Connecticut Juvenile Justice Strategic Plan Resource and Assessment Inventory Subcommittee

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Connecticut Juvenile Justice Strategic
PlanResource and Assessment Inventory
Subcommittee

• June 16, 2005
• Report to the Stakeholders Meeting of the
• Joint Juvenile Justice Strategic Planning
  Committee

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Resource and Assessment Subcommittee Workgroups

• Service and Programmatic Resources
• Case Flow Process/Assessment Instruments
• Current Initiatives
• Community/Family/Youth Voices

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I. Service and Programmatic Resources Workgroup

1. Inventory of existing services available to
   juveniles in CT
2. Identification of initial findings based upon
   inventory
3. Preliminary recommendations for services
   enhancements

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Services InventoryResource Rich -- System
Scarce

• Initial Inventory
• Impressive initial list of resources and
  services (350) offered across the state (more to
  come from InfoLine)
• Needs
• more family-centered services during out-of-home
  placements
• more step-down services resources
• more truancy resources (prevention services)
• Critical need
• Continuum-of-care to serve the needs of more
  court-involved children

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Initial Findings

• Long waiting lists for services (e.g., MST, FT,
  S/A)
• Lack of accessible treatment for special
  populations (e.g., Spanish-speaking, sex
  offenders, gender-specific)
• Lack of funding for strengths-based, non-clinical
  programs (e.g., after school, weekends, life
  skills, mentors)
• Lack of meaningful workforce development (for
  children and staff)

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Preliminary Recommendations

• Better access to continuum-of-care to serve more
  court-involved children
• Emergency, short-term and other placement options
  for children with no home or other viable
  placement options (smaller residentials, group
  homes)
• More bilingual/bicultural staff
• More trauma-informed services
• Earlier planning for transition from institutions
  to communities

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II. Case Flow Process/ Assessment Instruments
Workgroup

1. Juvenile justice system flowcharts
2. Identification of system collaboration gaps and
   barriers
3. Proposed collaboration solutions
4. Inventory of screening and assessment
   instrumentation

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PROCESSING OF A FAMILY WITH SERVICE NEEDS CASE
POLICE / SCHOOL ACTION
DIVERT FROM COURT (no record)
REFER TO COURT
HANDLING DECISION
NON JUDICIAL
JUDICIAL
DISMISS WITH WARNING
SUPERVISION
DCF FWSN Protocol
PLEA HEARING
SUCCESSFUL
UNSUCCESSFUL
DENY
DISCHARGE (auto erasure)
PRETRIAL
DCF FWSN Protocol
SUSPENDED PROSECUTION SCHOOL VIOLENCE
ADMIT
NO AGREEMENT
DISMISS (auto erasure)
TRIAL
SUCCESSFUL
UNSUCCESSFUL
NOT ADJUDICATED (auto erasure)
ADJUDICATED
DISCHARGE (no record)
PREDISPOSITIONAL STUDY REPORT
DISPOSITION HEARING
DISMISS WITH WARNING
SUPERVISION
COMMITMENT TO DCF 18 months (placement likely)
REFER TO DCF VOLUNTARY SERVICES
DELINQUENCY
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Identified Gaps

• Insufficient communication between and within
  agencies including CSSD, DCF DOC
• Unable to initiate new voluntary service cases
  for delinquent children
• Information sharing impeded by actual and
  perceived statutory and policy restrictions
• Inconsistent use of FWSN protocol among offices
• Quality of legal counsel available for parents
  and children lacking

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System Barriers

• Lack of seamless transition to the adult system
  for children who age out of the juvenile system
• Roles between DCF, Probation and Court lack
  clarity
• DCF becomes less involved once family enters the
  court process
• DCF perceives its input as neither valued nor
  welcomed by the court
• Unrealistic expectations of DCF by Probation and
  Court

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Suggested Solutions

• Periodically review and update DCF CSSD
  programs and policies
• Implement regular cross-training to include
  judges
• Clarify and, if necessary, change existing
  information- sharing statutes and policies to
  permit collaboration
• Establish a notice/information-sharing protocol
  for when a probationer or committed person is
  arrested or appears in the adult court
• Statutory changes needed to permit continued
  court supervision of FWSN and delinquent
  committed kids
• Develop a protocol similar to FWSN for use in
  delinquency cases

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CSSD Screening/Assessment Instruments
ASSESSMENT TARGET WHO? TARGET WHEN? DESCRIPTION RESULT
Initial Risk Assessment (IRS) Assessment All children/youth referred to the court for Family with Service Needs (FWSN) and/or Delinquency matters. Non- Judicial and Judicial cases after a Statement of Responsibility (SOR) is signed, has been adjudicated and/or convicted. Short form of a larger assessment that offers preliminary assessment of the level of risk to re-offend based on questions to determine risk/protective scores in multiple domains. Outcomes inform the probation officer and assists with decision making in regards to prescribed contact requirements and the types of services the youth is eligible for.
Juvenile Assessment Generic (JAG) Assessment All children/youth who have scored a 5 or greater on the IRS Non-Judicial cases- after a SOR has been obtained and IRS has been administered with outcome of 5 or greater. Judicial cases- after an SOR has been signed, an adjudication and/or conviction is entered and the youth scores a 5 or greater on the IRS Full assessment with a validated tool to determine risk/protective factors in identified criminogenic areas, which includes criminal history, distress in family, substance abuse, personal values and peers. The information is collected by a probation officer conducting a thorough interview utilizing motivational interviewing, a review of record and collateral contacts. Outcomes assist the probation officer in determining the type of services appropriate and the level of contact needed to reduce the likelihood the youth will re-offend.
Substance Use Survey (SUS) Screening Children who appeared in court for FWSN or criminal matters that are identified members of a longitudinal study. Piloted in only four courts and member size varies by court location. After jurisdiction is established by either the signing of an SOR, adjudication and/or conviction is entered. Validated tool that presents questions aimed at assessing the emergent need for drug/ alcohol and/or mental health services. Informs the probation officer decision of whether immediate service needs are required and/or whether addition assessment is needed.


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III. Current Initiatives Workgroup

1. Inventory of existing program and funding
   initiatives for juveniles in CT
2. Identification of jointly supported initiatives
   (DCF, CSSD, Advocates)
3. Recommendations for attention to priority
   populations in need

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Current Initiatives Inventory

• Age of Jurisdiction (1)
• Balanced and Restorative Justice (3)
• Community Reintegration (2)
• Deinstitutionalization (1)
• Disproportionate Minority Contact (3)
• Diverting Status Offenders (4)
• Prevention (4)
• Evidence-based Practice (4)

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Inventory (cont.)

• Gender Specific Programming (Girls) (5)
• Medical and Mental Health (4)
• Substance Use/Abuse (9)
• Prevention (5)
• Research (5)
• Trauma (1)
• Youth Employment (2)

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Common Threads

• Evidence-Based Practices
• Gender Specific Programming (Girls)
• Medical and Mental Health Issues
• Prevention
• Research Projects
• Trauma Responsivity

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Special Populations in Need

• Court-involved at-risk girls
• Status offenders (FWSN)
• Minority youth (disparities)
• Adolescents with mental health issues
• High-risk adolescents, including youth who
  sexually offend

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IV. Community/Family/Youth Voices Workgroup

1. Series of community-based listening sessions
2. Identification of community, family and youth
   issues
3. Recommendations for attention to locally
   identified needs

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Overarching Themes

• Families need to be better informed
• Need greater emphasis on front-end services
  (prevention, early intervention)
• Focus on job training, readiness and lifeskills
• Schools, DCF police need to coordinate to
  divert youth and identify mental health and other
  needs
• Need culturally competent approach, and
  integration of traditional and non-traditional
  services

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Systemic Issues

• Schools develop greater flexibility, creativity,
  graduated sanctions and staff training
• Judges increase awareness of available
  alternative interventions
• Police increase parental involvement and
  coordinate better with DCF

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More Systemic Issues

• Parents/Communities community needs to band
  together families need to be better informed
• Mental Health major need for services from
  prevention, early intervention to treatment from
  birth-to-three through adolescence
• Reallocation of funds reduce out-of-state
  placements to fund community services, mentoring,
  after-school, prevention

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