AMIkids Greater Fort Lauderdale

At AMIkids Greater Fort Lauderdale, we believe in the power of transformation. Every young person has the potential for greatness, and we’re on a mission to unlock it.

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Story Services Impact Leadership
Our Story

EMPOWERING YOUNG PEOPLE TO DISCOVER THEIR TRUE POTENTIAL

As the original founding program of AMIkids, AMIkids Greater Fort Lauderdale has been dedicated to helping young people discover their true potential and helping them to transform their lives and strengthen our community. AMIkids Greater Fort Lauderdale empowers young people through care and guidance to reach that potential and, as a result, break the cycle of failure and poverty. They don’t give up, so we don’t give up. We stick with them. We foster relationships, care, and a sense of family. And we provide structure. Our Personal Growth Model is a proven success: tying together education and workforce development, treatment, and behavior and skills training. Through our unwavering dedication and personalized care, we help them discover their true potential, transforming their lives and creating a ripple effect of positive change in our community.

Services

What We Offer

COMMUNITY-BASED PROGRAMS

Community-based programs offer daily services to youth and families, with youth returning home each day if programming takes place outside of the home. We offer eight unique services with our community-based programs.

Juvenile Justice Day Treatment

Juvenile Justice Day Treatment provides intensive supervision and programming for youth referred primarily due to delinquency. Behavior and skills training, education, and treatment services are provided five days per week, typically three to eight hours daily.

Alternative Education

Alternative Education programs are designed to help students who require additional support typically not available in traditional schools. Students in attendance benefit from academic remediation, positive behavioral skills development, and individualized attention to succeed. AMIkids Alternative Education programs include Infinity Schools, School-within-a-School, and Charter Schools, which operate according to the school district schedule.

Family Services

Family Services provide home-based skills-building and/or family counseling and intervention using evidence-based practices. Family services may include program models such as Functional Family Therapy, Wraparound Services, and the AMIkids Family Centric Model™. Family Services programs last approximately two to six months.

Pre-apprenticeship (Career Exploration, Workforce Development)

Pre-apprenticeship programs prepare students aged 16-24 for successful careers, offering industry training that is aligned with each community’s needs for skilled workers. With a combination of academic, technical, and job readiness courses and individualized case management, AMIkids prepares and places students into higher education, jobs, and apprenticeships.

Our Impact

How We Make A Difference

  • 92% of our students have clear education or career plans their first year after high school
  • 90% of students receive OSHA -10, OSHA-30, & Forklift certifications
  • 85% of students who enroll complete the Youth Build Program
Leadership

AMIkids Greater Fort Lauderdale is led by their respective Executive Director and a volunteer board of local community leaders, ensuring its positive impact on our communities.

AMIkids Greater Fort Lauderdale Executive Director

  • Laverne Rush

AMIkids Greater Fort Lauderdale Board Of Trustees

  • Charles Vaughan - Chair
  • Andrew High - Emeritus
  • Randy Sanderson - Treasurer
  • Steve Barrow
  • Neil Emmott
  • Dr. Richard Forum
  • Adam Granit
  • Easton Harrison
  • Jeffrey Hershman
  • Vida Kalhor
  • Judge Michael Orlando
  • Crystal Swinton
  • Tiffany Tait
  • Marc Welch
AMIkids Greater Fort Lauderdale
Fort Lauderdale, FL
Community-based Juvenile Justice Day Treatment Pre-apprenticeship

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