SITE-BASED WORK AND SUPPORTIVE PROJECTS

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1 RFK MODELS FOR CHANGE INITIATIVE SITE-BASED WORK AND SUPPORTIVE PROJECTS Models for Change: Systems Reform in Juvenile Justice is an effort to create successful and replicable models of juvenile justice reform through targeted investments in key states, with core support from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation. Models for Change seeks to accelerate progress toward a more effective, fair, and developmentally sound juvenile justice system that holds young people accountable for their actions, provides for their rehabilitation, protects them from harm, increases their life chances, and manages the risk they pose to themselves and to the public. The RFK Models for Change Initiative is carried out through site-based work and projects supportive of the overall objectives of Models for Change. The RFK focus in the initiative is on systems integration to address how the two systems, child welfare and juvenile justice, can work more effectively together to keep youth from penetrating deeper into the juvenile and criminal justice systems. John Tuell and Janet Wiig, Co-Directors of the Initiative, conduct the majority of the site-based work and Sorrel Concodora, Program Manager with the Initiative, works with them on several of the supportive projects. While the systems integration and coordination focus targeting dually involved youth (within the dependency and delinquency systems) is apparent throughout the site-based work, these personnel have contributed their expertise to several additional arenas supportive of Models for Change. Following is a description of the site-based work and supportive projects. SITE BASED WORK The RFK Models for Change Initiative s site-based work is currently ongoing in three of the four core states that comprise the MacArthur Foundation s Models for Change Initiative (Illinois, Louisiana, and Washington). The site based work is now also active in four new sites (launched in May 2012) that comprise a multi-system coordination and integration project aimed at improving outcomes for youth that crossover or are dually involved in the dependency and delinquency systems and families jointly funded by the MacArthur Foundation and the Office of Juvenile Justice Delinquency and Prevention (OJJDP). These sites include Hampden County, MA; Newton County, GA; Outagamie County, WI; and Santa Clara County, CA. MODELS FOR CHANGE CORE STATES Illinois: DuPage and Peoria Counties Provided consultation to DuPage and Peoria Counties, through a sustainable governance structure, to improve system responses and outcomes for youth involved with the child welfare and juvenile justice systems, commonly referred to as dually involved youth, and also on behalf of adolescents charged with domestic battery. Consultation has been provided to finalize Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) and a protocol and information sharing agreement to impact the following outcomes: Reduce detention admissions and bed days for youth. Increase diversion from formal court involvement. Increase system partner awareness of dually involved issues (development of training curriculum). Increase crisis response/service options for first responders.

2 Cook County Provided facilitation and consultation to the Deputy Director of Cook County Probation and the Cook County Steering Committee to improve system responses and outcomes for dually involved youths. Effectively organized and developed a sustainable governance structure to oversee the work. This included the development of a MOU that incorporated protocols for multi-system practices, an information sharing agreement, and a specialized court process to effectuate joint recommendations. Support the development of the protocol to define pre-dispositional practice for children and youths who come under the jurisdiction of the Court and probation services as a result of a delinquency petition and who are also wards of the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services. This new protocol is intended to enhance public safety, reduce recidivism, provide evidence-based and cost-effective interventions, reduce duplication of services, and more effectively interrupt the trajectory of deeper involvement in the juvenile justice and child protection systems for the target population of dual jurisdiction youths and their families. Ogle County Provided periodic technical assistance to promote development of a model approach to the adolescent domestic battery population in order to improve interagency coordination, probation and court practices, and alternatives to incarceration and access to targeted community interventions. Adolescent Domestic Battery - IL Statewide Currently coordinating the participating sites engaged in addressing the issue of adolescent domestic battery and bringing the sites and their various approaches together to more effectively develop a model for change that could be replicated in other IL counties, across the Models for Change states, and to the broader field of juvenile justice. This effort will produce an instructive guide for utilization by other IL sites and states nationwide to develop or enhance their approach to the issue. Louisiana: Jefferson Parish Probation System Review Currently providing ongoing on-site consultation and facilitation in concert with the Department of Juvenile Services (DJS) Management Team to assist with the implementation of recommendations from the Probation System Review Report. Currently working with the Models for Change Louisiana State Lead Entity, and the LA Office of Juvenile Justice to explore statewide utilization of the Probation System Review framework that supports effective and replicable reforms of the probation and juvenile justice system. The project is utilizing the Probation Review Guidebook (Wiig and Tuell. 2011) published to provide instruction to other Louisiana parishes in the development of an appropriate site-based work plan for their probation and juvenile justices system review activities. Office of Juvenile Justice, Hammond Region Probation System Review Currently providing ongoing on-site consultation and facilitation in concert with the Hammond Regional Office Probation Review Management Team to conduct a review of probation system operations consisting of the four following elements: Program Planning and Implementation. Best Practices and Benchmarking. Performance Measurement and Client Outcomes. Intra- and Inter-Agency Work Processes.

3 Children and Youth Planning Boards - LA Statewide At the request of the Models for Change Louisiana State Lead Entity and following historical work on the development of training for implementation of Louisiana Act 555, support and/or partner with the Office of the Governor s Children s Cabinet to provide continued training and technical assistance in the successful implementation of Children and Youth Planning Boards (CYPB). Utilize the previously adopted CYPB Tool Kit and additional examples of successful CYPB activities from other parishes. Washington: King County Provided ongoing consultation for the King County Uniting for Youth (UfY) initiative addressing the dually involved youth target population. The facilitation of the long running system integration effort in King County has produced model MOU s, multiple protocols, and numerous interagency agreements that change practice on behalf of dually involved youths in order to impact the following site-based established priority outcomes: Increase diversion filings. Reduce detention days. Reduce juvenile offender filing rates. Reduce Juvenile Rehabilitation Administration commitments. Clark and Spokane Counties Provided on-site consultation to support multi-system coordination and collaboration designed to achieve a measurable and observable shared sense of responsibility, alignment, commitment to, and engagement with multi-system collaboration and coordination in support of the Clark County Truancy Project and the Spokane County Truancy Intervention initiative. The counties continue utilizing sustainable collaborative structures to achieve the following outcomes: Reduce truancy petitions. Eliminate detention as a sanction alternative. Improve service coordination at earlier points of intervention in the truancy process. DSHS Multi-system Coordination and Collaboration - WA Statewide Washington State s Models for Change goal for multi-system collaboration and coordination isto serve multisystem youths and their families whereby the involved systems/agencies enter into collaborative partnerships with improved communication and sharing of data and information, coordinated case planning and management, and multi-system access to targeted and effective interventions and resources. DSHS work plan states that it will work to coordinate policy reform efforts within the affected DSHS administrations that will enable the Department to further its strategic position as One Department, one vision, one mission with one core set of values. Provide consultation utilizing the framework articulated in the Guidebook for Juvenile Justice and Child Welfare System Coordination and Integration: A Framework for Improved Outcomes to guide the action steps; provide technical assistance to coordinate activities and subcommittee work and to ensure the support of the already formed WA Executive Leadership Team; and focus on sustainability of these reforms through policy, protocols, and possible statutory reforms.

4 OJJDP MACARTHUR FOUNDATION PUBLIC/PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP LEGACY PROJECT: CHILD WELFARE & JUVENILE JUSTICE MULTI-SYSTEM COORDINATION TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE Funded jointly by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) and the MacArthur Foundation, RFK Children s Action Corps is utilizing a four phase technical assistance framework (developed through the support of the MacArthur Foundation and the Models for Change: System Reform in Juvenile Justice Initiative) to provide consultation and technical assistance to support four competitively selected jurisdictions in the development and implementation of improved protocols and practices on behalf of dually involved youth.. Specifically, participant jurisdictions are encouraged to develop reforms and enhancements designed to improve screening and assessment, case management, case planning, resource allocation, service delivery and to positively impact multi-system youth and family outcomes. The project utilizes proven tools, procedures, protocols and publication resources that have been developed and utilized during the Models for Change Initiative (including the Guidebook for Juvenile Justice and Child Welfare System Coordination and Integration: A Framework for Improved Outcomes) and is supported by recent developments promoted by the Georgetown University Center for Juvenile Justice Reform through the Crossover Youth Practice Model (CYPM). The project will result in: A site-specific manual containing the enhanced policies, procedures, practices and protocols adopted in combination with a compilation of lessons learned from each site. A process and outcome evaluation design. A proposed training curriculum for jurisdictions seeking to achieve the mandate of the JJDP Act of OJJDP and the MacArthur Foundation have developed a unique public/private partnership to fund the Robert F. Kennedy Children s Action Corps (RFK) Senior Consultants (John A. Tuell and Janet K. Wiig) and approved expert independent consultants that will produce a set of guides and/or manuals from each participating jurisdiction that detail the process for handling these dually involved youth and contain the policies, procedures, protocols and practices that will drive the system s responses to these youth and their families. The combined experiences and lessons learned from the participating jurisdictions will form the basis of a publication that identifies the methods used to overcome impediments to improved system coordination. Upon completion of the project, this document and the accompanying inventory of current and new tools and resources will be developed as a recommended training curriculum by OJJDP for effective replication and implementation by state and local jurisdictions across the country. The four selected jurisdictions are Hampden County, MA; Newton County, GA; Outagamie County, WI; and Santa Clara County, CA. Each of the applicants was rated according to the following criteria: Greatest capacity for collaborative multi-system partnership and engagement. Capacity to complete analytical process. Ability to use results to promote systems integration and achieve outcomes. The process within each site is initiated with the support of a strong Executive Committee that possesses, and can engender in others, the political will and commitment to sustain cooperation and participation in the analysis. The Executive Committee in each jurisdiction ideally is composed of key leaders, stakeholders and constituents representing the child welfare, juvenile justice, and other relevant youth serving systems (e.g. law enforcement, courts, etc.). Led by a team of two RFK Senior Consultants, project staff works directly with each selected jurisdiction s Executive Committee to: Detail the process and timeline for completion of the work. Articulate the goals of the initiative and identified objectives of the site.

5 Identify the universe of issues for review (data collection, resource, legal, political, etc.). Identify individuals to provide subject matter expertise to assist in the identification expected outcomes of the analysis (i.e., recommendations for reform or policy change). Upon agreement with the Executive Committee on the process, scope and outcomes of the work and with established public support for the effort, the RFK Senior Consultants begin the on-site work using a proven set of tools, resources and publications (i.e., the Models for Change Information Sharing Tool Kit) to guide and inform the selected jurisdictions. Additionally, the CYPM, developed at the Georgetown University Center for Juvenile Justice Reform, provides additional guidance on targeted practice reforms within the structural developments promoted by the Wiig and Tuell Guidebook and framework to ensure that this project takes advantage of the gains of the CYPM multi-site findings. To facilitate the achievement of the project goals, a methodical review of the relevant issues that impact cross-systems communication and coordination in different communities is essential. A rigorous analysis will be combined with community specific strategic planning and action processes designed to identify and address the overarching needs of youth and families served both by the child welfare and juvenile justice systems. The process has been designed to significantly contribute to each community achieving the following: Improved data collection and information sharing across youth serving systems. Enhanced commitment to use of evidenced-based, multi-systems services. Effective protocols and procedures for these interventions. More efficient utilization of limited financial resources Reduction of reliance on costly and ineffective placement and incarceration Improved outcome tracking and trend analysis It is understood that the child and family outcomes resulting from this reform will not become apparent immediately and often take 1-2 years before the data inform the efficacy of the adopted systems change. The history of experiences in other jurisdictions has included desired outcomes such as: Reduced recidivism. Reduced length of stay in detention. Improved education outcomes. Increased involvement in pro-social activities. Enhanced placement stability. Improved family functioning (i.e., reduction family/domestic violence). For each jurisdiction, the RFK Senior Consultants assist Executive Committee membership in preparing a site-specific manual containing the enhanced policies, procedures, practices and protocols adopted during the on-site consultation with each site. The final written product will include a compilation of the analyses and the recommendations developed by each jurisdiction and will be incorporated into a summary and evaluation of the work done in the participating jurisdictions. This summary report will incorporate site-based products, lessons learned and provide other jurisdictions with a practice framework for replication. RFK will develop a process and outcome evaluation for sites to complete at the conclusion of the on-site consultation period. The Final Project Report, completed during the final 3 months of the project period) will include the following components: Synthesis of the findings from the four communities Starting points for communities desiring to undertake a similar analysis Checklist of issues to be considered when engaging system reform Resources for communities seeking to enhance systems collaboration

6 Compilation of products and practice strategies utilized and/or developed Critical system reform process and evaluation design elements that enable improved coordination, improved case planning and case management, improved access to evidence-based resources and improved data collection connected to outcome tracking. Training curriculum for utilization by OJJDP with state and local jurisdictions seeking to satisfy the relevant provisions of the Juvenile Justice & Delinquency Prevention Act regarding the coordination of the child protection and juvenile justice systems.

7 SUPPORTIVE PROJECTS Following are a number of projects that RFK Models for Change personnel have been involved in to support the overall objectives of Models for Change. These personnel (Tuell, Wiig, and Concodora) have developed specialized expertise from their work in these projects, expertise that can continue to be offered to jurisdictions seeking to improve their systems integration and improve outcomes for youths and their families. The projects are described following: INFORMATION SHARING Work with another MacArthur Foundation supported effort to improve jurisdictions ability to share information. Part of a project team with personnel from the Juvenile Law Center (JLC) that developed the Models for Change Information Sharing Toolkit, published by CWLA and JLC. The Models for Change Information Sharing Tool Kit provides guidance to jurisdictions seeking to improve their information and data sharing practices in the handling of juveniles and reach the ultimate goal of improving the outcomes for those youth. The Tool Kit is presented in a format that includes a printed volume and a corresponding CD. This format provides the users with a sound theoretical background for effective information and data sharing practices along with practical tools (e.g. MOUs, consent forms, etc.) to conduct analyses of and to carry out those practices. Originally developed for Models for Change sites engaged in juvenile justice reform, this tool kit is now available by request to a wider audience of juvenile justice practitioners around the country who wish to enhance their practices. The Tool Kit provides users with a step by step process to understand the laws that govern information sharing, the purposes and value to youths of information sharing, what are the appropriate limits on sharing, and how to minimize the potential negative collateral consequences of information sharing such as self incrimination and net widening. Additional guidance includes identifying all key decision points that may require sharing of information and developing protocols for the operation of information sharing agreements, practitioner s guides, authorization to release forms, and other tools for sharing of case information. PROBATION SYSTEMS REVIEW Developed a systems review process for reviewing probation services and juvenile court operations to assist systems in reaching their goals to employ the best practices. The process involves four elements: 1) Program Planning and Implementation; 2) Best Practices and Benchmarking; 3) Performance Measurement and Client Outcomes 4) Intra- and Interagency Work Processes. Working with an on-site review team made up of management and practice personnel in a particular system, function as on-site consultants and employ a number of methodologies to examine polices, procedures, and practices. The methodologies may include: Document review Interviews with key stakeholders Employee survey Process mapping Meetings with management team Focus groups Group interviews with agency partners Best practice analysis Performance measurement and outcomes analysis

8 The systems review process culminates in a report of major findings and corresponding recommendations. Continuing consultation may be available to jurisdictions undertaking a systems review as they develop plans for and implement the review recommendations. JUVENILE DIVERSION Worked with other members of the National Resource Bank of organizations (organizations funded by MacArthur Foundation to provide technical assistance to Models for Change) to produce guidelines for juvenile diversion programming. This effort involves survey of existing programs, literature review, and the development of materials to guide jurisdictions efforts as they consider the development of a diversion program or seek to evaluate the elements of existing programs. SUSTAINABILITY Developed a Models for Change guidebook, authored in concert with other National Resource Bank organizations (CWLA, NCMHJJ, TAC, Inc.) to help jurisdictions conduct sustainability planning to support their juvenile justice reform efforts. The guidebook sets out six key elements for sustainability planning and includes a workbook with questions for jurisdictions to guide the development and implementation of their sustainability plans. The six elements are: 1) leadership and support, 2) demonstrated outcomes, 3) administration and practice, 4) funding and budgeting; 5) marketing strategies; and 6) law and policy. PERFORMANCE-BASED CONTRACTING This effort depends on a careful identification of what outcomes are sought, an examination of the factors (e.g. risk and protective) that impact positive outcomes, and the development of a measurement and evaluation system to document achievement. The technical assistance, which has been successfully implemented in Jefferson Parish, LA, provides facilitation of a process designed to ensure that future contractual partnerships require providers to demonstrate their capacity to deliver services (outputs) and measure impact (outcomes). The assistance also focuses on improving the jurisdiction s capacity to develop a training workshop for interested providers to address the revised contracting process; defining and clarifying the level of program and service data required to be collected; developing the methodology for analyzing the service/program data; and framing the new partnership between the contractor and providers.