Attendance Intervention and Mediation (AIM) Program
~AIM Articles~ The AIM Program is a truancy diversion initiative that was initially implemented on-site in Boone County Schools in January 2004. Since that time, AIM has been active at four (4) Boone County Schools - R.A. Jones and Conner Middle Schools and Ockerman and Florence Elementary Schools . The AIM Program is research based and was initially modeled after the highly successful and nationally acclaimed truancy diversion program developed by the Jefferson County Family Court in Louisville , KY ( Truancy Court ). Each participating school selects 8-10 students in the 8-14 age range who are habitually truant or who are in the process of becoming habitual truants. The students are typically referred by a principal or Youth Service Center Coordinator.
Volunteer attorneys meet with the students, and sometimes their families, on a weekly basis during the semester to discuss and monitor the problems that impact the truancy behavior. The AIM Program embraces a compassionate philosophy rather than a "scared straight" mentality. A Social Worker from the Boone County Human Services Department (“Department”) provides case management and aftercare services for the youth and their families. This is an ongoing program with new youth and families selected by the schools for each semester. The AIM Program is family-centered and designed to create an environment that encourages active participation by youth and their families.
The AIM Program seeks to foster positive attitudes towards school and to increase the participation in school activities by both youth and parents. The goals for the youth participating in the program are the following: to increase the number of days at school, to decrease the number of days suspended, to increase the student's grade point average, and to increase the likelihood of promotion. The goals for participating parents are the following: to increase parental involvement in school functions, parent-teacher meetings, and the AIM Program. Studies have shown that youth who have supportive parents are much more likely to be successful in school and in life - we are confident that the AIM Program is a step in that direction.
During the spring of 2005, the AIM Program was active at R.A. Jones Middle School , and Ockerman and Florence Elementary Schools . During the 2004-2005 school year, 42 youth participated in the AIM Program. The Children's Home of Northern Kentucky has partnered with the Department to provide immediate intensive family counseling for youth who participate in the AIM Program, which has proven to be an invaluable service to the program. Each semester the youth and their families are also able to attend a “graduation” field trip which serves as a family bonding experience and offers the families an opportunity to enjoy an event which they typically would be unable to attend. Various businesses have supported a variety of opportunities for the participants in the AIM Program.
The attorneys who generously volunteered their time each week to work with the AIM Program were the proud recipients of the 2005 Kentucky Child Now! Destiny Award on July 14, 2005 at the Great Kids Summit in Louisville , KY. If you desire additional information, please contact the following:
Contact Person: Staci L. Alder, MS, LSW AIM Program Coordinator P.O. Box 296 Burlington, KY 41005 (859) 334-2192 salder@boonecountyky.org THIS PROJECT IS SUPPORTED BY A GRANT AWARDED THROUGH THE
KENTUCKY DEPARTMENT OF JUVENILE JUSTICE
