“Go-Getters” is how Chris Mills, Program Director for LSSI’s Project LEAD and Youth WORKS, would describe these teams. The name fits, she said, because of “their persistence in serving their communities, participating in events, and seeking out partnerships with schools, law enforcement, and other youth serving organizations.”
Based out of LSSI’s Nachusa office, Project LEAD (Leaders Encouraging Abstinence from Drugs) and Youth WORKS (Wellness, Opportunities, and Resources for Key Services) are vital programs serving youth in Illinois’ northern region. Project LEAD focuses on substance use prevention while Youth WORKS deals with violence prevention.
Project LEAD started in 2012 through a grant Chris pursued from the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS). Five years later, IDHS grant funding was secured for Youth WORKS. The programs went from serving two counties to now serving four: Carroll, Lee, Ogle, and Whiteside Counties.
“I think the most amazing part of adding prevention to the LSSI service line is intervening with kids and families ahead of time,” Chris said. “The Prevention Team is relentless. They built their programs from the ground up.”
The prevention curricula are called “Too Good for Drugs” and “Too Good for Violence,” as well as the “Hidden in Plain Sight” traveling exhibit, a mock teen’s bedroom showing warning signs of substance misuse and violence-related trends. And that’s just during the school year! Over the summer, the Prevention Team participates in parades, walks, and runs to create awareness around the work they do.
“Hearing testimonials from past students about the shift I guided them to make has given me the hope that we can continue to do that for others as well in the counties that we serve,” said Jaqueline Smith, Prevention Supervisor, Project LEAD. “It has been so incredibly rewarding to watch substance abuse prevention flourish and be acknowledged as an essential need to help so many youth.”
Kelsey Kant, Prevention Supervisor for Youth WORKS, also gets affirmation from students. She recalled a student writing her that her self-esteem and relationships had improved when she applied what she learned. “Hearing that appreciation from the kids means the most to me,” Kelsey said.
Thanks to this go-getting team that works hard to intervene at critical points in the lives of the youth LSSI serves! They personify LSSI’s mission to bring healing, justice, and wholeness to people and communities.
