WORCESTER—The Worcester County District Attorney’s Office has received a $50,000 grant to expand its Early Diversion Worcester (EDW) program, extending its services to at-risk youth in Southbridge and Fitchburg.
The grant was awarded by the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security (EOPSS), according to an announcement from Worcester County District Attorney Joseph Early, Jr.
The EDW program, developed in collaboration with Choices, Inc., aims to divert vulnerable adolescents aged 12 to 18 from entering the criminal justice system by addressing the root causes of behavior often exacerbated by school suspensions.
“By reaching kids early, we can work to adapt and modify behavior, while hopefully preventing a lifetime of involvement with the criminal justice system,” Early said in the release. “This is crime prevention at its best.”
Since its full implementation in February 2024, the program has enrolled and screened 60 youth. One parent of a participant praised the program, saying, “The Choices program is a supportive, accepting environment that has had a huge impact on my son and our family. In just a couple of months, he has made new friends and has found the motivation to strive for his dreams again. We are forever grateful.”
Research from Citizens for Juvenile Justice (CFJJ) highlights that youth are twice as likely to face arrest during periods of school suspension or expulsion. In response, the Healey-Driscoll Administration allocated $200,000 through the Title II Formula Grant Program to support community-based initiatives aimed at preventing youth from entering the juvenile justice system.
The EDW program employs a pre-arrest diversion model offering trauma-informed and recovery-oriented behavioral health services to youth and their families. These services are available at the Choices program center in Worcester, where participants receive individualized care guided by a comprehensive intake and assessment. The program also provides free transportation to the center and is expected to assist 20 to 25 youth during the grant period.
News? Message Charlene Arsenault at carsenault@theworcesterguardian.org
