A Program...for the purpose of reconnecting youth who are disenfranchised with school and suffering the consequences of these disconnections.
Reconnecting Youth was piloted for five years with over 600 public high school students in Seattle, WA. This award-winning curriculum has since been successful in over 4,100 schools, health clinics, mental health centers, juvenile justice detention centers and private practices.
RY...has been in Buffalo Public Middle and High Schools since 1999, and is curently in three Buffalo public High Schools for the School Year 2005-2006

Documented Results:
 • 50% increase in school attendence
 • 50% fewer dysfunctional personal behaviors
 • 65% increase in the number of credits earned per semester toward graduation
 • 50% decrease in the frequency of drug & alcohol use

Reconnecting Youth, called RY for short, is designed to be a class in a high school's curriculum. The course is intended to be delivered in daily class sessions, typically 55 minutes per class, during regular school hours. The RY course is five-months, or one semester long (usually 90 class periods).

Specially selected and trained ECCPASA staff are the group leaders for RY. The ideal group leader-to-student ratio is no more than 1:12, in concert with the small group model.

The program explores, in a timely way, the decisions high-risk youth face and the consequences of actions taken based on their decisions. The students in RY are encouraged and stimulated to benefit from the program in specific ways-at school, at work, with friends, and at home-by developing a greater sense of personal control, adaptive coping behaviors, supportive communications skills, and improved interpersonal relationship skills.