CJJ | CJJ Spring Conference & Council of SAGs' Meeting: "Investing in Our Children: Emerging Reforms in Juvenile Justice"
April 25-29, 2008
Washington, DC
Washington, DC
The CJJ Spring Conference emphasized significant juvenile justice and delinquency prevention reform efforts at the local, state and federal government level, as well as models of public/private partnerships to enhance systems of care. The content-rich agenda was designed to showcase systemic and programmatic reform efforts in juvenile justice and delinquency prevention and highlighted how strategic investments in system improvement, prevention, early intervention and a full continuum of community-based supports, yield positive outcomes for children, families and communities.
Click [1] here for the full conference program in PDF form.Individual Session Information and Handouts:
Luncheon and Opening Plenary – Long Term Investments in Juvenile Justice ReformMany states and jurisdictions have been involved in substantive reform efforts for a decade or more. Three distinct perspectives on reform, one focusing on collaboration and leadership, another on evidence-based practices and cost effective interventions, and a third addressing the direct impact of systemic change for youth and families, were presented.
Presenters: Robert Schwartz, Executive Director, Juvenile Law Center, and Models for Change National Resource Bank, Pennsylvania; Robert “Barney” Barnoski, Senior Researcher, Washington State Institute for Public Policy, Washington; Sheila Bedi, Executive Director, Justice Policy Institute, and Models for Change National Resource Bank, Washington, DC
Click [2] here for Robert Barnoski's PowerPoint in PDF form.Plenary Session: Creative Approaches to Using Medicaid in Juvenile Justice Systems
Ensuring that the health care needs of youth in juvenile justice systems are met is a major challenge for many jurisdictions. Medicaid can be a vital partner. However, there are many challenges to address in using Medicaid creatively, and understanding the rules, terminology, benefit structure, and opportunities for collaboration with other agencies. This plenary session brought together experts from across the country to discuss how juvenile justice agencies can use Medicaid and other federally funded services to connect youth to health care, what services are available to those in the juvenile justice system, and who is eligible for Medicaid coverage.
Presenters: Neva Kaye, Senior Program Director, National Academy for State Health Policy, and Models for Change National Resource Bank, Portland, ME; Erin Espinosa, Program Specialist, Texas Juvenile Justice Commission, Texas; Bruce Kamradt, Director, Wraparound Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Click [3] here for Neva Kaye's PowerPoint in PDF form. Click [4] here for Erin Espinosa's PowerPoint in PDF form. Click [5] here for Bruce Kamradt's PowerPoint in PDF form.Concurrent Session A: Transforming Services for Girls: How One Small State is Making a Big Difference
Statistics show an increasing number of girls entering the juvenile justice system both nationally and in Delaware. Despite this increase over the past two decades, programs and services tend to overlook the unique needs of girls. Workshop presenters provided an overview of a statewide collaboration transforming the way services across the continuum of care are delivered through the Delaware Girls Initiative, including programmatic and policy elements.
Presenters: Denise Bray, President, Bray Associates, L.L.C., Florida; Allison L. Cassidy, Coordinator, Delaware Girls Initiative, Delaware; Honorable Chandlee Johnson Kuhn, Chief Judge, Family Court, Delaware
Click [6] here for the PowerPoint in PDF form.Concurrent Session C: Rights of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Questioning Youth Involved in the Juvenile Justice System
There are distinct challenges faced by lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) youth in juvenile justice systems, where they are subject to discrimination, harassment and violence. Workshop participants learned about the legal rights of LGBTQ youth and recent policy reforms in several states and localities designed to make juvenile justice systems safe and supportive for LGBTQ youth.
Presenters: Flor Bermudez, Attorney, Youth in Out of Home Care Project, New York; Jeff Rakover, Legal Assistant, Youth in Out of Home Care Project, New York
Click [7] here for the PowerPoint in PDF form.Concurrent Session D: Pennsylvania’s Evidence-Based Programs Initiative
The history of Pennsylvania’s Evidence-Based Programs Initiative, how this initiative has been refined and sustained over time, and development of Pennsylvania’s Resource Center for Evidence-Based Prevention and Intervention Programs and Practices were presented. With the leadership and support of Pennsylvania’s SAG, the state has been able to create a sustained effort to expand the use of evidence-based prevention/intervention programs across the state to reduce juvenile delinquency and promote positive youth development.
Presenters: Michael Pennington, Director, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency, Pennsylvania; Geoff Kolchin, Program Analyst, Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency, Pennsylvania
Click [8] here for the PowerPoint in PDF form.Concurrent Session E: Creating a Coordinated and Integrated Child Welfare and Juvenile Justice System to Improve Outcomes for Youth
The Child Welfare League of America (CWLA) Juvenile Justice Division has focused for several years on connections between the child welfare and juvenile justice systems and established the goal of developing an integrated, multi-system approach to program development and service delivery. Utilizing proven, effective models, resources and a planning framework, CWLA has developed a methodology to assist state and local jurisdictions and their private partners to achieve this goal. A key jurisdiction, the U.S. Virgin Islands, which has implemented the model reforms, was featured in this session.
Presenters: John Tuell, Director, Child Welfare-Juvenile Justice Systems Integration Initiative, Child Welfare League of America, and Models for Change National Resource Bank, Virginia; Kimberley Causey Gomez, Assistant Commissioner, Virgin Islands Department of Human Services, U.S. Virgin Islands
Click [9] here for John Tuell's PowerPoint in PDF form. Click [10] here for Kimberley Causey Gomez's PowerPoint in PDF form.Concurrent Session F: Stop Hitting a Brick Wall: Youth Housing Models to Prevent Homelessness Upon Re-entry
How are juvenile justice systems ensuring housing stability for youth discharged and re-entering community settings? What are the best practices in youth housing and resource allocation when family reunification is not available or appropriate? This workshop explored supportive and transitional housing models that employ a positive youth development approach. Funding partnerships and creative solutions for reform were offered and informal discussion on current barriers and successes from workshop participants was encouraged.
Presenters: Richard Hooks-Wayman, Senior Youth Policy Analyst, National Alliance to End Homelessness, Washington, DC; Lakesha Pope, Youth Policy and Program Analyst, National Alliance to End Homelessness, Washington, DC
Click [11] here for the PowerPoint in PDF form.Concurrent Session G: Utilizing Family Strengthening Strategies to Foster Advancements in Prevention
Designed to foster innovations and advancements in family strengthening strategies, the New Jersey Parents Caucus’ Families Uplifted Prevention Initiative (FUPI), an OJJDP-funded Family Strengthening Program, is a collaborative effort among the New Jersey Parents Caucus, Paterson (NJ) Public School District and Mr. G’s Kids. FUPI is designed to provide programs/interventions focused on improving family support systems and economic success for Paterson families and youth, ages 7-15, at risk of involvement in the juvenile justice system.
Presenters: Kathy Wright, Executive Director, New Jersey Parents Caucus, New Jersey; James Fulmore, Assistant Superintendent, Paterson Public School District, New Jersey; Robert Reid, Montclair State University, New Jersey
Click [12] here for Kathy Wright's PowerPoint in PDF form. Click [13] here for Robert Reid's PowerPoint in PDF form.Concurrent Session H: Redeploy Illinois: Positive Outcomes for Delinquent Youth through Community Interventions versus Prison Commitments
The leadership role of the Illinois Juvenile Justice Commission (SAG), legislative history, collaborations, struggles and successes in the development of Redeploy Illinois were presented. Redeploy Illinois' goal is to reduce the number of juveniles committed to the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice by providing incentives to counties to create local resources that more effectively meet the needs of delinquent youth while at the same time keeping communities safe.
Presenters: Honorable George Timberlake, Retired, Illinois 2nd Circuit, Illinois; Pamela F. Rodriquez, Executive Vice President, TASC, Inc. of Illinois, Illinois; Lynn Jarman, Program Manager, Youth Delinquency and Mental Health Services, Children’s Home and Aid Society, Illinois; Debbie Humphrey, Program Director, St. Clair County Mental Health Board, Illinois; Esther Franco-Payne, Program Director, Justice/Violence Initiative for Chicago Metropolis 2020, Illinois
Click [14] here for the PowerPoint in PDF form.Concurrent Session I: Demonstrating Accountability and Effectiveness using National Performance-Based Standards (PbS) and Outcomes
Since the 1990s, jurisdictions have struggled to preserve the goal of providing individualized treatment and services to youths in trouble to prevent future delinquency, as states passed laws that placed more young people in criminal court, instituted harsher sanctions and reverted to adult correctional practices. The results have been deteriorating conditions at facilities, making them dangerous and ineffective; numerous legal investigations for alleged abuse and/or neglect; high turnover of state agency directors; and eroding public support or stable funding for juvenile justice. This workshop presented the award winning Performance-based Standards (PbS) program, from the Council of Juvenile Correctional Administrators. PbS is designed to hold states/counties accountable for operating facilities and programs in a sound and safe manner, using effective rehabilitation services that prevent future offending.
Presenters: Honorable William R. Byars, Jr., Director, South Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice, South Carolina; Lois Jenkins, PbS State Coordinator, South Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice, South Carolina; Kim Godfrey, Deputy Director, Council of Juvenile Correctional Administrators, and Models for Change National Resource Bank, Massachusetts
Click [15] here for Lois Jenkins' PowerPoint in PDF form. Click [16] here for Kim Godfrey's PowerPoint in PDF form.Concurrent Session J: Project Zero: Reducing the Use of Out of Home Placements in Delinquency Cases – The New York City Story
New York City’s Department of Probation has taken a leadership role in safely reducing the use of out of home placements through its multi-faceted initiative, Project Zero. Since 2002, the use of community-based alternatives has increased and placements have decreased, leading to significant cost savings for the city. This workshop highlighted the Probation Department’s reform efforts and its innovative partnership with Esperanza, NY, an alternative-to-placement program which provides home-based counseling and services to otherwise placement-bound youth.
Presenters: Patricia Brennan, Deputy Commissioner, New York City Department of Probation, New York; Casey Eiseman, Project Manager, Esperanza, NY, New York
Click [17] here for the PowerPoint in PDF form.Concurrent Session L: SAG Leadership in Detention Reform
SAG-led detention reform initiatives may differ in their demographic, programmatic and political footing, yet many leading SAGs have followed similar pathways when implementing juvenile justice system reforms. As a result, there are common “building blocks” to consider when launching into a SAG-driven detention reform project. In this workshop, SAG and other reform leaders from around the nation shared their experiences in promoting and sustaining detention reform through the Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative (JDAI). Participants learned how their approaches work, how challenges were overcome and results achieved, as well as how JDAI’s strategies assist SAGs in meeting the JJDPA core requirements.
Presenters: Honorable Michael Mayer, CJJ Midwest Region Chair and Minnesota State Advisory Group Member, Minnesota; Honorable Paul Lawrence, CJJ Immediate Past National Chair and New Hampshire State Advisory Group Member, New Hampshire
Click [18] here for the PowerPoint in PDF form.Concurrent Session M: SAG Leadership in Reclaiming Futures: Working to Help Teens in Trouble with Drugs, Alcohol and Crime
Young people in the juvenile justice system with drug and alcohol problems often go untreated, leading to recidivism, additional community costs, and lost lives. In this session, state-level CJJ leaders who are beginning the process of utilizing the Reclaiming Futures six-step model to answer the needs of such youth discussed their leading efforts. The panel explored how Reclaiming Futures, developed by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and its partners, can augment state level juvenile justice planning.
Presenters: Thomas S. Begich, Project Director, Reclaiming Futures Anchorage, Alaska; Robin Jenkins, CJJ National Chair and North Carolina State Advisory Group Chair, North Carolina; Honorable John Varin, Senior Judge and Idaho State Advisory Group Chair, Idaho
Click [19] here for the PowerPoint in PDF form.Concurrent Session N: Comprehensive Systems Change Initiative: Improving Responses to Youth with Mental Health Needs in Contact with the Juvenile Justice System
Juvenile justice systems across the country have witnessed an influx of youth with mental health problems. This workshop spotlighted a tested and replicable model, the Comprehensive Systems Change Initiative (CSCI), which provides a methodology for meeting the needs of youth with mental health problems in contact with the juvenile justice system. The model and its components – collaboration, identification, diversion and treatment – can be applied locally and at the state level along the juvenile justice continuum, from initial contact through re-entry.
Presenters: Kim Godfrey, Deputy Director, Council of Juvenile Corrections Administrators, and Models for Change National Resource Bank, Massachusetts; Barbara Chayt, Mental Health/Juvenile Justice Specialist, Council of Juvenile Corrections Administrators, Massachusetts; Mary Gaspari, Mental Health Coordinator, Chester County (PA ) Juvenile Probation Department, Pennsylvania
Click [20] here for the PowerPoint in PDF form.Concurrent Session O: Using Outcome Management and Evidence-Based Strategies to Sustain Delinquency Treatment Reform: Project Empower
Project Empower has emerged as the successful product of Utah’s investment in delinquency prevention reform, which began more than ten years ago. The program was cooperatively developed between the 2nd District Juvenile Court and the local mental health/substance abuse authority, Weber Human Services. Project Empower has evolved into a highly successful model of community-based, delinquency treatment through a combined use of outcome management tools and implementation of evidence-based practices.
Presenter: Darin Carver, Program Administrator, Weber Human Services, Utah
Click [21] here for the PowerPoint in PDF form.Hill Day and Hill Training
As in past years, the Coalition for Juvenile Justice and its Government Relations Committee encouraged all conference attendees to take advantage of Hill Day and provided attendees with a "JJDPA Today Hill Packet."
Click [22] here to download Part 1 of an advance Hill Day Member Visit Packet. Click [23] here to download Part 2 of an advance Hill Day Member Visit Packet.
[1]: http://juvjustice.org/media/resources//resource_145.pdf
[2]: http://juvjustice.org/media/resources//resource_195.pdf
[3]: http://juvjustice.org/media/resources//resource_147.pdf
[4]: http://juvjustice.org/media/resources//resource_148.pdf
[5]: http://juvjustice.org/media/resources//resource_149.pdf
[6]: http://juvjustice.org/media/resources//resource_150.pdf
[7]: http://juvjustice.org/media/resources//resource_161.pdf
[8]: http://juvjustice.org/media/resources//resource_151.pdf
[9]: http://juvjustice.org/media/resources//resource_152.pdf
[10]: http://juvjustice.org/media/resources//resource_153.pdf
[11]: http://juvjustice.org/media/resources//resource_154.pdf
[12]: http://juvjustice.org/media/resources//resource_163.pdf
[13]: http://juvjustice.org/media/resources//resource_164.pdf
[14]: http://juvjustice.org/media/resources//resource_155.pdf
[15]: http://juvjustice.org/media/resources//resource_193.pdf
[16]: http://juvjustice.org/media/resources//resource_194.pdf
[17]: http://juvjustice.org/media/resources//resource_156.pdf
[18]: http://juvjustice.org/media/resources//resource_157.pdf
[19]: http://juvjustice.org/media/resources//resource_158.pdf
[20]: http://juvjustice.org/media/resources//resource_159.pdf
[21]: http://juvjustice.org/media/resources//resource_160.pdf
[22]: http://juvjustice.org/media/fckeditor/Advance Packet--Part I (3).doc
[23]: http://juvjustice.org/media/fckeditor/Hill Day Packet.pdf