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Drug-Free Workforce Promising Practice
Our strength is our partnerships. Whether we’re helping youth find jobs or working with them to overcome chemical dependency, we rely on the skills and resources of our partners to help our young clients overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles.
-Matt King
Executive Director
Northwest Alternatives
The Center for Career Alternatives’ (CCA) Youth Opportunity Center and Northwest Alternatives collaborate to provide comprehensive employment and substance abuse-related services to young people in Washington state’s King and Snohomish counties.
Located in Everett, Washington, about 30 miles north of Seattle, CCA’s Youth Opportunity Center is an affiliate of WorkSource, Washington state’s workforce development system. Specifically for youth, the Youth Opportunity Center is a seven-agency initiative dedicated to providing disadvantaged youth and young adults with skills and support to become productive members of the workforce and their communities. Its host organization, CCA, has been fostering employment opportunities for disadvantaged residents of King and Snohomish counties. Co-located with CCA’s main office, the Youth Opportunity Center provides GED preparation, paid work experience, job search services and access to tuition-free vocational training.
Northwest Alternatives is a nonprofit outpatient chemical dependency treatment provider that has one of its three locations within CCA’s Youth Opportunity Center. The agency’s mission is to strengthen the mental, emotional and social well being of the community by developing and delivering professional, effective chemical dependency treatment.
In addition to referring clients to each other’s programs, the Youth Opportunity Center and Northwest Alternatives collaborate on Project Reach, a demonstration program funded by the U.S. Departments of Education, Labor and Justice. Project Reach targets youth involved in Snohomish County Drug Court. Youth who commit first-time, minor drug- or alcohol-related offences who are identified as having substance abuse problems may participate in the Drug Court program, which requires that they meet with a judge weekly, participate in substance abuse treatment and undergo regular drug testing. Youth who maintain sobriety and do not re-offend after 12 months graduate from the Drug Court and criminal charges are dropped.
The aim of Project Reach is to provide additional services to assist Drug Court participants in staying drug free, completing the program and acquiring skills to achieve long-term success. Project Reach brings together substance abuse treatment, mental health, education and employment services to meet the needs of Drug Court participants. In its first eight months, this partnership had provided services for more than 70 young people.
Other strategic partners in the Youth Opportunity Center’s provision of services include Cocoon House, Compass Health, Community Trades and Careers, Everett Community College, Washington State Employment Security Department, Youth Ahead, Youthnet and the Snohomish County Juvenile Court Services and Workforce Development Council.
Want to learn more?
Matt King
Executive Director
Northwest Alternatives
Phone: (425) 776-7089
E-mail: matt@fcsnwa.org
Internet: www.nwalternatives.com
Cathy Reitan
Director, Snohomish Office
Center for Career Alternatives
Phone: (425) 252-6400
E-mail: creitan@ccawa.org
Internet: www.centerforcareeralternatives
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