YOUTH PROGRAM GETS EXTENSION

DYS Receives Last-Minute Reprieve

Danbury Youth Services will get a two-month funding extension on its
after-care program for ex-criminal offenders.

The extension means a chance to sell a new proposal that would expand
the program to include youthful offenders.

A $68,000-a-year grant DYS received to run the 27-year-old program to
help ex-offenders readjust to community life was to be discontinued
yesterday. The program serves 43 clients a month.

With the extension DYS can concentrate on selling its proposal to
continue, and even expand, its current program.

DYS was told last week that funding for the program was canceled. A
new contract went to Associated Psychotherapists of Western
Connecticut.

The state Judicial Branch Court Support Services Division recently
developed an adult services proposal. Agencies offering adult
probation programs were invited to bid.

Associated Psychotherapists offered an adult probation program under a
$20,000 state grant for the last year and submitted a bid of $30,000
for an expanded version of that program.

The private agency was notified last week that it won the contract,
but as of yesterday had not been given details. It did not anticipate
serving the same number of clients as DYS.

"I'm very pleased that they (DYS) are going to have the program for
the next two months, and maybe all the time," said Associated
Psychotherapists partner Adrienne VosWinkel, noting her agency never
intended to compete with DYS. "There are certainly enough people
needing the treatment. I think it's super."

DYS Executive Director James Walsh said yesterday his agency bid on
the same proposal.

The $118,578 bid included programs for youthful offenders and 14 other
services such as vocational training, employment counseling, substance
abuse treatment, education, mental health services and parenting
programs. It also asks for another staff person and collaboration with
other agencies.

Walsh said he did not know until last week that the current program
was in jeopardy and is relieved DYS now has more time to prove the
program's worthiness. It boasts a 95 percent success rate.

William Carbone, executive director of the state's Court Support
Services, said yesterday part of the DYS review will look for any
service gaps in the Danbury region and make sure that clients suffer
no interruption in services. He offered no guarantees but said it's
possible that the review will result in funding for both agencies.

Carbone said the new contracts were not based simply on cost, but on
what agency was best suited to provide the service his agency wants
provided.

The discrepancy in the two bids can be linked to the fact that DYS
wants to serve an 11-town region, Carbone said.

DYS and Associated Psychotherapists said administrative expenses, the
type of services to be provided and fee structures also are a factor.

The latest reprieve does not mean DYS will not lose its funding, but
Walsh said he has high hopes that a review of its program will be in
its favor.