NCJ Number
161352
Date Published
Unknown
Length
10 pages
Annotation
This report describes the philosophy, goals, characteristics, and evaluation results for the Orion Multi- Service Center, which is a drop-in center for street youth in Seattle, Wash.
Abstract
On September 1, 1983, eight juvenile service providers in the Seattle area jointly opened the Orion Center. The objective of the drop-in center is to provide help for street youth to the degree that they want to become involved in the center's services. The center is located in downtown Seattle not far from the center of Seattle's street culture. Although Orion has a number of outreach mechanisms, its most effective is the reputation of the center as a drop-in facility between the hours of 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. on weekdays and until 9:00 p.m. on Saturday. The drop-in area is furnished with couches, tables and chairs, a stereo, and a video machine. Newcomers who walk in off the street are "spotted" by two counselors who introduce themselves and explain the center. Youth are free to hang out, play games, listen to music, and talk to each other and to the staff. The only rules are no drugs, no sex, and no violence. The center offers street kids the opportunity to check out Orion's staff and services before they invest themselves in getting help. They can get a free meal or a medical exam without any obligation. Staff members make themselves available in an informal way and begin to build relationships. For those who wish to exit from street life, a caseworker is the principal advocate. The caseworker coordinates center services for such them. Services include counseling and advocacy, emergency crisis intervention, meals, medical services, emergency and transitional housing, drug and alcohol abuse counseling, education, and employment. An evaluation conducted during the center's first 15 months of full operation found that of the 107 clients who terminated their involvement during the evaluation period, approximately half were successful terminations; that is, they were off the streets, were no longer involved in prostitution, and had a stable living situation. A subsequent evaluation showed similar findings.