OAYA

Orion Area Youth Assistance

What is OAYA?

Orion Area Youth Assistance (OAYA) is an organization of volunteers in the Lake Orion area, working with the Oakland County Circuit Court - Family Division, local schools, police, parents, youth and other community resources to help families and young people find solutions to their individual and collective problems. The primary goal is "To strengthen youth and families and reduce the incidence of delinquency, neglect, and abuse through community involvement."  OAYA has no legal or judicial function. Participation is voluntary.

History and Background

Youth Assistance (YA) began in 1953 with a group of Hazel Park citizens and Juvenile Court Judge Arthur E. Moore. Together they developed a program to assist troubled youth within their own communities rather than referring them to Juvenile Court. The YA program has expanded over the past 60 years and is now a unit of the Oakland County Circuit
Court-Family Division with caseworkers placed in 26 offices throughout Oakland County school districts to provide counseling sources to youth and their families. These programs exist due to a unique tri-sponsorship with the local government, the local school district and the Oakland County Circuit Court - Family Division.