Youth Bureau

The Brookhaven Youth Bureau is a department of Town Government assigned the responsibility of planning and coordinating activities for youth up to 21 years of age in the Town of Brookhaven.   The Bureau is designed to promote the moral, physical, mental, and social well being of youth in the Town, and to prevent delinquency and youth crime by fostering services aimed at strengthening family life and enabling all youth to attain their fullest individual potential.

TOWN- WIDE YOUTH COUNCILS
The Town of Brookhaven Youth Bureau also supports a youth council, located in several of the contract agencies. The Youth Council develops and implements ideas in response to the needs of youth, and works in cooperation with town representatives and local agencies. The Youth Council has been involved in activities such as the Summer Band Concert, Youth Festival at Bald Hill, and Annual Youth Summit, local government representation, and activities for young people. The Youth Council is also involved in the Peer Leadership weekend, and is a place for youth to become involved in policy making and program development for children, youth and family services in their own community. The Youth Council promotes the philosophy and concept of youth development, which is a philosophy that embraces the idea that youth need to become invested in their own, and their communities future. From these youth councils we hope to develop leaders of the future for our community.

WE ARE LOOKING FOR INTERESTED TEENS TO JOIN THE TOWN-WIDE YOUTH COUNCIL.  CALL  LOUISE ADIPIETRO AT 631-451-8011

YOUTH AND FAMILY SERVICES
The following programs are directly administered by the Town of Brookhaven Youth Bureau:

SANCTUARY PROGRAM FOR RUNAWAY AND HOMELESS YOUTH: This program provides services to runaway and homeless youth ages 12 - 21, without cost, throughout Brookhaven. Its objectives are to provide intervention, case management to youth and families, advocacy, formal and informal counseling, support services, coordinated treatment planning with residential facilities, transportation, and outreach to schools, community groups and social service agencies. The program also provides training in independent living skills for youth that are considered homeless between the ages of 16 and 21.

Brookhaven Sanctuary hours: Monday-Friday, 9:00 am to 4:30 p.m.
Call 451-8011

1. Crisis Intervention. Short-term counseling.
2. Short-term Emergency Housing. To establish a safer environment than living on the streets, youth are provided temporary housing at volunteer homes and Town and County residential facilities.
3. Counseling. Short-term counseling (three to six months) for youth in conflict or crisis with their family, school or peers.
4. Homeless Project. For youth who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. Counseling, advocacy for education, employment and basic needs are available.
5. Family Mediation. Counseling services provided to adolescents and their families to assist in resolving disputes that may interfere with youth staying in their homes.
6. Advocacy. Adolescents and their families are sometimes unable to deal with services and the system. Youth are offered assistance in obtaining health, education, welfare and legal services.
7. Parenting education and school presentations regarding adolescent development and teen/parent relationships.
8. Information and Referral. Adolescents and their families are often unaware of available services and programs in the community. Information and referrals are offered.

For emergencies at all other times, please call RESPONSE CRISIS HOTLINE at 751-7500.

REGENERATION CAMP PROGRAM: Contact Louise Adipietro 451-8019
This summer recreation program, for youth ages 5-12, is operated in several different town park sites.Youngsters will participate in supervised playground activities, arts and crafts and quiet games. No Fee. Dates: Wednesday, July 9th-Friday, August 15th. Time: 9am-12noon; 1pm-3pm, this program also serves as an employment program for young adults, both from the Town's summer job applicant pool and those placed through the Suffolk County Department of Labor. These youth assist in the provision of services to the children at the park sites. ReGeneration enrolls over 900 children at the project sites and provides employment for 100 adolescents as well.

Click here for location information.

SAFE SUMMER PROGRAM: Contact Donna Napoli, Assistant Director, Youth Bureau 451-8017
These Safe Summer outreach programs provide a safe, drug and alcohol free area for youth to socialize during the course of the summer. This project works in cooperation with the Suffolk County Police Department. The Suffolk County Police Department reports that Youth disturbance calls to the Fifth and Sixth Police Precincts have decreased. The Safe Summer Program is coordinated with the efforts of youth agencies, chambers of commerce and other organizations working together to provide safe activities for youth.

Program will begin Wednesday,  July 9th and run through Friday, August 22nd.  See schedule for more information.

INTERFACE  PROGRAM:
This is a partnership between "good corporate neighbors and the Town Of Brookhaven", united in a common effort to provide help to Brookhaven's less fortunate residents. Through voluntarism, INTERFACE provides goods and services to those in need.

INTERFACE  PROJECTS
Hunger- Food is collected by INTERFACE through corporate food drives, at summer concerts at the Town of Brookhaven's amphitheater at Bald Hill, the Town's Annual Country Fair, and at the Holiday Tree Lighting Ceremony. Donations are distributed to food pantries throughout Brookhaven all year long.

Holiday Toy Drive: Each year the Brookhaven Interface Holiday Toys for Kids Drive collects and distributes gifts to the needy in Brookhaven. The INTERFACE Toy Drive encourages Brookhaven residents to donate gifts at more than 100 toy collection boxes provided throughout the Town at banks, convenience stores, and many other businesses. INTERFACE strives to increase voluntarism among Brookhaven citizens by working with neighborhood fire departments, schools, churches, and various community organizations. It is particularly interested in getting young people to become volunteers.

Prom Gowns: Any young women experiencing financial difficulty is offered brand new prom gown and accessories for their special night.  These gowns are theirs to keep.  The gowns are donated by dozens of businesses throughout the Town of Brookhaven.  The seniors need only call the INTERFACE Program at 631-451-8014.

Totes for Tots: INTERFACE collects new duffel bags, large backpacks and small suitcases for the Foster Care Program.  Anyone wishing to make such donations please call 631-451-8014.

Back to School - In order to help prepare youngsters to be ready for Back to School. Donations of note books, glue, calculators, bookbags, etc. are distributd to those in need via local youth agencies.

The Town and the business community have established a Steering Committee consisting of representatives from the Town of Brookhaven and businesses.  INTERFACE was the recipient of the President's Private Sector Initiative Award, and it has also been honored by the Eleanor Roosevelt Committee of the Governor's Office of Voluntary Service. There are approximately 110 corporations, not-for-profit agencies, community and fraternal organizations that make up INTERFACE.

VOLUNTEER AWARDS NIGHT:
Youth and adults are honored at a ceremony in the Town Hall Auditorium for their volunteer service to young people in the Town of Brookhaven. This annual event has now presented awards to over 800 generous individuals and service groups who have selflessly given their time or skills to young people and their families. We welcome nominations from individuals and organizations in the Town to honor youth that provide community volunteer service, and honor adults who provide volunteer service to young people in the Town of Brookhaven.  This program is held in May each year.  Nominations are accepted through the first week of April.

STUDENT INTERNS:
The Youth Bureau is a placement site for student interns from the State University at Stony Brook, Adelphi and Suffolk County Community College. The Youth Bureau offers students supervision and training. These placements have a dual purpose, they provide clients with services such as counseling for youth and families and provide the interns with involvement in community organizing projects.

COMMUNITY BASED YOUTH SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS
The Youth Bureau provides funding for 18 different community based youth agencies. Through these funded youth service agencies over 15,000 children, youth and families throughout the Town of Brookhaven are served. Children are served in a variety of programs from youth employment, to counseling, to recreation. Services are provided to youth no matter where they fall in the spectrum of need. The following agencies serve children, youth and families in the Town of Brookhaven.

1. RESPONSE  631-751-7500  This agency provides 24-hour crisis intervention/suicide intervention hotline, as well as a community education program to provide training and suicide prevention, crisis intervention, survival skills, problem solving and parental skills for youth, parents, educators and youth workers throughout the Town of Brookhaven. RESPONSE also serves as a 24-hour Runaway and Homeless Youth Hotline for Brookhaven Youth.
2. ATLANTIC BOXING CLUB  631-331-7111  This program is a competitive amateur boxing program intended to serve youth between the ages of 10 and 21 years, to encourage physical fitness through good nutrition, exercise, and to discourage the use of drugs, alcohol, and tobacco; to teach self discipline and help to build strong character.
3. EDUCATION & ASSISTANCE CORPORATION  631-265-0490  The Adolescent Mediation program represents an alternative response to youth problems typically addressed within family and criminal courts. The problems addressed are interpersonal parent-child conflicts, harassment and minor assaults, neighborhood disagreements, and minor criminal mischief, ethnic or racial hostilities and school-related conflicts.
4. COLONIAL YOUTH AND FAMILY SERVICES   631-281-4461  This program provides individual, group and family counseling as well as parenting skills training and support services. Colonial also runs recreational activities, including a summer camp program. Additionally, Colonial conducts before and after school child care and an interim kindergarten program.
5. AMERICAN RED CROSS  631-853-5182   The Community Service Program serves to monitor and evaluate the performance of adjudicated juveniles mandated by the Family Court to perform community service in public or private not-for-profit agencies & institutions. Placements are initiated within the individual's corresponding townships. The program also implements job training/readiness for youth in the program.
6. BOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF BELLPORT  631-286-9090   The program, located at two sites, provides services to youth and families, including counseling, substance abuse counseling and tutoring at Bellport High School. Job counseling and referrals, recreation, tutoring, teen support services, after school child care, peer leadership training and family support for developmentally disabled persons at the Boys and Girls Club of the Bellport area, and the A.S.C. program at Bellport High School.
7. FAMILY SERVICE LEAGUE  631-345-5645   The Brookhaven Family Service Advocacy provides crisis intervention, individual counseling, and psycho educational workshops for targeted youth and their families, including those from multi problem families, families with frequent involvement in the justice - human service systems, and those at risk of becoming involved in the PINS system.
8. COMSEWOGUE YOUTH CLUB  631-473-8463   This agency is designed to provide services to the general youth population through recreational programming and educational workshops.
9. FEDERATION OF ORGANIZATIONS  631-321-8229   The Foster Grandparent Program offers income eligible seniors the opportunity to provide mentoring, tutoring and emotional support to special needs children ages 0-21.
10. FAMILY COUNSELING SERVICE   Provides individual, family and group counseling as well as in-school programs. Treatment areas include: hyperactivity and attention problems, substance abuse prevention, support groups, and conflict resolution. All programs are designed to enhance self-esteem and promote health choices.
11. NORTH SHORE YOUTH COUNCIL  631-744-0207  This agency operates programs to prevent juvenile delinquency, diffuse family conflict, promote youth awareness and development. Other services include family and youth counseling, youth employment services, youth newsletter, youth community projects, recreation activities - field trips Job Bank Linkage and After School and weekends "Safe Haven" drop-in lounge and peer leadership. This agency is also included in a comprehensive Anti-Graffiti Project, which includes education, prevention, diversion and a public arts project.
12. PATCHOGUE-MEDFORD YOUTH AND COMMUNITY SERVICES  631-758-4100   This agency provides advocacy services, youth employment and recreation programs for youth in the community. They also provide education workshops, after-school groups and Parent Education. The agency's youth development activities have been expanded to include a multicultural youth council providing youth leadership skills, community service and an anti-violence program, along with prevention activities for children in grades 1-6.
13. SACHEM COMMUNITY & YOUTH SERVICES  631-585-1811   This agency provides positive outlets and alternatives for youth up to age 21. Services include drop-in lounge, recreational activities, tutoring, informal counseling, and volunteer opportunities for youth.
14. SELDEN/CENTEREACH YOUTH ASSOCIATION  631-732-2186  This agency provides counseling and family support programs for targeted youth and their families. Services include crisis intervention, individual and family counseling, decision-making and problem-solving skills and supportive services to youth experiencing school related problems or family conflict.
15. THREE VILLAGE COMMUNITY & YOUTH SERVICES  631-331-8990   This agency provides programs in the areas of youth and family development aimed at preventing juvenile delinquency. They offer three after-school drop-in programs during the school year and a counseling component for youth and families.
16. YMCA OF LONG ISLAND  631-281-6114   The William Floyd Project seeks to prevent delinquency and family conflict by enhancing family functioning. Services include short-term counseling, youth employment, parenting education, information, referral, advocacy and parent child programs.
17. YOUTH AWARNESS PROGRAM  631-731-1133 The Faith Baptist Church Gordon Heights Youth Program provides a comprehensive after school environment where youth ages 6 to 18 receive educational enrichment through tutoring and homework help, as well as social, cultural and recreational development through activities.
18. SUNSHINE PREVENTION CENTER 631-476-3099  This agency provides a Safekids Violence Prevention Program, teen support groups, leadership opportunities, holiday programs, and a children's summer program for ages 4 to teens.

Hotline Numbers - 24 hours a day

1. Suffolk County Police Emergency 911
2. Child Abuse and Neglect 1-800-342-3720
3. National Runaway Switchboard 1-800-621-4000
4. Victim's Information Bureau (VIBS) 631-360-3606
5. Suffolk County Coalition Against Domestic Violence (SCCADV) 631-666-8833
6. RESPONSE 631-751-7500
7. CRISIS HOTLINE 631-751-7500
8. Brighter Tomorrows (Domestic Violence Shelter) 631-395-1800
9. DSS Emergency Housing (after business hours / holidays weekends.) 631-854-9100

Counseling and Support

Brookhaven Sanctuary for Runaway and Homeless Youth 451-8011
Hope House Ministries 473-6030
Farmingville Mental Health 854-2552
The Ministries 736-4800
Catholic Charities 654-1919

BROOKHAVEN YOUTH BOARD
The Brookhaven Youth Board meets throughout the year providing community input into Youth Bureau Programs. The all-volunteer board is comprised of youth and adults appointed by the Town Council. The members provide year-round guidance and program suggestions to the Youth Bureau by discussion and agency review. The Youth Board meets six times during the year. The Youth Board is a policy-making board and advises the Town Council and Supervisor on the needs of youth in Brookhaven, as well as providing advocacy on behalf of children, youth and families in the Town.