By Brent Lyday
Commerce – The Texas A&M University-Commerce social work department recently received a three-year, $484,000 grant for Project PRIDE (Promote Respect and Instill Discipline for Excellence), which will help implement a mentoring program with the Grayson County Department of Juvenile Services.
"We are very excited about receiving this grant," said Carla Asbill, A&M-Commerce Project PRIDE director and assistant social work professor. "The grant was only one of nine grants awarded within the United States, and the only one awarded in Texas."
Project PRIDE, an innovative mentoring project serving ten counties in Northeast Texas, will reduce recidivism and increase protective factors for youth ages 12 through 17 who have been incarcerated in a post-adjudication facility. A&M-Commerce social work interns will provide mentoring and support services after juveniles are released.
"A Network of Care will allow coordination of a variety of services in this isolated area to meet the needs of juveniles and families," Asbill said. "The expertise of the faculty and staff at A&M-Commerce and GCDIS, partnered with Big Brothers Big Sisters will result in a lasting impact that will increase protective factors in these rural communities."
The social work department will also be implementing evaluation measures for the process that will provide valuable information to help replicate the program in other communities. By tracking the participants and measuring the outcomes through statistical methods, the plan is to use the data and assist in similar populations.