Orange County receives $1.1M for youth program

Orange County Executive Steve Neuhaus has announced that the county’s Department of Social Services has received $1,183,275 of the $18 million in state money available to governments outside of New York City to fund a Youth Employment Program (YEP). The money will be transferred to the county’s Office of Employment and Training to pay for the program.

“We are grateful for these funds, which will be invested in the youth of Orange County,” Neuhaus said. “The YEP program benefits young men and women by providing the skills and experience needed to become successful adults. We will continue to provide a safe and nurturing environment for our youth and we will take advantage of every opportunity to give them tools and resources to help them thrive.”

YEP is intended to help reduce crime among youth by providing year-round employment opportunities. State funding for the current fiscal year allocates money for YEP from funds that have been budgeted for the state’s Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program.

New York state says that research shows vulnerable at-risk and unemployed youth can face struggles later in life, including poverty, dependence on public assistance programs and criminal justice involvement. In addition, youth exposed to trauma and violence may suffer long-term harmful effects, including barriers to successful employment and financial prospects later in life. The idea behind YEP is to help give youth a direction in life.

According to Steve Knob, Orange County’s director of employment and training, “This program will provide students with critical lifelong skills that they can utilize as they further their educations and pursue careers.”

The state says that YEP will serve youth 14 to 20 years of age and is running from Jan. 1 to June 30, 2024. It is anticipated that future years’ funding will be increased to support programming from Sept. through June of 2025. Allowable activities and services for YEP include work subsidies for youth (payments are made to employers or third parties) along with education and training and supportive services such as transportation, case management, and incentive payments.

In keeping with its emphasis on youth education and training, 28 students from throughout Orange County received a different type of training from the county last month. They visited the county’s Emergency Services Center in Goshen where they underwent training in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and the use of automated external defibrillators. Knowing both CPR and how to use a defibrillator can make a difference in providing aid to someone who is suffering from a heart attack.

Instructors also taught students how to recognize the beginnings of a stroke, control bleeding, administer naloxone when an opioid overdose is suspected, and administer epinephrine for an individual suffering an extreme allergic reaction. This training was co-hosted in partnership between Orange County Emergency Services and the Orange County Youth Bureau.