Council Update: CSC increases funding for Teen Outreach Program to serve more youth

At its June meeting, Children’s Services Council of Palm Beach County’s board approved additional funding for two area nonprofits to increase capacity and serve more students through Wyman’s Teen Outreach Program (TOP®).

TOP® is an evidence-based positive youth development program designed to support teens’ academic success and strengthen life skills while promoting healthy relationships and decision-making. Research shows that TOP® demonstrates positive outcomes for youth, including:

• 90% reported they were equipped to make healthy and safe decisions 
• 86% reported improved ability to handle challenges 
• 8.17% experienced a reduction in risk of receiving failing grades
• 7.70% experienced a reduction in risk of suspension
• 0.41% experienced a reduction in risky sexual behaviors

CSC will increase funding by $37,500 to Children’s Home Society to add six new community-based sites, serving an additional 150 participants for a total of 330 youth. Total allocation will not exceed $495,836. CSC also will increase funding by $25,000 to the Urban League of Palm Beach County to serve an additional 100 youth across new sites primarily located in the Glades. This will increase the program’s capacity from 144 to 244 youth. Total allocation will not exceed $512,613.

In other business:

Lifeguard Certification Update: For the first two quarters of the 2025-26 fiscal year, the free lifeguard/water safety instruction courses funded by Children’s Services Council of Palm Beach County produced 70 new lifeguards and 12 new water safety instructors ready to work at public pools. The courses, taught by the Palm Beach County Parks & Recreation Department staff, were launched in 2023 in response to the nationwide shortage of lifeguards and water safety instructors. By providing the certification courses for free, CSCPBC and Parks & Recreation sought to eliminate cost as an entry barrier for teens to become lifeguards or water safety instructors. Such certification courses range from $250 to $400.

Healthy Start Delivery Plan: Healthy Start Coalition of Palm Beach County, which is administered by CSC, selected its final priorities for the 2026-2031 Healthy Start Service Delivery Plan. The plan is in response to the Healthy Start Needs Assessment of 2025, which identified current needs, gaps and priorities to improve birth and health outcomes for women and their babies, prenatally to age 3. The Plan’s strategies are:

• Strengthen Family Access and Engagement
• Improve System Barriers
• Reduce Negative Social Drivers of Health

Each strategy has accompanying action steps, timelines, responsible parties and collaborators. The Healthy Start Service Delivery Plan aligns with the following CSC strategic objectives:

• Strengthen the Early Childhood System of Care
• Optimize Accountability
• Expand Community Partner Collaboration
• Improve Navigation and Access to Basic Needs and other PBC Services
• Increase Direct Connection to Community

Family Friendly Events: At a family centered event this month sponsored by Children’s Services Council of Palm Beach County, more than 300 people came together to celebrate a love of soccer and enjoy the excitement of the Mexico vs. South Africa opening World Cup match.  The event, which connected community with resources and created lasting memories, was held at Palm Beach County’s Main Library in West Palm Beach and hosted by CSCPBC, CSCPBC’s Spanish-language Facebook group Familias Latinas, and the county’s library system. From sticker exchanges to delicious food and family fun, the event showcased the power of bringing community together through culture, sports and connection. Other partners at the event included: ESPN South Florida, Deportes Radio 760 AM and El Rey Del Taco restaurant.

Earlier this month, CSC also sponsored a Summer Reading & Book Giveaway event attended by more than 230 children and their families. Children took home free books and enjoyed face painting, games, arts & crafts, music, shaved ice and more at Unearth a Story: Summer Books & Fun Fest, held at the Belle Glade Library. As a special treat, CSC CEO Lisa Williams-Taylor read The Bad Seed by Jory John to families. The event was sponsored and attended by the City of Belle Glade, Belle Glade Library, Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies PBC, HomeSafe, 211/Help Me Grow, BRIDGES, Imagination Library, Palm Beach State College, Safe Kids PBC, Digital Vibez and CSC’s Spanish-Language Facebook Group Familias Latinas.