HomeMy WebLinkAboutGrant Request - Winning Over Anger - ViolenceDeschutes County Board of Commissioners
Discretionary Grant Program
Application Summary
Board Meeting Date: October 2, 2013 or TBD
Organization: Winning Over Anger and Violence
Organization Description: Winning Over Anger and Violence (Winning) provides counseling
to individuals and groups of youth and adults and is the only organization to offer in -school
anger management counseling in Central Oregon. Its mission is to reduce the cycle of violence
in the community through teaching new skills for dealing with issues. Winning has been
operating in Central Oregon for 27 years and works with youth in schools and court -mandated
adults who are unable to afford anger management classes. Winning employs one part-time staff
member and trains school counselors, administrators, and interns from OSU's MA in Counseling
program to perform services.
Project Name: Winning Over Youth
Project Description: Grant funds would be used to pay for the professional and administrative
costs for one group counseling series in one school in Deschutes County with a goal of securing
additional funds to expand the program to one group in each school in Central Oregon that
wishes to participate. The counseling groups consist of ten students who meet for two hours
each week for up to nine weeks. Sessions take place during the school day and are delivered by
professional counselors with co -facilitation by Winning Over Anger and Violence.
Project Period: November 2013 — June 2014
Amount of Request: $2,500
Previous Grants: None.
Approved:
Declined:
Today's Date:
Deschutes County Board of Commissioners
PO Box 6005, Bend, OR 97701-6005
1300 NW Wall Street, Suite 200, Bend, OR
Telephone: 541-388-6571 Fax: 541-385-3202
Website: www.deschutes.org
DESCHUTES COUNTY
DISCRETIONARY GRANT PROGRAM APPLICATION
q
Project Beginning Date:
Project Name:
t'k • 2r
AmountRequestedla
Name of Applicant Organization:
Address:
W urnLn,9 c- .
Project End Date:
Date Funds Needed:
1/43u SIL
N1NN► CNG 1C -f Uto e.NIC 1
1)•0, (0022
City & Zip Code:
Contact Name(s):
Fax #:
(Pre71 *O t&S
—1 Email Address:
Tax ID #:
Telephone #:
1 9705-
-6(4b- -4b---?i-&3
cure, dVtr,
On a separate sheet(s), please briefly answer the following questions:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Describe the applicant organization, including its purpose, leadership structure, and
activities.
Describe the proposed project or activity.
Provide a timeline for completing the proposed project or activity.
Explain how the proposed project or activity will positively impact the community.
Identify the specific communities or groups that will benefit.
Describe how grant funds will be used and include the source and amounts of matching
funds or in-kind contributions, if any. Itemize anticipated expenditures*.
If the grant will support an ongoing activity, explain how it will be funded in the future.
Attach:
Proof of the applicant organization's non-profit status.
* Applicant may be contacted during the review process and asked to provide a complete line item budget.
1.Organization
Winning Over Anger and Violence has been providing counseling to individuals and
groups of youth and adults in Central Oregon since 1986. We are the only organization
that provides in -school counseling in anger management in Central Oregon and have a
strong relationship with school counselors and administrators. We train counselors to
use the Winning curriculum and have a relationship with OSU MA in Counseling to
provide internship placements to further strengthen our community presence. Winning
has multiple requests for returns to the same schools to assist with student with at risk
behaviors in subsequent years.
Winning employs one part time staff member for 10 hours a week. Winning runs an
information line and website to help clients gain access to information. The nonprofit
runs from the home of the Executive Director, keeping our overheads very lean.
Winning's Executive Director, Karen Hobbs oversees the management of each group.
Karen has a background in Prison education, has run a YMCA with transitional living
accommodation for teens, and is a qualified teacher in the UK. The groups will be
delivered by professional counselors who have undertaken Winning curriculum training,
and Karen co facilitates groups.
The School staff undertakes the role of recruitment, enabling attendance and provides
follow up counseling outside of group time. This partnership ensures students have a
strong delivery team supporting the needs of the students.
Winning is reaching out to other community special interest groups to ensure that we
offer courses in schools at the most effective times possible- for example after a
Challenge Day, or after staff training on Bullying Intervention. We have an ongoing
dialogue with local groups who support local families in need such as Bethlehem Inn,
Family Access Network and Shepherd's House. Family stressors can trigger
inappropriate reactions of anger and violence in youths and we need to be responsive to
students who may need additional support at this time.
We have a simple structure. Counseling is provided by professionals who have been
trained in anger management with youths by Winning Over; all other administration to
support the program is undertaken by the staff member.
2. Proposed activity
Winning Over anger and Violence is a small nonprofit with a big mission; to reduce the cycle of violence
in our community through teaching new skills for dealing with issues.
We have been working in Central Oregon for 27 years. We work with youth in schools, and support court
mandated adults who are unable to afford anger management classes.
Anger management skills are a vital part of a students' 'tool kit' for survival in and out of
school. Without social and emotional skills students rarely reach their full potential. Winning
Over works in partnership with High school counselors and school intervention staff to
provide focused anger and violence management group counseling to 'at risk' youth.
Students may be self- referred or 'encouraged' to attend, but all come on a voluntary basis.
The groups meet for up to nine weeks for two hours each session and serve the needs of
up to ten students each group. The group takes place during the school day, making it
easier for students to attend groups and has ongoing counselor support from Winning Over
and school staff during and after groups.
Students are given the opportunity to identify their behaviors before, during and after the
course and are given check -ins and practical and accumulative skills to practice each week.
The groups often continue to provide a mutual support network to members during each
session and beyond. Students become more willing to discuss their anger issues with
school counselors and to reveal more of their needs and issues during each session. They
realize they are not alone.
Measurable outcomes are available through school data using information management
system reports i.e. episodes of defiance/ bullying/aggression by students .
Winning Over collects anecdotal evidence from students as the course progresses.
Students are very honest about their interactions with family and friends and will report back
on the effectiveness of the skills they have learned.
Many of our group members come from families who have a long history of verbal and
physical abuse. Some students tell us they 'feel trapped' by their life and are unable to see
a way forward. Some have parents with alcohol and substance issues and some students
are also experimenting with drugs to find their peace.
Anger and violence has a marked impact on a student's ability to interact in school and in
their community and we see inappropriate behaviors -from withdrawal and cutting to acting
out, that are based in unresolved anger issues.
Where a student makes real progress in the group work and learning and practicing new
skills we have reports back that 'life is so much better now' and 'My mom is so impressed
she wants to come on one of your courses!'
Learning new skills to recognize anger signs and deal with them is a vital part of helping
young people on a healthier path in relationships, school and community involvement.
Without intervention some will become involved in criminal activities and self destructive
behavior that may adversely affect their adult lives.
The desired outcome is a young person with better coping skills and alternative strategies.
This will lead to reduced incidents in school and in the community.
The nature of the problem in society means that we will see new faces each year in schools
with the same issues. These students present as a problem because they need help but do
not have insurance or private funds to access counseling. Groups work so well for these
students, and school counselors are truly grateful for our input with some of their most
troubled students.
Coincidentally the cost of Winning Over subsidizing a court mandated adult in counseling is
the same cost as supporting a student in a group. The difference is huge though, since one
has a lifetime ahead of them and the other has already been processed by the court system
and has damaged lives in the process.
Winning Over believes in prevention being better than the cure and we are focusing on
counseling young people because of this. With the help of the Deschutes County
Commissioners Discretionary Fund we will be able to continue our work and expand into
more schools.
3.Timeline
Winning works with schools to determine the best dates for groups.
We work within the academic year, and propose to be completed with this grant award by the end of
June 2014.
4. Positive impact on community
Teens who exhibit anger and violence issues are at risk of failure in schools. Winning works with
teens that have been identified by school counselors and intervention staff using existing school
behavior management systems and through personal interviews, and offers them alternative
strategies to begin to deal with their issues. The students we work with have complex family
structures and are often repeating behaviors demonstrated by siblings and parents, some of
whom have convictions for criminal activities that include acts of violence, property destruction
and drug use. In each school there are more students in need of Winning's services than we can
offer courses to; we are working with those identified as at risk by school counselors and with
those who have self identified as needing help.
The evidence is compelling: Nearly two-thirds of American teenagers admit to having "anger
attacks" that involve destroying property, threatening violence or engaging in violence. One in 12
has intermittent explosive disorder, characterized by chronic, uncontrollable fits of rage. "It's an
enormous problem that mental health professionals have not taken seriously," Ronald Kessler,
psychiatric epidemiologist at Harvard Medical School in Boston. Source: Archives of General
Psychiatry July 2012
Youth violence results in considerable physical, emotional, social, and economic consequences.
Although rates of youth homicide have declined substantially during recent years, much work
remains in reducing this public health burden. Homicide is the second leading cause of death
among youth aged 10-24 years in the United States. Violence is also a major cause of nonfatal
injuries among youth. In 2009, a total of 650,843 young people aged 10-24 years were treated in
emergency departments for nonfatal injuries sustained from assaults. No state is immune to the
devastating impact of youth violence. Source: CDC 4/15/2011
5.Specific Communities that will benefit
The school community will directly benefit from the anger management provision offered by Winning
Over counselors to their pupils in need. Bend LaPine schools have agreements under the Oregon Safe
Schools Act that could be met by the provision of these classes for difficult students.
Not all bullies are violent, and not all violent and angry pupils are bullies , however there is some degree
of correlation between perceived safety, atmosphere and the behaviors of these two groups of pupils.
Addressing their needs has an impact on many levels in schools. Winning often gets invited in to schools
where Challenge Days have been planned since the needs that arise from these days often are met
through focused group work on anger. Many of the clients we serve are great kids who are being
hampered by their own self worth issues and by their lack of skills to deal with this complex subject.
Winning believes in prevention being better than the cure.
6. Funding
Grant funds will be used to pay for the professional and administrative costs for one group
counseling series in one school in Deschutes County. Each group costs $2,500 to run, (with the
majority costs being professional fees.)
Monies given would pay for
• Professional fees - $1800
• Program support pre/during/post groups$650
• Materials for course -$50
We are currently being visited and reviewed by Cow Creek Umpqua Foundation, and have
pending applications with the Meyer Memorial Trust and the Juan Young Trust.
Our goal is to have a group run in each school in Central Oregon that expresses an interest.
We continue to identify seek funding from other Foundations have recently entered a new
phase for Winning Over , since we are now directly seeking local financial support to enable us
to continue to work with our client group. This has been met with a favorable response and
'New Day Realty' and 'Mix it Up' recently hosted events at which they helped us raise funds.
These were very encouraging evenings for Winning Over! Many adults shared that they had
been victims of a troubled youth or had their own issues with anger and wished there were
more help available when they were young.
7.Sustainability
Winning Over had been an all volunteer effort for 26 years, relying solely on the generosity of
Foundations and individuals. We have been a 'best kept secret' in Central Oregon because the clients
we serve do not usually speak about the help they needed, instead preferring to quietly resume a more
normal life after they have acquired their new skill sets. This meant that attracting local funding had
been complex.
Recently the appointment of the Executive Director has meant that Winning can now seek to grow a
local supporters' network of interested businesses and donors. We have begun to be asked to talk to
business groups and clubs locally.
We are at the beginning of this journey and understand the strength that having this base will give to
our organization and to our future fundraising efforts.
Local support is vital; we would be so honored to be able to say that the Deschutes County
Commissioners were able to support the work we do on behalf of the community through their
Discretionary Fund ; we know this would bring added value to our fundraising and 'friend raising'
efforts and would reinvigorate our hard working Board members !
lei IRS Department of the Treasury
Internal Revenue Service
P.O. Box 2508
Cincinnati OH 45201
011045
WINNING OVER ANGER AND VIOLENCE INC
ANDREW SCHOB
PO BOX 6022
BEND OR 97708-6022
In reply refer to: 0248367572
Mar. 22, 2013 LTR 4168C E0
93-0924765 000000 00
00017213
BODC: TE
Employer Identification Number: 93-0924765
Person to Contact: Ms. Mueller
Toll Free Telephone Number: 1-877-829-5500
Dear Taxpayer:
This is in response to your Mar. 13, 2013, request for information
regarding your tax-exempt status.
Our records indicate that you were recognized as exempt under
section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code in a determination
letter issued in January 1997.
Our records also indicate that you are not a private foundation within
the meaning of section 509(a) of the Code because you are described in
section(s) 509(a)(1) and 170(b)(1)(A)(vi).
Donors may deduct contributions to you as provided in section 170 of
the Code. Bequests, legacies, devises, transfers, or gifts to you or
for your use are deductible for Federal estate and gift tax purposes
if they meet the applicable provisions of sections 2055, 2106, and
2522 of the Code.
Please refer to our website www.irs.gov/eo for information regarding
filing requirements. Specifically, section 6033(j) of the Code
provides that failure to file an annual information return for three
consecutive years results in revocation of tax-exempt status as of
the filing due date of the third return for organizations required, to
file. We will publish a list of organizations whose tax-exempt
status was revoked under section 6033(j) of the Code on our website
beginning in early 2011.
arnanet
2855 N.W. Clearwater Drive • Bend, Oregon 97701 • Fax (541) 355-4210
Rayne Cedergreen Karen Luke Debbi Mason Laney Rexius Jan Sullivan
Counselor Counselor Counselor Counselor Counseling Secrrtar�
(5411555-42_04 15411955.4206 1541)355-420 (541)355-4207 =541
December 2012
To whom it may concern,
The counseling Department at Summit High school has been working in partnership with Winning Over
Anger and Vin;er:.e fcr a:nvmber of years.
In this time we have been able to match students who have personal struggles with anger and violence
to effective and responsive group counseling during school sessions, provided by professional and
experienced counselors from Winning.
Winning staff are extremely flexible and rotate group times to minimize the disruption for teachers and
group students, but the reality is that for these students their issues are already impacting their
emotional and social health and their studies are suffering. Winning has been able to provide groups for
up to 10 students over an eight to nine week time span. The students are taught ways to recognize their
issues and triggers — which may be exhibited as clearly as erupting in temper through silent depression
or self harming- and then given opportunities to learn new ways of dealing with anger.
Skills are built up and practiced over the course and as this progresses, students become more confident
of their abilities to cope. We have seen dramatic change in some, and a slower but discernible growth in
others. For some this is the start of their journey dealing with complex anger and violence issues;
Winning has always been receptive when they ask if they can return to another course later in their time
in school to be 'sure they get it'. A commitment to change is a major factor in finding success and some
of the students who come to group know thismay be a 'last chance' for them; others are self motivated
p7fin ':f, -r, �i tko ive' 2:10.seeking "-Pip SOME' of our students have parents who receive
and a.., �. _.. .t ... - .' _
adult counseling, and the combination of both approaches to a family issue has been dramatic.
I am endorsing Winning's work and have no hesitation in recommending them to you. Our partnership
with them has resulted in measurable change for students who are in the highest risk groups of failing at
school — Winning makes a difference in the life of Summit and in the lives of the students they work with
directly.
Sincerely,
Summit Counseling Department
HUMMER Maw RIM @MOM
2755 NE 27TH STREET 1.� BEND, OR 97701-6469
541.383.6360 * FAX 541.383.6469
www.bend.k12.or.us/ mvhs
Kathryn Legace Sean Corrigan Dave Holmberg Dave Hood Aaron Schrader
Principal Assistant Principal Assistant Principal Athletics Activities
541.383.6365 541.383.6078 541.322-5425 541.383.6467 541.383 6369
To Whom It May Concern:
I am happy to be able to write a letter of support for Winning Over Anger and Violence. At Mountain View
High School, in Bend we have worked with Winning for five years now and during that time have seen students
benefit from the group counseling they received. This personal growth and change has helped individual
students and impacted those around them in a positive way.
Attending a Winning Course is a voluntary act, but some students are recommend to go based on previous
discipline incidents while others are recommended by staff at Mountain View High School. Winning groups
meet once a week and consist of up to ten students, for eight to nine weeks course length. They recognize the
need to accommodate the teaching staff and are flexible with the times they run courses during the day. The
students are aware of their responsibility to communicate with the teachers about being absent and are required
to make-up the work that they have missed.
Students come from diverse families and their personal growth has prompted parents to seek help for their own
issues too. Winning is making a difference in the lives of students who are struggling to gain emotional and
social skills they need to ensure they are able to achieve academically in school. Students are able to practice
alternative behaviors in a safe and supportive environment; they report back that this has made a huge
difference in many aspects of their lives. The skills that they learn in group are transferable skill that students
can use in their every day life to help conduct healthy communication skills.
The counseling department here at Mountain View High School has a high regard for Winning and supports the
opportunity to outreach to additional schools. There is an ongoing need to support our students and the more
outside resources are utilized the better off our schools and students are. Please let me know if you have
additional questions or concerns regarding The Winning Over Anger and Violence program.
Thank you,
Shanna Hancock
School Counselor
541-322-4604
ONE OO 7 MEP cJEUR@
=a =a
it s! it
(7)
r),
c•P'''
,e
• r..r.d
NN
)
Q
7
F�
A
v
oL:
e
•
445
Co
Cr