The SPIRIT System
(Supression-Prevention-Intervention-Referral-Intelligence Tool)
Designed to Help Heal Communities
SPIRIT’s technology works at all levels of prevention and intervention from at risk youth to teens, adults and families. To illustrate how it works here is a snapshot look at the some of the challenges among youth today. There is growing concern in the United States over widespread negative behaviors in our youth. They may have issues with anger, self-injury or suicidal thoughts, bullying and cyber-bullying, school and truancy, eating disorders, gang activity and violence, depression, pregnancy, substance abuse, Internet safety, STD/STIs and a host of other, potentially devastating concerns.
Professionals who serve youth, teachers, school administrators, pastors, health care professionals, firemen, law enforcement, judges, probation officers, mental health counselors and human service workers — struggle to identify and quickly connect individuals with appropriate services and treatment. As a result, far too many individuals languish for months without treatment and services as their cases move through overburdened, under-funded judicial and human service systems. Many at-risk individuals fall through the cracks, leading to high rates of confinement, recidivism and truancy.
Communities desperately need comprehensive, collaborative care systems that help them efficiently deliver immediate, effective and long-term sustainable solutions that address the specific needs of at-risk individuals and families. That’s where SPIRIT comes in.
Removing the Bottlenecks to Intervention
SPIRIT brings technology to the issues to connects the dots between (1) youth-serving professionals, (2) at-risk youth, (3) approved referral providers, (4) tracking methodologies and (5) outcome data and performance measures. This unified framework combined with evidence-based methodologies that enhance communication, collaboration and accountability and helps communities overcome many roadblocks to identifying, delivering and evaluating prevention and intervention services. SPIRIT removes these obstacles so that the lives of children, individuals and families will be positively impacted through the provision of targeted, immediate services which also leads to cost-savings for local providers and municipalities and state government agencies.
OJJDP’s Core Strategies for Community Mobilization, Social Intervention and Organizational Change
SPIRIT is designed to achieve the five core strategies found in the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) Comprehensive Gang Model Strategy of Community Mobilization, Opportunities Provision, Social Intervention, Suppression plus Organizational Change and Development. These include:
- Mobilization of Community Resources
SPIRIT involves youth-serving agencies and organizations, including schools, churches, community residents, parents, youth and others. - Opportunities for Provision
SPIRIT helps youth-serving professionals connect youth with tutoring, remedial education, education, training and job opportunities. - Social Intervention
SPIRIT helps youth-serving professionals meet at-risk youth where they are – whether in their homes, in the community, or on the streets and intervene by immediately connecting them with appropriate services. SPIRIT also facilitates follow-up and accountability. - Suppression
SPIRIT encourages and supports community policing and includes social control procedures and accountability measures. - Organizational Change & Development
SPIRIT brings about significant and positive change by matching a youth’s specific academic, economic and social needs to the best available community-based resources and mentors.
