A summary of Truancy Diversion prepared for a congressional report

Truancy Diversion Social Work Program (TDSW), delivered by the Children’s Home Society of West Virginia through collaboration with the Alliance for Children, Inc, places a social service worker into a school to assist with truancy problems and other social and family issues disrupting student success. Launched in Mineral County, West Virginia in 1999, this successful program has proven its effectiveness with outcomes including attendance improvement, grade promotion, and increase of positive behaviors at school and home. TDSW has produced a significant reduction of petitions filed for truancy in the county and has diverted hundreds of children from the child welfare and delinquency systems. The program received strong support from parents and school personnel as it provided assistance for students to stay in school. In fact, TDSW was so successful that the State of West Virginia and local districts scaled it up, operating in 49 of West Virginia’s 55 counties. With the loss of federal juvenile justice and delinquency prevention funds and other funding streams, however, this major statewide initiative that provided services to thousands of students and families was substantially reduced to operate in only one county. Despite the lack of resources, Truancy Diversion continues to prove its effectiveness, as evidenced by the current program at VanDevender Junior High School in Parkersburg. Out of 48 students who received intensive services, 97.9% increased or maintained their daily attendance with the intervention, and 95.8% increased or maintained their GPA.