Mayor Adrian M. Fenty and DC Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services (DYRS) Director, Vincent N. Schiraldi today announced several critical community initiatives targeted at improving public safety in the District.  The programs will strengthen the range of supports and services allocated to the city’s at-risk youth by collaborating more closely with law enforcement and community groups.

“Working with local organizations and advocates that serve District youth, and with their families, DYRS has designed an initiative to provide and coordinate a wide range of key services needed by youth in trouble and share information about youth being returned to the community,” said Mayor Fenty. “This will allow the District to rehabilitate our at-risk youth and build stronger, safer communities.” 

DYRS has established partnerships with key community groups, foundations, law enforcement agencies, District government agencies, and legal system stakeholders (judges, prosecution and defense).

Collaborating with these groups has allowed DYRS to ensure better futures for the youth and to establish safer neighborhoods by increasing supervision for young people, improving communication before placing youth in the community and determining standards for rewarding and sanctioning youth for good/bad behavior.

DYRS Initiatives

Partnership for Success Program

• DYRS is working to expand the number of youth participants engaged in the Partnership for Success Program from 15 to 35. The Partnership for Success program is an intensive social services and supervision program providing wraparound services for DYRS’s most at-risk youth. Services provided through the program include: school engagement, GED preparation; job readiness and training; counseling for behavioral health needs; treatment for substance abuse; and home visits and parental engagement.

DYRS has partnered with several District agencies and community programs to implement the services in this program.

• Metropolitan Police Department
• Department of Recreation
• District of Columbia Public Schools
• Department of Mental Health
• Department of Health
• Department of Employment Services
• Alliance of Concerned Men
• Peaceoholics