West Jefferson Helping Families Initiative (WJHFI)

Bessemer Division

School-age children face many barriers to daily school attendance and positive behaviors while there. The West Jefferson Helping Families Initiative (WJHFI) of the 10th Judicial Circuit, Bessemer Division, provides help to families to ensure their children have what they need for school success.

Through referrals, we link families to community resources and provide them with the individualized case management needed, to ensure they access the services and the resources to meet their needs.

What is WJHFI?

Criminal behavior starts early. The West Jefferson Helping Families Initiative is a Crime Prevention Effort.

Students with good attendance:

Are more likely to graduate;
Are less likely to drop out;
And typically, do not engage in criminal behavior.

Why WJHFI?

Daily School Attendance is the Law! Alabama’s Compulsory School Attendance Law mandates that:

Children ages 6-17 attend school daily and behave while there;
Parents enforce attendance and proper conduct;
Superintendents report attendance violations to the District Attorney;
District Attorneys shall vigorously enforce the law.

West Jefferson Helping Families Initiative deters family engagement with the judicial system through prevention

School Systems Served

Bessemer City Schools
Fairfield City Schools
Midfield City Schools

RESOURCES

Alabama’s Compulsory School Attendance Law
Code of Alabama, Section 16-28-12

Alabama’s 2019 Attendance Manual

Helping Families Initiative
https://hfialabama.com/

HOW TO REACH US

West Jefferson Helping Families Initiative, Program Administrator
Kim Curry
(205) 744-3556
curryk@jccal.org

Jefferson County, 10th Judicial Circuit, Bessemer Division
Lynneice O. Washington, District Attorney
(205) 497-8610
washingtonl@jccal.org