Crisis Center Foundation expands teen relationship workshops in Jacksonville

The Crisis Center Foundation is widening its teen outreach in Jacksonville with free summer workshops for ages 11 to 18 at 1101 W. Morton Avenue and Minnie Barr Park, giving Morgan County families a local place to learn about boundaries, safety and coping before conflict escalates.

The sessions are built around more than a lecture. Organizers are pairing practical instruction with food and games, a setup meant to keep younger teens engaged while adults talk through the warning signs of unhealthy relationships, what respect looks like, and how to ask for help when something feels wrong. The foundation has also promoted a teen dating sticker-design activity for youth ages 11 to 19 centered on the idea of “Real Love” in a healthy relationship, with winning designs to be printed and shared at foundation events.

The Jacksonville push is part of a broader prevention effort that now runs alongside support for survivors. The foundation says it serves Morgan, Scott, Cass and Greene counties and offers services 24 hours a day that are free, confidential and inclusive. Its work includes emergency shelter, counseling, legal advocacy, and prevention and education, with a 24-hour hotline at (217) 243-4357 for people who need immediate help.

The organization, formed in 1984, says its Jacksonville facility is open around the clock and serves women, men and their dependents. A local directory listing says it has about 22 employees, underscoring that the work is being handled by a small staff across a four-county service area.

That mix of teen education and survivor support will continue into late spring. Jacksonville Public Library is scheduled to host a free program, “The Effects of Domestic Violence on Mental Health,” on May 27 from 6 to 7 p.m. at the library on College Avenue in Jacksonville. The listing includes the National Domestic Violence Hotline number, 1-800-799-7233, as another option for people seeking help.

The foundation’s recent programming suggests a deliberate strategy: reach teens early, give families a local entry point, and pair prevention with direct services. For Morgan County, that means the conversation about healthy relationships is no longer abstract. It is happening at neighborhood sites, in the library and through a countywide network that is open every day, every hour.