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AI: What do you think were some of the biggest differences between the way that you and your staff then at Atlantic Street Center were working with the youth, the biggest differences between how you did it and how other social service agencies were approaching youth?

TI: Well, you start with the assumption, I don't know. We don't know and we want to know. So we (were) no longer limited to the traditional things that we were taught to do. During Model (City Program) days, I was the vice-chairman, first vice-chairman (of the board). Boy you got citizen involvement (along with) chaos, so on. I was on the subcommittee that dealt with delinquent (youth) types of issues. And this one very outspoken person (who) continued to talk (so no business could be conducted) -- I've never seen it happen before -- (she) continued to talk to control the meeting agenda so that nothing could happen. And she just talk, talk, talk, literally talked so no one else could hear and nothing could be done. Well, I felt we needed to establish a residential care proposal. So I started with assumption, these kids are failing in school, they are failing in the home, and then they (did) certain antisocial activity, they were sent away (to) the institution which results in further alienation, failing further behind in school, and in the relationship with their parents. What (could) be done?

AI: So at that time, the typical response to a youth in trouble would be, put them in an institution and take them out of the community.

TI: Yeah. Yeah. So I felt differently -- that we need to help them here under these conditions, but with the level that the parents could handle it and the kids could handle it. That is, having a group home, two of them, right in the community so they'll continue with school, (the) same school. Six beds in each home will be provided if they want to come in and use it on a temporary basis. And they're all convicted of being delinquent. And so they (had) a lousy choice, either using our resource, alternative, or the institution. Secondly, they had to agree to come to the home, be open to participate in counseling, and the parents be willing as well, as a condition of service. If kids take, make use of positive experience, great. If they don't, tough. We'll offer it one time. Then we thought of an idea of having a group home so that the first month they're at our home five days a week, and two days (a weekend) they're home. And we (said) to the parent, "Can you handle each other?" (Initially) two days not too bad. [Laughs] (The) next month, three days home. Next month, four days at home, and next month, five days at home. So then within five months, they're home (full time). And in meantime, we work with the parents and the kids how to handle each other so they don't irritate each other too much and could tolerate (each other). We would be available later on outpatient basis, but no more inpatient. It was that sort of idea, just wasn't done. But according to the problem, (I) felt designing a system (to fit it) made sense.

<End Segment 28> - Copyright © 2000 Densho. All Rights Reserved.