Project PACT's mission was to pool the systems of education, justice, law enforcement, health and human serivces, and community resources
to cooperatively expand and strengthen a comprehensive effort to meet the needs of truants of the Waianae community and their families. Our philosophy was early intervention and prevention. "The earlier the better" is the theme, and our approach is to focus on the child and family before truancy becomes a choice made by teenage students.
The project had two goals:
- Goal 1: To improve policies, practices, and services of the education, health, justice, law enforcement, and community services systems that prevent, identify, and treat truancy. In support of this goal, activities included: participating in the multi-agency partnership; assessing each system as it relates to truant and family services and continuing to improve policies and practices; and providing training and professional development as needed.
- Goal 2: To implement a school-based program. In support of this goal were activities such as coordinating services to non-attending elementary school students and their families; distributing community-wide information on truancy and truancy prevention; and sharing data across systems. And beginning school year 2003-2004, the project helped the Waianae elementary schools implement the Elementary School Attendance Program (ESAP). In doing so, key Project PACT initiatives can continue beyond federal funding.
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