ALLIANCE FOR SAFE KIDS INC
Working together to strengthen the saftey net supporting our youth...
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Youth Court
The ASK Yorktown Youth Court, founded in 2007, is a program based on a national program developed by the federal Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP). The Youth Court is a voluntary alternative to Family Court and the criminal justice system. It is organized and run by teens, adjudicating misdemeanor cases involving other teens with the goal of reducing juvenile delinquency. Youth Court members serve in the roles of Judge, Prosecutor, Defense Attorney, Jury, Clerk, and Bailiff. The legal and binding procedure determines a fair and restorative sentence in the form of community service hours for the youth offender.
The program offers these teens an opportunity to assume responsibility for their actions; it also promotes a desire for self-improvement, fosters a healthy understanding of and attitude toward rules and authority, and provides a chance to learn about the justice system. Youth Court also offers parents and the community a constructive and positive means to hold youthful offenders accountable for problem behaviors, including behavior that previously may have received little or no attention from the criminal justice system, or when corrective responses by parents, guardians, or the community have had little or no impact.
Youth Court volunteer members range in age from 13 to 19. They complete a comprehensive training program overseen by professionals in the field, including police officers, social workers, members of the District Attorney’s office, and other sectors of the legal community. It concludes with a mock trial and bar exam to ensure that the volunteer members have achieved the necessary knowledge and confidence to fulfill their roles.
Underage Drinking Prevention
The Alliance for Safe Kids sponsors enforcement activities conducted by the Yorktown Police Department (YPD) in accordance to environmental strategies aimed at changing and influencing community conditions, standards, norms, and/or policies regarding underage drinking.
Responsible Vendor Training:
ASK sponsors training sessions in collaboration with the YPD to encourage on and off-premise establishments to participate in refusing sales to minors and in recognizing/refusing sales to inebriated customers. The purpose of the Responsible Vendors Training Program is to achieve 100% alcohol sale compliance through education and enforcement in our community by training servers, sellers, and consumers of alcohol how to prevent intoxication, drunk driving, and underage drinking.
Compliance Checks:
Alcohol compliance checks deter both on- and off-premise outlets from selling to underage youth. Officers supervise undercover youth who attempt to purchase alcohol. The checks are conducted randomly throughout the year with particular emphasis during holidays and the summer. All violations incur applicable penalties and are reported to the State Liquor Authority.
Driving Checkpoints:
These checkpoints are carried out by the YPD at major roadways within their jurisdiction. Each vehicle is stopped and the driver is assessed for the possibility of impaired driving. Checkpoints are usually set up on the weekends, either late at night or early in the morning, when the proportion of impaired drivers tends to be the highest.
Speakers/Workshops
ASK sponsors and works with key stakeholders to promote speakers and/or workshops to educate the community on teen substance issues ranging from alcohol and drugs to prescription medication to parent liabilities.
Youth Mental Health First Aid Course
Youth Mental Health First Aid teaches a 5-step action plan to offer initial help to young people showing signs of a mental illness or in a crisis and connect them with the appropriate professional, peer, social or self-help care. It will review the unique risk factors and warning signs of mental health problems in adolescents ages 12-18. It emphasizes the importance of early intervention and covers how to help an adolescent in crisis or experiencing a mental health challenge.
This course is ideally designed for adults who work with young people, ages 12-18 – teachers, coaches, leaders of faith communities, social workers and other caring citizens. College Students and High School Seniors are also encouraged to take the course.
Prescription Drug Disposal Unit
The Alliance for Safe Kids has partnered with the Yorktown Police Department to have a permanent Prescription Drug Disposal Unit in order to reduce the supply of drugs that can potentially harm teens and adults. Our community is extremely fortunate to have a dedicated Prescription Drug Disposal Unit available to residents twenty four hours a day, seven days a week in the lobby of the Yorktown Police Department.
ASK is encouraging those who would like to safely dispose of prescription or over-the-counter medications to consider making a visit to the lobby of the Yorktown Police Department. You can empty all your tablets, capsules and patches into a bag for drop off. You cannot drop off liquids, needles or syringes.
Teen Mentoring
ASK mentors youth who are completing community service projects for girl scouts, boy scouts, honor societies or faith initiatives.
Video Project Team
The Video Project Team can help you develop filmmaking skills while producing positive messages to benefit our community.
-Learn the proper use and handling of video equipment
-Acquire techniques for documentary and narrative filmmaking
-Perform editing and post production processes
-Develop short videos to raise awareness and help prevent destructive decisions
Workshops will be taught by a local filmmaker and will include all aspects of production and post-production. Available Video Project Team members will produce, direct and edit short videos of local events on a range of topics, and be able to develop their own projects as well.
Where we work
External reviews
Photos
Videos
Goals & Strategy
Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
ASK is looking to strengthen the safety net that is protecting our youth by partnering with all areas of our community to promote awareness and prevention of substance use/ abuse and other destructive behaviors damaging to our youth. By working with all aspects of our community, we strive to provide youth with the information and skills needed to make healthy decisions while emphasizing the need for families to protect and nurture their children by getting informed and staying involved.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
The use of alcohol and other drugs by youth is a problem that has negative impact on our community. To address this issue, ASK works to bring together all sectors of our community to implement research-supported strategies that have proven effective in reducing youth substance use.
1. Raise awareness of issues impacting our youth by partnering with the schools and other community organizations to provide up-to-date information.
2. Change norms by emphasizing the perception of harm and by urging parents to communicate disapproval of use.
3. Reduce access to alcohol by encouraging parents and older siblings to refrain from providing alcohol.
4. Encourage visible enforcement by working with the Police Department to implement compliance checks, party patrols and shoulder taps.
5. Offer alternative activities to youth by organizing safe, substance-free opportunities to socialize.
6. Provide skills and training to the community by sponsoring workshops and forums.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
By collaborating within all areas of the community – parents, teens, educators, law enforcement, government, medical professionals, businesses, faith leaders, civic groups - ASK has many avenues to touch the lives of all the youth and families in our community.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
The Alliance for Safe Kids have accomplished the following:
1. To battle the prescription drug and heroin epidemic, not only has ASK provided educational information to the community, a Prescription Drug Disposal Unit was purchased and installed at the Yorktown Police Department. The Unit is available for drug disposal 24/7 and to date, we have collected hundreds of pounds of prescription drugs.
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
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Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
ALLIANCE FOR SAFE KIDS INC
Board of directorsas of 07/31/2023
Tricy Cushner
Tricy Cushner
Mary Anne Ruvo
Kimberly Vogel
Dara Caputo
Casey Forde
Stefanie Carbone
Theresa Ryan-Onatzevitch
Susan Salomone
Carol Christiansen
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? No