Juvenile Detention Center (Albany, NY)
Our Juvenile Detention Center (JDC) is one of the most progressive detention centers in New York State. Our therapeutic (versus punitive) approach focuses on transformative change for our youth and their futures moving forward.
Why a therapeutic approach?
At Berkshire, our mission is to strengthen children and families so they can live safely, independently, and productively in their home communities. By creating a therapeutic approach to our services, we empower our youth to see a better path for their futures - ultimately leading to more independent and productive lives that benefit the youth, their family, and their community.
Youth who enter this program come through the juvenile justice system. Often, they have been charged or convicted with a misdemeanor or felony. Their negative choices which led to their placement with us are well known to their families and often, their communities. While it would be easy to focus on their crimes, here at Berkshire we know there is much more to the story.
100% of youth who enter our Center have experienced multiple forms of childhood trauma. This includes homelessness, physical and sexual abuse, domestic violence within the home, and substance abuse within the home.
Most often, they come from disadvantaged communities filled with gang violence, drugs, and very few (if any) positive role models to help steer them in the right direction. They come to us feeling angry, embarrassed, guarded, shameful, and very few can see a life beyond what they have been living; beyond the situation they find themselves in.
This is where we come in....
WHY NOT PUNATIVE??
While our dedicated team provides day-to-day structure, recreation, education, and counseling, it is our community partners who support us in the creation of new opportunities for our youth.
BELOW ADD:
Mott Family Scholarship and link to Jaissiah's Story
The Master Plan Program with link to Spectrum Story
Youth Speaker Series
Holiday Angel Program
Healing Through the Arts Program
Coming Soon.....
Link to Game Changers/Awards?
Pathways serves youth and families with the goal of preventing child abuse/neglect and recidivism back into foster care. The program also services youth who have either been adjudicated a Person In Need of Supervision (PINS) or Juvenile Delinquent, or are non-adjudicated youth who have been determined to be at "imminent risk" of being placed outside their home.
Stepping Stones is an alternative-to-detention program, offering intensive crisis intervention, with the goal of reducing the county’s need to place youth in detention. There is a Raise the Age variation of this program which targets the needs of older adolescent populations. View Brochure
Turnabout is a jr/sr. high school-based truancy prevention program designed to avert out of home placements of children at-risk due to poor school attendance.
We a are a program for the Bronx community. We welcome youth ages 12-18. As a community, we share similar challenges with substance misuse and mental health education.
For more information, please call (646) 942-7743 or (718) 220-4247.
For phone and self referrals, call (646) 942-7743 or email jgilmore@berkshire.org.
Family Connections is a short-term, intensive, home and community-based family preservation program designed to avert out-of-home placements of children at imminent risk due to juvenile delinquency, status offenses, child abuse or child neglect.
Evidence-based, FFT is a strength and systematic family focused model, working with at-risk adolescents and their families. This is a comprehensive method of treating individuals with severe clinical needs
Focus on the Future works with youth and families to receive workforce education, develop community connections, learn life skills, and get academic support. Sessions are designed specifically to address what the immediate needs are by providing youth and adults much needed life skills and resources so they can be independent and productive in their communities.