U-Care Iowa City
The Iowa City U-CARE program is located at the Iowa City Community School District’s Central Administrative offices located at 509 South Dubuque. The U-CARE program has relied on the investment of the Iowa City Community School District and other community leaders’ buy-in to facilitate this project. The community’s goal for the Iowa City program is to improve minority student’s success in school through a 10% reduction in confinement and suspension recidivism rates compared to the previous funding year.
The Iowa City U-CARE program will work to reduce disproportionate suspension and contact rates through individualized supportive services. The program provides direct service assessments and community-based referrals for at-risk minority high school students. The U-CARE Coordinator connects with students involved with Juvenile Court Services or those receiving high rates of suspensions from school. Many of these students are referred to recreational programs, cultural activities, and/or employment opportunities.
The U-CARE Coordinator also conducts youth, parent, and community forums in order to create a comprehensive analysis of the Iowa City youth service network. This community mapping identifies gaps in services and works to ensure that disproportionate minority contact/suspension rates remain in the forefront. The U-CARE Coordinator serves as a liaison between students and the service provider network.
The U-CARE Coordinator is currently developing a Youth Advisory Group (YAG) to provide a forum for student feedback. The YAG allows students to openly discuss community issues and begin developing action strategies to address these issues. The YAG will develop programming that is student-centered and addresses needs identified by the group.
The U-CARE Coordinator is currently working with other local providers, Juvenile Court Services, the Iowa City Community School District, and the DMC Resource Center to develop a Johnson County DMC Committee. This committee will focus on identifying needs and reducing DMC relative rates.
The Iowa City U-CARE program has greatly benefited from the community buy-in that has occurred throughout the implementation of the project. Some of the most active partners in Iowa City are the Iowa City Community School District, United Action For Youth, Kirkwood, Juvenile Court Services, Dr. Lane Plugge, Four Oaks, local public officials, and other interested community leaders.
For information regarding the Iowa City U-CARE program, please contact Jaron Varner, U-CARE Student & Family Outreach Facilitator, at 319-688-1001 ext. 2684 or jaron.varner@urbandreams.org.For additional information about Urban Dreams’ statewide U-CARE program, please contact Zachary Wilson, State U-CARE Program Director, at 515-288-4742 or zachary.wilson@urbandreams.org.
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