Harrisburg, Pa. - Donated airtime from Comcast NBCUniversal will extend the reach of But I’m Not, a compelling new public service announcement (PSA) campaign raising awareness of transformative youth justice, child welfare, and behavioral health systems programs.
Comcast NBCUniversal has made available to its nationwide network a :30 second PSA from But I’m Not, developed by Youth Advocate Programs (YAP), Inc. in partnership with The CauseWay Agency and Picture Perfect Production. The PSA, which represents donated airtime valued at approximately $500,000, features former YAP program participants, along with their Advocates, who provide community-based services as an alternative to youth incarceration and congregate residential placements.
Headquartered in Harrisburg, Pa., YAP is a national nonprofit in 32 states and the District of Columbia that works with youth justice, child welfare, behavioral health, and other systems to provide safe community-based alternatives to youth incarceration, congregate child welfare, behavioral health, and intellectual disabilities placements. YAP also partners with cities to implement violence prevention services.
“We are thrilled that Comcast NBCUniversal has made this generous donation,” said YAP President Gary Ivory. “As more youth justice, child welfare, behavioral health and public safety systems look to implement services that are more effective and equitable, it’s important for the public to know about time-tested, evidence-based alternatives.”
Founded 47 years ago, YAP has experienced considerable growth in recent years as more communities work to transform systems to become more effective and racially equitable.
YAP empowers program participants by giving them culturally responsive neighborhood-based Advocates and mobile behavioral health services. The YAP model focuses on helping youth see their strengths and connecting them and their parents/guardians with individualized “wraparound services” tools to firm their family foundation.
Guided by its “no reject, no eject” policy, YAP’s decades of service include working with many young people whose histories include serious offenses, multiple arrests, and lengthy out-of-home placements. John Jay College of Criminal Justice research found 86 percent of YAP’s youth justice participants remain arrest free, and six – 12 months after completing the program, nearly 90 percent of the youth still lived in their communities with less than 5 percent of participants in secure placement.
The PSA directs viewers to learn more about YAP’s work at www.YAPInc.org.