Child Safety & Risk Management is our #1 Priority

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Lake County Youth Services Inc. Dba Clearlake Youth Center is committed to working diligently to enhance robust safety policies and actions to ensure our students remain SAFE On-site, during transportation Off-site while participating in all of our new our FAME tracks including MentoringOne, and LifeSkillsOne. 

Our FAME program tracks include but not limited to Music, Arts, Dance, Streaming, Athletic, Enrichment, Recreational, Social, and other Indoor/Outdoor activities were developed to keep our students engaged and coming back time over time for more. 

Through our safety and risk management committee we have implemented layers of policies, procedures and guidelines through a comprehensive training manual that all our mentors and staff must complete prior to being responsible for our youth without a team lead. 

Our number one priority is to our youth and volunteers SAFE. Through our life-changing work; you can be ensured that our youth will treated in ways that are compassionate, caring, loving respected and and effective. 

We believe that all its students should be treated fairly, and consistently. We also take any accusation, or claims of harsh, punitive, exclusionary discipline, abuse, molestation, misconduct, harassment and other forms of verbal, physical or emotional punishment very seriously. 

We will take the necessary best practices actions to immediately report the incident to the proper authorities and law enforcement as required by law as a mandated reporter.  

The number one question our Parents, Teachers, Coaches, Administrator, Pastors, Youth Advocates and our Supporters ask us is; How do you screen your mentors and staff? Our answer is simple! Our Background process includes extensive Department of Justice Criminal Live Scan Finger and Personal/Employment Reference Inquiry to though in person interviews.

Since you child will be trusted to our care you can expect you childs mentor to undergo annual reviews and be required to produce negative drug test results, mandated child abuse training, medical history TB verification and other best practices prior to being hired or permitted to engage with your child. 

In addition all of our approved transport leaders undergo an extensive motor vehicle driving records evaluation to ensure your child mentor has a track record of safe driving history. All vehicles will be inspected on an annual basis to verify routine maintenance, registration, insurance and a valid driver licience is in force without restrictions.         

• Background Checks & Sex Offender Registry: Were committed to ensuring Mandatory annual criminal DOJ background checks and MVR driving records are evaluated for all directors, officers, board advisors, employees, youth center staff and volunteers.
• Mandatory Risk Reporting: Were committed to immediately report any suspected abuse, harassment, molest, misconduct, punishment or victimization to the appropriate authorities and then to our Risk Management Department.
• Safety & Risk Committees: Were assembling a Board- led Child Safety & Risk Committee to elevate safety to the highest level of governance.
• Mandatory Safety & Risk Assessments: Were committed to completing a mandatory annual safety assessment of the Lake County Youth Services and its facilities are compliant and meet industry standards.
• 3rd Party Safety & Risk Experts: We're currently evaluating our internal policies and best practices including but not limited to considering contracting the leading 3rd party safety experts on training, policies and resources. Were in discussions with RAINN, the nation’s leading organization dedicated to child abuse and molest prevention, awareness, and response to conduct a safety review and risk management study. Lake County Youth Services will continue to evaluate its best practices on an ongoing basis to ensure its student are protected from themselves, their mentors and others.
• Mandatory Reference & Requirement: Any employee or volunteer looking to join our Lake County Youth Services organization and participate in any of the FAME tracks or any of our Mentoring and Life Skills programs must demonstrate sufficient experience in working with youth in 5th through 12th grade or the equivalent of ages 10 years old through 18 years old; prior to being approved for hire. Applicants must meet our minimum qualifications to be eligible for hire. Exceptions to the minimum requirement are only made for High-school Youth Staff between 15 yrs old and 18 years old; that demonstrates the necessary skills and successfully complete a training program to meet these expectation. 
• Continuous Risk Management: Continual updates to our sexual, mental and physical abuse prevention polices, practices, and training that align with best practices of healthcare and school-based settings are implemented for best practices.
• Resources for Families and Staff: Impact training and resources for our students and families focused on mental health, substance abuse, gang violence, bullying, and social-emotional development.
• Resources for our Members: Our members are required to prominently display key safety resources and information, including the Child Safety Helpline and Crisis Text Lines throughout all accessible common areas.
• Communication Policy Communications: Were committed to informing parents and guardians of safety policies when they receive a youth membership applications.