Colt Connection
Colt Connection Presentations
About Colt Connection
Colt Connection School-Based Youth Service Program (SBYSP)
The School Based Youth Services Program (SBYSP) initiative was started throughout the State of New Jersey in 1987 to help young people navigate their adolescent years, finish their education, obtain skills leading to employment or continuing education, and graduate healthy and drug free.
Adolescents have numerous concerns and problems. Since a substantial number of teenagers have multiple problems that call for several different services, SBYSP provides an array of employment, health, and social services. Services are available to all youth and recreation is provided. In addition to the following core services, each site develops services which respond to local needs, such as on-site child care, so that teen parents can stay in school.
The major services are:
Mental health and family services
Healthy youth development
Access to primary and preventative health services
Substance abuse counseling
Employment services
Pregnancy prevention programs
Learning support services
Family involvement
Referrals to community based services
Recreation
One-Stop Shopping
SBYSP sites, which are located in each of the 21 counties in or near schools in urban, rural, and suburban communities, are open to all youth ages 10-19, and provide services before, during, and after school, as well as throughout the summer. The comprehensive "one-stop shopping" design helps break down barriers and bureaucratic roadblocks that too often prevent young people from obtaining services and supports. The program has been extended to younger students in some school districts. Currently there are 90 SBYSP operating in 67 high schools, 18 middle schools, and five elementary schools.
A recently-completed three-year evaluation of the SBYSP shows that New Jersey's model program is effective in providing services that adolescents use to address their problems. The evaluation was funded by the Annie E. Casey Foundation and conducted by the Academy for Educational Development (AED). The final report from AED concludes that SBYSP has been able to make important differences in the lives of vulnerable students.
Specifically, youth who were involved in SBYSP showed:
Increased educational aspirations and higher accumulation of credits toward graduation
Diminished feelings of unhappiness, sadness, depression, and suicidal thoughts
Improved sleep habits and less worrying
Less destructive behavior and fewer feelings of anger
Decreased use of tobacco and alcohol
More and improved interaction with families and friends
Better use of contraceptives to prevent pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases
The Cumberland Regional High School SBYSP – Colt Connection – was founded in 2001 and continues to be made possible through various public and private grants and the generosity of the school district and greater Cumberland County, NJ, community.
Colt Connection is a collaboration between the Cumberland Regional School District Board of Education, CompleteCare Health Network, and the NJ Department of Children & Families.
For information on CompleteCare Health Network Patient Rights and Responsibilities, please click here.
Parental Consent Form
The Colt Connection parental consent form can be completed online by clicking here. Any questions may be directed to Colleen Kennedy at kennedy@crhsd.org.
School-Day Services - 8 a.m. - 3 p.m.
After-School and Non-School-Day Services - By Appointment Only
Please call 856-451-9400, ext. 279, for more information.
If you find yourself in a mental health emergency, please dial 911 or go to your local hospital emergency room.
Interested in making an appointment? Students may request an appointment for a counseling session by emailing a staff member or connect with them via TEAMS (see below).
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Contact Us
NAME | JOB TITLE | SCHEDULE | CONTACT |
---|---|---|---|
Colleen Kennedy, M.Ed. | Program Director | Mon., Tues., Thurs., Fri. 7:15 a.m. - 3:15 p.m. / Weds. 7:15 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. | kennedy@crhsd.org / X273 |
Cindy Bernstein | Program Assistant | Mon., Weds., Fri. 7:30 a.m. - 4 p.m. | bernstein@crhsd.org / X279 |
Eric DeJong, B.A. | Student Support Counselor | Weds. 8:30 a.m. - 4 p.m. | dejong@crhsd.org / X240 |
Colleen Prater, M.Ed. | Youth Development Specialist | Mon., Tues., Weds., Thurs. 7:30 a.m. - 4 p.m. | prater@crhsd.org / X202 |
Julianna Marchese, B.A. | Employment/Student Support Counselor | Mon., Tues., Thurs., Fri. 7:45 a.m. - 4 p.m. | marchese@crhsd.org / X240 |
Breanna Suppi, MSW, LSW | Mental Health Counselor | Mon., Weds., Thurs., Fri. 7:15 a.m. - 3:15 p.m. / Tues. 7:15 - 1:30 p.m. | suppi@crhsd.org / X224 |