Executive Director of the Juvenile Justice Advisory Board, Rachel Mohr Richards gives presentation at Kiwanis Club of Los Alamos. Courtesy photo

KIWANIS News:

Jan. 6, the Kiwanis Club of Los Alamos was treated to a presentation from Rachel Mohr Richards, the Executive Director of the Juvenile Justice Advisory Board (JJAB). She joined the organization in 2020 as a Resource Specialist and became a director in 2023, She outlined their activities, resources, and goals for the future.

JJAB works to reduce youth behaviors, facilitate positive youth development, and build resiliency through responsive, effective programming and collaboration with other local organizations. Their mission is “We provide resources to the children, youth, and families of Los Alamos to enhance resiliency”.

The Resource Specialist (RS) Program receives referrals, the majority of which comes from the Los Alamos Public Schools. Each specialist completes a thorough intake with family to assess needs and create an individualized plan. In FY2025, they were able to serve 187 youth. To qualify for the service, youth must be between birth and 18 years old, and the family must live or attend school in Los Alamos County.

The One Circle Program facilitates support groups that meet in schools during lunch hour to build peer connections and discuss issues that impact their lives. In FY2025, 162 youths participated in 27 groups. The Seven Challenges is a non-abstinence-based program that helps youth using drugs and/or alcohol to examine their use, develop critical thinking skills and make healthier choices. In the first year of implementation, JJAB served 8 youth through the program.

Another new addition is the Youth Peer Support Program to serve youth in recovery, provide emotional support for those struggling with substance abuse or mental health challenges, teach coping skills, and provide guidance in navigating juvenile justice systems.

Teachers, coaches, youth group leaders, and anyone supporting a youth are encouraged to participate in JJAB’s Youth Mental First Aid training to learn about typical adolescent development, signs and symptoms of potential challenges, and crisis intervention. Three training sessions were held I FY2025 where 35 adults were certified. There have been 670 certifications since implementation in 2016. JJAB also supports and helps facilitate the Dolly Parton Imagination Library in Los Alamos where children from birth to age 5 receive a free monthly developmentally appropriate book. In FY2025, 641 children received books.

Mohr Richards noted that mental health is a major pressing need among youth and the community needs assessment revealed a critical lack of coordinated continuum of care. Barriers to treatment include a mental health provider shortage, long wait lists and lack of availability, and siloed care with little no collaboration between providers. JJAB has created a new brain-based therapy program to leverage existing programs and improve coordinated care. There are now 24 youth receiving services. She stated that future efforts will be in data collection, securing continued funding, and enhanced communications across JJAB programs.