Re-Entry

St. Lawrence County, New York (2018 YIC)

• • Description: The team seeks to collaborate with key partners from education, mental health, chemical dependency, Youth Advocate Programs, Probation, and Department of Social Services to improve wraparound service coordination for youth reentering the community. Their strategies include: 1) creating a multidisciplinary committee to oversee the Capstone Project, 2) training agency staff and providers on trauma responsive practices, and 3) enhancing diversion and reentry services.

  • Contacts:

    • Stacey Brunet, Adolescent Services Grade B Supervisor St. Lawrence County Department of Social Services

    • Dana LaCoss, Executive Director St. Lawrence County Youth Advocate Programs

    • Teena Pelkey, Program Director St. Lawrence County Youth Advocate Programs

    • Heather Rand, Grade A Supervisor St. Lawrence County DSS

    • Amber Sullivan, Probation Officer St. Lawrence County Probation Department

    • Carrie Tracy, Probation Supervisor St. Lawrence County Probation Department

Oregon (2017 YIC)

• • Description: To reduce the rates of recidivism and recommitment for girls transitioning from a pilot secure facility to Independent Living residential services through 1) reviewing and improving system collaboration, 2) streamlining the case plan development process, and 3) family engagement initiatives.

  • Contacts: 

    • Deirdre Kasberger, Operations Director J Bar J Youth Services

    • Molly Rogers, Director Wasco County Youth Services

    • Peter Sprengelmeyer, Assistant Director for Community Services Oregon Youth Authority

Maryland (2016 YIC)

• • Description: Establish a single-gender mentoring program for male delinquent youth returning to the community, focusing on vocational assistance.

  • Contact: Holly Fisher-Hickman, Founder/CEO, Learning-Healing Institute, Inc.

Nevada (2015 YIC)

• • • • Description: Improve reentry services for youth in custody in Nevada by:

      • 1) Developing a standard procedure for sharing information between pilot correctional facilities and the local Parole and Probation Offices.

      • 2) Enhancing family engagement in current reentry programs.

  • Contacts:

    • Bruce Burgess, Superintendent, State of Nevada

    • Richard Gloeckner, Superintendent, Division of Child and Family Services, State of Nevada

    • Lori Kearse, Clinical Program Planner, Department of Juvenile Justice, State of Nevada

    • Russell Klein, Principal, Nevada Youth Training Center, Division of Child and Family Services

    • John Lum, Assistant Superintendent, Division of Child and Family Services, State of Nevada  * NOTE* John Lum is no longer with the State of Nevada).

Los Angeles County Probation, California (2014 YIC)

• • Description: Create bridge housing for youth in juvenile hall with developmental delays, in order to ease the transition to full reentry.

  • Contacts: 

    • Rosaura Chacon, Supervising Detention Services Officer - Los Angeles County Probation Department

    • Frances Wilson, Detention Services Officer - Los Angeles County Probation Department

Summit County, Ohio (July 2011 MSI - Public)

• • Description: Develop a collaborative reentry (including placement upon reentry) process/protocol that focuses on strengthening the family so a crossover youth’s return to the community can be more successful.

    • Update (2012): The project was implemented by the court. Judge Teodosio collaborated with ODYS institution staff, youth and their family, school, parole, mental health, behavioral health, child welfare, and the community to set up  a new system and protocol to ensure that youth's placement needs are met. Through the use of the new protocol, the court is working on transition planning for older youth. 

    • Update (2024): After the Certificate Program, Summit County had a staff member dedicated to working with dual-system youth. That staff member would convene representatives from Probation and Child Welfare together with the Guardian ad Litem and attorneys representing the parties in both types of cases to talk about the status and prepare a summary for Judge Teodosio or for the Magistrate handling the case. This position no longer exists at the Court because managing these cases in a cohesive manner has become part of their process. In summary:

1. If a child is currently involved in a JJ or CW case and another case comes in, the new case is assigned to the same jurist.

2. We set the CW and JJ cases at the same time. If a youth is on probation, the jurist will do a probation review at the time of the CW case coming before the court. If the youth is coming to Court on charges or for a probation review, child welfare will also provide an update.

3. The GAL and attorneys for the parties on both the CW and JJ cases are given notice to attend all hearings on the cases. The youth is also in attendance unless they request to be excused from a hearing addressing only CW issues.

4. When Probation prepares recommendations for JJ dispositions, the status of the CW case is taken into consideration and the caseworker is consulted regarding the needs of the youth.

5. CW caseworkers are active participants in the JJ hearings.

Additionally, Summit County has a practice of pooling funds for youth involved in multiple systems, with the Juvenile Court, Summit County Children Services (CW), the Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services Board (ADM), and the Summit County Board for Developmental Disabilities (DD) each contributing approximately $100,000 per year to a shared pool that funds our Children and Family First Council. These funds provide wrap-around services and other referrals for services to address the needs of children who are involved in multiple systems with the goal of keeping them out of the justice system. 

Lastly, Judge Teodosio meets with the head of the child welfare agency on a quarterly basis to discuss practices and procedures related to crossover.

• • Contact: Linda Teodosio, Judge - Summit County Juvenile Court

Manteno, Illinois (2010 MSI - Private)

• • Description: Improved services and policies for crossover youth (male and female) for the targeted organization (a residential service provider). 

    • Update (2014): A program, The Journey Home, was created locally for transitioning older youth from residential agencies and juvenile prisons into a community with integrated and well-rounded support. The team has also been working with the local probation office to provide services at the Journey Home.

  • Contacts: 

    • Michael Chavers, Executive Director - Indian Oaks Academy, Nexus

    • Lisa Jacobs, Program Manager, Illinois Models for Change Initiative - Loyola University School of Law, Civitas Child Law Center

California (2009 MSI)

• • Description: Provide a comprehensive continuum of care that allows crossover youth to transition successfully back into their communities. 

  • Contact: Rachel Rios, Director - Division of Juvenile Parole Operations

Virginia (2009 MSI)

• • Description: Develop an interagency case planning model for youth in foster care who are committed to the DJJ and are expected to return to foster care. As a result, help youth achieve permanency and successfully transition into adulthood.

  • Contact: Therese Wolf, Foster Care Program Manager - Virginia Department of Social Services

Pennsylvania (2008 MSI CPI)

• • Description: Improve education in juvenile justice facilities and reentry, re: curriculum, training, education records, and partial/transfer credits.

  • Contact: Candace Putter, Director - Pennsylvania Academic and Career/Technical Training Project