EAC is proud to announce we were selected as a Finalist in the Social Impact category of The Long Island Imagine Awards, in the “Social Impact” Category.
The nomination was submitted for the highly effective program Alternatives for Youth (AFY). The AFY program was established in October 2005 as a partnership between the Suffolk County Department of Social Services, Suffolk County Department of Probation, Suffolk County Department of Health’s Office of Mental Hygiene, and the Suffolk County Youth Bureau. The program was developed in response to the Persons In Need of Supervision (PINS) Reform Law which became effective statewide on April 1, 2005. The provisions of the law addressed the need for early and effective interventions for alleged PINS youth to reduce the high costs associated with detention, court involvement, and out-of-home placements. This new law discourages the placement of youth into detention facilities by requiring local governments and courts to exhaust community-based preventive alternatives before filing PINS petitions and making detention placements. This alternative has saved Suffolk County millions of dollars in residential costs and has improved the lives of many youth and their families.
AFY’s historic achievement in maintaining a high effectiveness rate, which is even higher in 2012 and with such a daunting population, truly makes EAC a noted organization in the community. Because AFY is a community organization that works collaboratively with a network of other agencies, the program has earned the respect and is held in high-esteem by a number of our partnership agencies. This champions the message that staff and leadership of AFY are dedicated to the population we serve. EAC’s AFY program is not just helping youth; it is helping the family as a whole at a time of crisis in their life. There are decreased juvenile and status offender crime acts by youth which makes an impact that translates into a safer community for us all.
“EAC effectively helps over 57,400 people each year with a network of 70 programs, so the social impact we provide as an agency is enormous,” said Lance Elder, EAC President & CEO. “Our AFY program alone worked with almost 750 clients in 2011. Our professional and dedicated staff is the key to our wide ranging impact on the community.”
