Pubdate: Wed, 07 Dec 2005
Source: Sentinel And Enterprise, The (MA)
Copyright: 2005 MediaNews Group, Inc. and Mid-States Newspapers, Inc.
Contact:  http://sentinelandenterprise.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2498
Author: Rebecca Deusser
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?225 (Students - United States)

LT. GOV. CALLS STATS ON CITY'S TROUBLED YOUTHS 'STUNNING'

BOSTON -- Lt. Gov. Kerry Healey said Tuesday that  "stunning
statistics" regarding troubled kids in  Fitchburg makes the city an
ideal location to test a  new substance abuse-related school program.

"The rate of drug abuse, the mortality rate for car  accidents and
child abuse are much higher in Fitchburg  than the state average,"
Healey told the Sentinel &  Enterprise Tuesday. "There are some real
health  concerns for children in Fitchburg."

Healey spoke with a reporter after speaking at a  fundraising event
Tuesday, hosted by Fitchburg-based  charity Ceiling and Visibility
Unlimited (CAVU). The  event was geared to raise money for child
health  programs in Fitchburg and Lawrence.

Healey said Fitchburg city officials have expressed  interest in
testing a New York-model school program to  help the district's most
troubled young students to  avoid drugs and alcohol and overcome other
possible  issues such as failing grades, child abuse or emotional 
problems.

State money set aside for substance abuse programs  would pay for case
managers to work with 15 kids ages 8  to 12 to bring them "back to
equilibrium" and keep them  connected with services the child might
need, Healey  said.

"It is also important to get in areas where schools are  relatively
underperforming," Healey said about  Fitchburg's fit with the pilot
program. "It has been  proven that this model reduces drug dealing in
schools  by 60 percent and it improves test scores."

Mayor Dan H. Mylott said he had discussed the program  with Healey
about a year ago.

"I think it's a good program to try," Mylott said. "I  think any of
the prevention programs are very important  and have a good place in
our city, as well as other  cities."

Bob Johnson, president and CEO of the Community Health  Connections
Family Health Center, located in Fitchburg  and Gardner, said he hopes
to work with Fitchburg  schools on the program, too.

Johnson spoke at the event, describing a mental health  program run by
the CHC Family Health Center with money  from CAVU.

That program uses a part-time counselor to help  identify students
with mental health problems and work  with families and school staff
to help get kids help.

Johnson said CAVU awarded the health center with  $25,000 a year for
three years to pay for the program  at the North Central Charter
Essential School in  Fitchburg and a school in Winchendon.

"The need outside of Boston is a lot greater," said  CAVU executive
director Kris Cyr. "(In places like  Fitchburg) you find just a few
players providing a ton  of services."

Cyr said CAVU targets money for community health  centers because they
tend to already serve low-income  residents who need help the most.
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MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin