Age range

Website: www.xanthos.org

Mission/Goals: The mission of Change Through Xanthos is to offer program services that improve the emotional, psychological and physical health of children, youth and families. The Runaway Homeless Youth Program provides outreach, violence prevention, intensive case management, health treatment and education, mental health counseling, educational support, youth development, and housing support services to runaway and/or homeless youth.

Notes: This program serves children and youth throughout Alameda county, including those from Oakland.

Source(s): www.ofcy.org; www.xanthos.org

Type of Evaluation: Outcomes Monitoring.

Objective: The Oakland Fund for Children and Youth (OFCY) evaluation was designed to assess service provision and the effects of services provided by organizations that received grants from OFCY. Please note that the following summary focuses on evaluation findings regarding the effects on children, rather than on service provision.

Impact/Outcomes: Youth-reported satisfaction with services declined slightly between fall 2003 and spring 2004 (85.2% versus 82.3%). However, the percentages of youth and staff reporting improvement across the seven developmental assets increased between the fall and spring (60.8% and 72.1% in the fall versus spring for youth reports and 63.6% to 68.7% for program staff). Similarly, the percentages of youth and staff reporting improvement across the 7 areas of attitudes, skills, knowledge, and behaviors increased (60.8% to 69.2% for youth reports and 57.8% to 74.3% for staff reports). Staff ratings of youths' expectations of themselves declined (52.7% to 49.2%) as did their ratings of youths' participation in home, school, and community (61.1% to 54.9%). 45 of the 69 youth (65%) transitioned to stable living situations or
re-unified with family, and the mental health
condition of 80% improved.