Juvenile Justice Initiative and Frances Strickland Visit Lighthouse Youth Center--Paint Creek

Voices’ partners and staff visited the Lighthouse Youth Center-Paint Creek (formerly Paint Creek Youth Center) which is a privately owned and managed residential rehabilitation center for male adolescents ages 15-18 in Southern Ohio. 

In early September, Gabriella Celeste of the Alliance for Child Caring Service Providers, Linda Julian of Alternatives for Youth, and Amy Borrer of the Ohio Public Defenders Office of the JJI went to get an inside look at an effective system for youth requiring some period of secure placement.  They found the atmosphere of Paint Creek, located on Tong Hollow Road in Bainbridge, to be a refreshing alternative to traditional, institutional settings.  At no point in the visit did they witness yelling or negative orders.  There was an environment of mutual respect among the staff (Youth Workers) and the youth (Peers).   

Following that initial visit, Voices’ staff contacted Angela Sausser Short, head of the Ohio Family and Children First Council, to invite First Lady Frances Strickland to tour the facility.  The First Lady graciously accepted and on Tuesday, September 25th, Mrs. Strickland, Angela Sausser Short, along with Voices’ staff Amy Swanson and Yvonne Hunnicutt visited Paint Creek.  During the outing, Mrs. Strickland appeared equally impressed with the operations and the hopeful outcomes for youth. When speaking with Renee Hagan, Director, Mrs. Strickland said, "Your staff are doing a fine job with these young people." 

Two youth (Peers) shared their experiences while they guided her on the tour to which she responded, "You seem as though you've matured an awful lot in this placement." 

Mrs. Strickland expressed her hope for this population including positive re-entry, additional workforce development, housing, education and active family engagement.  She provided thoughtful recommendations to the team regarding legislative work to transform the juvenile justice system in Ohio.

We believe these tours were a great first step in building the political will needed for juvenile justice issues in Ohio.   For more information about Voices JJI, please contact Yvonne C. Hunnicutt at 216.881.7860 or yhunnicutt@vfc-oh.org.

Lighthouse Youth Center-Paint Creek
 
Opened in 1986, Lighthouse Youth Center--Paint Creek is the only privately owned and managed juvenile corrections facility serving felony youth committed to the Ohio Department of Youth Services.  The mission of LYC-PC is to provide serious adolescent male offenders with a variety of rehabilitation services that help them substitute a wholesome lifestyle for a lifestyle that has had a strong criminal orientation. The foundation of the program includes positive peer culture, thinking errors, behavior modification, and reality therapy.  As such, all members of the staff from director to social worker to food service have been trained in and are dedicated to this therapeutic approach.