History of Community Works:

If you look at the many programs of Community Works and examine their individual origins you will find eight distinct not-for-profit agencies.  The program that has been serving valley citizens the longest is HelpLine.  It is over 30 years old.  Rape Crisis and Dunn House follow closely behind.  In the mid-eighties HelpLine, Rape Crisis (which was then known as the Rape Crisis Council), Dunn House and our parent education program (originally Parents Anonymous) merged and became Crisis Intervention Services.

In 1979 a group of counselors broke from the Jackson County Educational School District (ESD) to form Youthworks.  At the time ESD was operating the youth jobs program (CETA).  The ESD made the decision to not continue the program and the people operating it formed their own not-for-profit.  In the early eighties Youthworks added youth counseling and homeless and runaway services. As a part of the youth counseling service, a group in Ashland decided to develop an after school program for teens.  Thus the Ashland Teen Center was born. The Ashland Teen Center broke away from Youthworks for two or three years and formed a separate not-for-profit.  It then returned to the fold and eventually evolved into the Grove.  A little later in the decade the CrossRoads alternative school was formed.

In the mid seventies two residential treatment programs were formed:  The Ashland Adolescent Center and Star Gulch Ranch located in the Applegate valley.  The Ashland Adolescent Center served girls and Star Gulch was a co-ed program.  In the late eighties the board of Star Gulch made the decision to give up its state contracts.  The Ashland Adolescent Center successfully competed for the beds.  During the process it became Lithia Springs Programs. 

In 1994 the directors of Youthworks, Lithia Springs and Crisis Intervention Services and their respective boards began a very long and deliberate movement towards the merger which became official in July of 1996.   

Summary of Services:

Community Works, Inc. is a non-profit social service agency serving as the parent corporation for more than a dozen human service programs. The Agency’s mission is to strengthen lives to change communities and to strengthen communities to change lives. Community Works was created eleven years ago through the mergers of complementary nonprofit organizations for better integration of services to clients and efficiencies in operations.

Over the years, Community Works has expanded and diversified its range of support services for people in need. It is the largest such agency in Jackson County, providing essential counseling services, alcohol and drug treatment, case management, educational programs, sexual assault services, domestic violence services, parenting education, information and referral services through a crisis telephone hotline, residential services for youth offenders, and services to homeless and runaway youth.

Programs are operated at various sites throughout the communities of Jackson County, including Medford and Ashland. Services are delivered by approximately 125 staff and 100 volunteers who are well educated or trained and dedicated to our clients. Last year, Community Works served 4,596 people and its Helpline received 15,579 calls. The Agency’s annual operating budget is five million dollars. Funds come from a variety of sources including government contracts, foundation grants, private donations, fee for services, and sales from entrepreneur activities involving young clients learning skills and business. 

 
For more information on our programs please call: (541)779-2393 or e-mail us at nwatson@community-works.org

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