Seacoast Community Diversion Program (SCDP)
Often, youth and families in active crisis feel alone and struggle to address issues that threaten to rip apart their daily lives. In effect, they feel like they do not matter. This is a perception SCDP staff work to address in a 12-week program designed to help youth (and families) build skills and make community connections.
What Is ‘Diversion’?
SCDP is one of 17 Accredited Diversion Programs in the state. The accrediting body is the New Hampshire Juvenile Court Diversion Network (The Network), which has provided financial support and guidance since the program’s inception. Other major supporters of the program include Exeter Hospital, which has launched a 5-year Suicide Prevention Awareness Initiative to impact the underlying causes of youth suicide.
The term ‘diversion’ is important, because it refers to a kind of service mandated to exist in the state by Statute NH RSA 169. In this statute, diversion services are meant to provide delinquent youth with an alternative to traditional forms of punishment, such as Juvenile Court. What makes SCDP unique, however, is diversion services are accessible to all youth (and families) in the community.
Contact us to see if diversion is right for your child.
What Makes SCDP Different?
The Seacoast Community Diversion Program is different because teen suicide prevention services and screening are embedded into it. The program also has access to a licensed drug and alcohol counselor for complete assessments. Guided by trained clinical staff with roots firmly grounded in the community, there is no program quite like SCDP in the state of New Hampshire.
SCDP Diversion Goals
- Preventsuicide
- Reducesubstance abuse
- Reduceschool truancy
- Reduceinvolvement in juvenile justice system
- Buildlife skills
- Buildcommunity connections
SCDP Program Methodology
SCDP is a 12-week program guided by clinical staff, counselors and community volunteers who help youth participants design a ‘contract’ that will lay out goals and requirements that must be achieved before graduation.
At minimum, SCDP includes (12) one-on-one sessions with SCDP staff that focus on the development of skills relevant for future success. These sessions may include, but are not restricted to: drug counseling, anger management, coping, decision-making, healthy relationships, etc.
For some youth, participation in the additional 4-week modules may be required. These modules take place concurrently within the 12-week program cycle and may include anger management and/or family/guardian sessions.
Who Is Eligible for SCDP?
What Does SCDP Cost?
Most of the program’s cost is covered by grant and private funding, but some fees may apply.
Help SCDP reach more youth and their families.
Other Community Programs & Suicide Prevention Resources
Exeter Hospital’s Suicide Prevention Awareness Initiative supports programs like Seacoast Community Diversion as well as other resources available to kids, parents, and professionals within our community.