RISE program providing important support for youth in Winona

Over a quarter of U.S. students in kindergarten through 12th grade missed a month or more of the 2022-2023 school year. That number is nearly double the number of students who were chronically absent before the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mental health conditions, like anxiety or depression, are common reasons for absences. Young people who experience bullying or an unwelcoming school climate are also more likely to miss school.

Family & Children’s Center (FCC) in Winona is taking a stand to address this issue for children in and around Winona with the implementation of the RISE Program.

FCC’s RISE (Resilience, Independence, Support, Engagement) Program provides mental health, skill-based services to give at-risk youth in Winona an opportunity to learn, grow, socialize, and participate in opportunities to enrich their lives, improve school attendance, and discourage them from unhealthy and unlawful activities.

“Each child will have a treatment plan based on their goals,” said Karrie Hahn, Family & Children’s Center’s Director of Programs – Minnesota. “That will help our staff focus on why the children in the program aren’t going to school. It could be learning about anger management, it could be bullying, or it could even be their mental health concerns.”

RISE aims to empower young individuals to thrive academically and personally. Youth will have an opportunity to receive help with their school work from staff and tutors. Staff, youth and the youth’s parents will develop a treatment plan around the barriers that are preventing the youth from attending school and work on identified goals during programming.

Staff will also assist youth with replacing illegal activities with healthy alternatives, like painting, hiking, sports, or music. Discovering new hobbies in a group setting not only provides a constructive outlet for energy and emotion, but creates a sense of community. New friendships lead to higher levels of self-esteem, which can help the youth overcome the anxieties that keep them from school.

The program will also provide parents and caregivers the opportunity to learn skills that provide a safe and connected relationship with the youth in their care. Parents who are actively involved in their child’s life provide essential support and guidance that fosters emotional, social, and cognitive development. Their engagement helps build strong relationships, instills security, and encourages positive behaviors and academic achievement, all of which contribute significantly to a child’s overall growth and well-being.

“We really want kids to be engaged in school and engaged in their community,” said Hahn. “There is a huge need for this program.”

To be eligible for the program, potential clients must be identified as at-risk of or at truancy level attendance, at-risk of engaging in illegal activities or have caregivers identified as needing additional support to care for at-risk youth.

Referrals are welcome from the Winona Area Public School, Winona County Health and Human Services, Winona County Probation and Parole, Winona County Court Services, Winona Health, Emplify Health (formerly known as Gundersen Health System) and any other community entity of related interest.

The RISE Program is funded by the Community Crime Intervention and Prevention Grant from the Office of Justice Programs. It is open weekdays from 2:30 to 6:30 p.m. at FCC’s 601 Franklin Street offices in Winona.

For more information about the RISE Program, please contact Craig Putz at cputz@fccnetwork.org or (507) 453-9563 ext. 3137 or visit fcconline.org.

Learn more about the RISE Program here.