By Fallan Patterson
Staff Writer

The final report of September’s 2010 Osceola Youth in Crisis Conference was presented to Osceola County commissioners Oct. 11 and showcased what the more than 300 attendees suggested as ways to address child and teenage crime, violence and needs.

“We were there to educate ourselves, identify services and establish alliances,” Susan Crutchfield, youth projects director of the nonprofit Community Vision, said during her presentation. “We're excited about the momentum coming out of that meeting.”

The conference was broken into three discussion themes – prevention, diversion and transition – to help with all areas of youth issues.

Prevention focused on issues such as crime, teen pregnancy, school dropouts and services for at-risk youth. Attendees during their diversion discussion also offered suggestions for programs to keep youth from incarceration. They formulated ideas for youth's lives after probation or jail time, with a focus on education, employment and life skills training.

Commissioner Ken Smith, whom Crutchfield praised for the large turnout of participants at the conference, was encouraged by the feedback given during the event.

“If one child is homeless, is neglected, is abused, is involved with gangs, it's a crisis,” Smith said. “This is our problem as a community and we will pay one way or another. This ought to be the top priority for this community.”

After the presentation, county commissioners pledged support for children's services and programs and did some additional brainstorming of their own.

Commissioner Michael Harford encouraged approval or an ordinance that would put a children’s services funding referendum in front of voters.

Commissioner John Quiñones said the county should pursue grants to fund programs for youth.

“I think we should form a task force with the goal of bringing community leaders together,” he said.

Conference hosts have already held follow-up meetings to discuss the next steps, according to the report, and they hope forming a task force will implement the “high priority solutions that emerged from the summit.”

Quiñones also said that after-school programs work in keeping children occupied and out of trouble.

Commission Chairman Fred Hawkins Jr. agreed with Quiñones that school programs are a way to prevent problems.

“If we can keep a child from going into a gang, it's easier than getting them out of it,” Hawkins said.