Our Programs
We believe that criminalization and ostracization are ineffective deterrents to unproductive behaviors and that the carceral system—policing, jail, and state supervision—further harms people who have already been negatively impacted by trauma.
Our work is driven by the belief that guidance and support are more effective in inspiring people to make positive choices, seeing their unlimited potential and envisioning a future where they are able to live their lives fully.
To date, CP has worked with over 100 young people facing felony charges in the juvenile and adult criminal courts. The legal system has recognized and commended their success at engaging and changing their trajectory. Of the cumulative nearly 200 years our clients were facing, 146 years were diverted from jail time—an overall 76% reduction in length of sentencing. The young people who have been able to stay in the community have gone on to start businesses, graduate from high school, attend college, and actively participate in changing the narrative of not only their own lives, but their communities.
Across programs, Ambassadors have been trained to draw from evidence based interventions: Multisystemic Therapy (MST), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and Motivational Interviewing (MI). We strive to promote behavior change by tailoring goals to each young person while leveraging the strengths of their community to facilitate change. Programs and focus areas include:
CP-FIT
Adapted from Family Integrated Transitions, CP-FIT is a therapeutic, evidence informed home and community-based case management for youth and young adults, most of whom are 12 to 24, who are at-risk, have been involved, or are currently involved with the legal system. The program strives to promote behavior change by building on the strengths of each young person’s support network. CP-FIT Ambassadors work with families and young people to build skills and resources to promote emotional regulation, mindfulness, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness while reducing substance use and aggression.
Deep Dive
Deep Dive works with young men aged 15 to 27 who are most vulnerable to be the victim of or participate in gun violence across King County. The program includes wraparound case management; curriculum and mentorship focusing on identifying their own strengths and areas of growth; healthy conflict resolution; processing and healing from their trauma; identifying their aspirations and setting plans to achieve them; historical perspectives that have shaped their lives; financial literacy; employment support and job coaching; and legal system support as needed.
Community Support Team
Community Support Team provides on-the-ground support, expertise, and resources to prevent, intervene, and de-escalate gun violence. They respond to shooting incidents to serve as de-escalation agents at the scene of an incident, in hospitals, and in gun violence hot spots to calm tensions that may lead to further harm. They provide or connect individuals and families directly impacted by gun violence with with mentoring, emotional support for post-traumatic stress, medical follow-up, housing, substance use treatment, and job opportunities and other support to help ensure community safety.
School-Based Programming
School-based preventative programming offers weekly healing circles, culturally relevant curriculum, and mentorship for youth, culturally responsive strategies for staff, and peacekeeping circles connecting youth and staff to better understand and humanize each other. We are currently work primarily in South Lake High School and Lakota Middle School.