday, November 6, 2024
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The Troup County Juvenile Court had multiple requests during the Tuesday work session of the Troup County Board of Commissioners.
The first two requests asked that the Board accept the renewal of grants, Delinquency Grants 1 and 2.
The DP1 grant addresses the juvenile’s whole family. The funds go to the implementation of the Strengthening Families Program, which aims to divert kids from the juvenile justice system who are first-time offenders, charged with a status offense, or are identified as at-risk.
“In Troup County, this grant has served between 60 and 90 kids,” said Eshia Davis, who spoke on behalf of the court.
The Troup County Juvenile Court was awarded $41,999 through Sept. 30, 2025. Troup has been receiving this grant since March 2021, which has funded two Strengthening Family groups per year. Funds can be used on SFP facilitators, meals for families participating in sessions, supplies, incentives and childcare, among other services.
DP2, also known as Youth Success, aims to address similar needs of those in the juvenile justice system.
“This grant’s primary service is trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy,” Davis said.
The grant allows for the certification of counselors in service of the children and their parents, among other mental and behavioral health services. Troup has been awarded $49,999 for the DP2 grant, which runs through Sept. 30, 2025. Neither grant is a matching grant but is reimbursable.
The final grant was introduced by Judge Michael Key, who asked the board permission to apply for the Infant Toddler Court Program, which improves systems and services supporting young children (0-3).
“It would operate as a complement to the family treatment court…the way we propose it for children who are not involved in the court system, or the parents not involved in the court system but at risk of being involved,” said Key.
Key added that the program is broad and would help roughly 20 families a year. Applicants can apply for up to 60,000, which is what the court will apply for. The majority of funds, $55,000, would go toward the salary of a coordinator. The remainder is for equipment and software needs.
Both the request for renewal and the request to apply were approved by the Commission.
“It’s going to make a huge difference in our community, it is going to break the cycle that we talk about so much for a lot of these families that we serve,” Key said.