NEW DIRECTIONS WAS CREATED IN 1976 BY THE OFFICE OF JUVENILE JUSTICE AND DELINQUENCY PREVENTION TO SERVE AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO THE DETENTION OF THESE YOUNG WOMEN AND TO WORK FOR ATTITUDINAL AND POLICY CHANGES WHICH WOULD INCREASE THE OPTIONS AVAILABLE TO YOUNG WOMEN. AS A RESULT OF NEW DIRECTIONS EFFORTS, NEW PROGRAMS HAVE BEEN ESTABLISHED AS ALTERNATIVES TO THE INCARCERATION OF FEMALES, ADDRESSING TEENAGE SEXUALITY PROBLEMS, SEX-ROLE STEREOTYPING, AND VOCATIONAL TRAINING. ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGES HAVE ALSO OCCURRED. DESCRIPTIONS ARE PROVIDED FOR THE FOLLOWING NEW DIRECTIONS PROGRAMS: INDIVIDUAL AND FAMILY COUNSELING; EDUCATIONAL ALTERNATIVES, INCLUDING THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN INDIVIDUAL STUDY PROGRAM FOR THE HIGH SCHOOL EQUIVALENCY TEST; INFORMATIONAL/SUPPORT GROUPS, INVOLVING ASSERTIVENESS TRAINING, AWARENESS OF SEX ROLE STEREOTYPING, A SEXUALITY GROUP, TEEN PARENT READINESS TRAINING, AND PARENT EFFECTIVENESS TRAINING; AND RETREATS. SPECIAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF THE YEAR INCLUDE 'AWARENESS DAY,' DURING WHICH ISSUES OF IMPORTANCE TO TEENAGE WOMEN SUCH AS BIRTH CONTROL AND RAPE PREVENTION WERE DISCUSSED; THE DEVELOPMENT OF LEARNING TOOLS FOR PARENTING EFFECTIVENESS AND SEX STEREOTYPING AWARENESS, AND THE INITIATION OF RETREAT AND PUBLIC RELATIONS PROGRAMS. ALSO INCLUDED ARE STATISTICS FOR 1978, INCLUDING A MONTHLY ETHNIC BREAKDOWN OF YOUNG WOMEN SERVED; PROFILES OF TWO CLIENTS AND NEW DIRECTIONS STAFF MEMBERS; A FINANCIAL STATEMENT; AND LISTS OF FUNDING SOURCES AND PRIVATE DONORS. THE STAFF RECOMMENDS THAT THE COMMUNITY PLACE A HIGHER PRIORITY ON INFORMING YOUTH ABOUT BIRTH CONTROL, ABORTION, PREGNANCY, AND CHILD BEARING, TO MEET THE GROWING RATE OF TEENAGE PREGANCIES, AS WELL AS REDUCE THE COST OF DAY CARE AND TRANSPORTION FOR THESE WOMEN. (WJR)