The Lighthouse Program’s role in supporting youth in our community
The 21st Judicial District Attorney’s Office maintains the Lighthouse Program which offers a supportive and effective approach to help at-risk youth and their families develop strategies to sustainably prevent future behavioral problems and involvement in the criminal justice system. The program focuses on providing the participants and their families with education, support, and services to steer them toward a brighter future.
Involvement with the Lighthouse Program is voluntary, with referrals from all three Mesa County school districts, school resource officers, community partners, community members, and family members being accepted.
The Colorado Mesa University (CMU) campus is home to the Lighthouse Program, which includes interns from CMU’s social and behavioral science departments who work with juvenile diversion coordinators and work-study mentors to show individuals in the program that higher education is within their grasp.
Once a referral is submitted from an accepted source, a review is done, and the case is assigned to a lighthouse program navigator (LPN). The LPN will reach out to the family and set up an initial meeting with the child and their guardians. During the meeting, a Lighthouse Program Agreement is crafted and individualized to address the unique needs of each kid. The length of the agreement is determined by the risks and needs associated with each case.
The program is unique because it addresses environmental and family-related issues before any crime is committed and involves comprehensive collaboration between the DA's office, local school districts, CMU, and other community partners. Often, referred youth are involved in Mesa County Valley School District 51's truancy, suspension, and/or expulsion programs but are not yet involved in the Juvenile Justice System.
The goal of the Lighthouse Program is to assist participants with making positive, sustainable changes to prevent involvement in the Truancy Court, Municipal or District Court, the Juvenile Justice System, or the Child Welfare System. This program seeks to reduce the number of juveniles entering the Juvenile Justice System by identifying youth with risk factors that make them vulnerable to dropping out of school, committing crimes, and starting substance use. It is designed to build a strong foundation to help them thrive through resources such as prevention services and support for youth and families to make positive, lasting changes that keep families together and out of system involvement.
If you or a family you know could benefit from the Lighthouse Program, please visit the DA’s Juvenile Programs webpage to fill out a referral form or find more information. You can also call 970-255-5041 or email jacque.berry@mesacounty.us.
