ASHTABULA TOWNSHIP —  Juvenile Court Judge Charles Hague left the bench Monday afternoon to speak at a commencement ceremony for six graduates.

“I’m very proud of each and every one of you for what you have done in this program,” Hague told the first class of Thinking for a Change, T4C.  “My hope is you continue to keep these in your head so you do not come back here. I want to read about you being the valedictorian of your class, or that you made the football or basketball team or you made the (dean’s list) in your first year of college.”

T4C is a alternative to placement in the county’s Youth Detention Center or Ohio Department of Youth Services facilities. Kathy Thompson, court administrator, said that prior to the county receiving funding for T4C, there was no locally based alternative to doing time. Late last year, the Ohio Department of Youth Services offered to fund a trial of T4C in Ashtabula County.

“I always wanted to do something like this, but we never had the means,” Hague said. “Then the Department of Youth Services suddenly had a change of focus and we benefited from that.”

The initial round of funding, $297,000, provided training for staff and the first class of eight youth.

The focus in on felony offenders ages 12 to 18, but with adequate funding, T4C could be applied to those with misdemeanors, as well.

The program’s goal is to change the attitudes and thinking of the young offenders by using cognitive behavioral therapy. The youth learn skill-building and problem-solving techniques in group sessions led by a team of trained facilitators.

“It’s to help them change their thinking and ultimately change their behavior,” said Susan Laird, program coordinator.

Mathew A. Tucker, Amy Hlavtur and Lora Eckenrod serve as case managers; Stephen Keates is probation officer. The staff received six days of intensive training before welcoming the first class to the program some 25 weeks ago.

All of the participants would have been looking at time in a state facility if it had not been for T4C. The offenses included breaking and entering, stolen guns and a third domestic violence conviction.

“At first, I didn’t care if I went (into a state facility) or not,” confessed one of the 16-year-olds who graduated Monday. “But it hit me about week 5 (of T4C) that I could change.”

Another 16-year-old male who graduated from the program said he figured it would be like the counseling that he had been sent to since he was 10 years old. Turns out, it wasn’t so simple.

“I figured I would just blow it off and go home. But with this program, you can’t blow it off; you got to work at it,” he said.

Each youth had about four hours of contact time with the facilitators each week, plus homework assignments. The team also worked with the family, school and community to enhance the support and success of the juveniles.

“They’ve received a lot of additional support outside of what they get here,” Laird said.

The goal is to keep the youth out of the system, both now and in the future. Thompson said it costs the state $355 a day to incarcerate a male youth; more than $500 a day for a female. Ashtabula County sent 46 youth to the state system in 2011. In fiscal year 2012, it was 24, and thus far this year, none has been sent.

“(The state) told us that if they gave us this money, they wanted us to cut (the number committed )by 10 percent, which we did,” Thompson said.

While the program is an option, it’s not an automatic for every felony offender.

“The references come from the court, the judge, the magistrates,” Laird said. “The probation officer will ask if it is appropriate for the youth.”

There is close monitoring throughout the program.

“I don’t want people to think we are letting criminals run around,” Laird said. “We are using the detention center regularly.”

A second round of state funding, $342,000, has been awarded to fund the program in the current fiscal year, Thompson said. Laird said 18 youngsters are enrolled in two sessions and a third session is set to start in October. After completing the 25-week program, the youth are gradually set free during a six-week phase out, during which time they continue contact with the facilitators.

A 14-year-old participant said his life has a new focus as a result of T4C.

“I got two Cs and all As on my report card,” he said. “I’m more worried about my education than anything else now.”

“I love it,” Hague said of T4C. “It’s great. If it will keep some kids out of youth prison and maybe out of court, then it’s worth its weight in gold.”