Embedded Files
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2022 LGBTQ Individual Participant: Dana Johnson
Description: Dana seeks to create a Supporting LGBTQIA+ Houseless Youth Toolkit to be shared with their various housing community partners.
Contact:
Dana Johnson, Director of Youth Housing and Trainer, Rainbow Community Center Contra Costa County
2022 LGBTQ Illinois DJJ Team
Description: The IDJJ Team seeks to foster organizational culture change through a multipronged effort to include gathering additional data about its LGBTQI population, forging stronger partnerships with supportive community organizations, enhancing staff training, promoting family support for LGBTQI youth, revising how they gather SOGIE data at intake, and rewriting internal policies to ensure youth have access to accommodations that match their gender identity.
Contacts:
Jakki Alexander, Senior Public Service Administrator, Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice
Latricia Bynum, Juvenile Justice Youth and Family Specialist, State of Illinois
Michael Byrd, Asst. Sup. of Program, Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice
Bridgette Carter, Treatment Unit Administrator, Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice
Thomas DeBetta, Regional Administrator, Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice
Tyrie Fluker, Program and Services Contract Manager, State of Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice
Rayeshundra Henderson, Assistant Superintendent of Program, Illinois Youth Center St. Charles
Bryce Reno-Gibson, Assistant Superintendent, Department of Juvenile Justice
Robert Vickery, Deputy Director of Programs, Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice
2022 LGBTQ Colorado DYS Team
Description: The Colorado DYS Team seeks to create an environment that is welcoming to, understanding of, and provides equitable treatment for staff and youth who are members of the LGBTQ+ community. To advance these goals, the team will develop and deliver a new training for DYS staff focused on LGBTQ+ issues, update DYS policies pertaining to LGBTQ youth, and create a procedural matrix to guide staff in making housing decisions for transgender and nonbinary youth at DYS Youth Service Centers.
Update (2024): The team developed a new training for staff to learn how to better support LGBTQIA+ staff and youth. The team is considering bringing this training to all staff members and is currently discussing the best way to integrate it (through staff workshops, onboarding, and more). The goal is for the program to be approved and implemented beginning January 2025. The team is also working to update DYS Policy and has already changed the Statement of Preference form, replacing it with the Affirmation of Gender Identity Form to include gender expansive youth.
Contacts:
Fitzgerald Clark, Director of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion; Colorado Division of Youth Services
Taylor Garza, Youth and Staff Safety Coordinator (PREA Coordinator/Risk Management Coordinator), Colorado Division of Youth Services
Brandy Harper, Deputy Administrator - Colorado Juvenile Parole Board, Colorado Department of Human Services
Theo Isoz, Training Specialist, Colorado Department of Human Services
Spiro Koinis, Restorative Justice / Victim Services Coordinator; State of Colorado, Department of Human Services, Division of Youth Services
Yetunde Kuforiji, Medical Operations Coordinator; Colorado Department of Human Services, Division of Youth Services
Cherise Wells, Assistant Director; Behavioral Health & Medical Services, Division of Youth Services
2022 LGBTQ Stanislaus County, CA Team
Description: The Stanislaus County Team seeks to improve outcomes for system-involved LGBTQ youth by utilizing a collaborative, multi-system approach rooted in partnership, education, and equity. To do so, the team will create a Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT) including Stanislaus County child and family services, juvenile justice, education, mental health, healthcare, community-based organizations, and LGBTQ youth and their families. The MDT will meet monthly and serve as a forum for ongoing education, policy, and procedure development/analysis, coordination of service delivery for system-involved LGBTQ youth, and assessment of opportunities to bolster LGBTQ community resources within the county.
Update (2024): The team officially launched the LGBTQ+ Multidisciplinary Team (MDT) in October 2023, and it has continued monthly since then. They have had impressive participation from community-based organizations and are actively working to engage additional system partners. The MDT recently established mission/vision statements and is in the process of establishing an MOU to ensure MDT members can communicate confidentially about specific cases.
Stanislaus County also recently created an LGBTQ+ Support Social Worker position within their child welfare department, and Courtney Mummert is occupying this role. In this role, Courtney will work internally on system change for LGBTQ+ youth in foster care and will continue facilitating the LGBTQ+ MDT.
Contacts:
Keri Brandt, Social Worker Supervisor II, Stanislaus County
Courtney Mummert, Social Worker, Stanislaus County Child Protective Services
2022 LGBTQ Individual Participant: Blake Denney
Description: The issue that my capstone project seeks to address is a successful aftercare program for those in the LGBTQ+ community after being released from treatment. Whether that be a drug/alcohol impatient stay or a juvenile secure care facility for those deemed as serious and/or chronic repeat offenders posing a risk to themselves or others.
Update (March 2023): My progress on my action steps, to date, currently are monthly youth LGBTQ+ groups being ran. Some barriers that I have had are getting some constant contacts with individuals attending group. Success I have had is good feedback from those that have attended and positive feedback from handing out my flyers in high schools while in there working in my harm reduction roll for Impact Life. In the next 6 months my goal is to have a building where I can have constant participation and connections with individuals. I believe I will be archiving my goal as Impact Life will be receiving a grant for a clubhouse come January 1st, 2023.
Contact:
Blake Denney, Certified Peer Recovery Specialist, Impact Life
2022 LGBTQ Individual Participant: Lorraine Gale
Description: The Children’s Aid Society of Toronto (CAST) seeks to develop a 3-year organizational SOGIE Strategy to bolster services and supports for 2SLGBTQ+ children, youth, their families, and 2SLGBTQ+ led families. To do so, CAST will take a multipronged approach in partnership with a variety of agencies to implement an organizational SOGIE equity strategy and framework, educate staff on SOGIE issues, and partner with additional community-based organizations.
Contact:
Lorraine Gale, Co-ordinator, Out and Proud Program; Children's Aid Society of Toronto
2022 LGBTQ Individual Participant: Luis Quinones
Description: Luis's Capstone Project seeks to reevaluate the research questions Luis uses in conversations with youth and families to more directly mirror their experiences, including creating a reunification curriculum and agreement to aid in the reunification process for the youth and families he serves. He also hopes to build on Luis's outreach and partnerships with new organizations.
Update (March 2023): I have finished both a reunification curriculum and reunification agreement for youth and families. The purpose of both is to have a clear understanding of what reunification truly means and what are the steps of having a successful reunification. Some of these steps include: family and induvial therapy (especially for the youth), check ins on months 3, 6, and 12, attending educational workshops, and attending at least one social event geared towards families who are dealing with the same home dynamics. The goal is to reunify 25 families by the end of 2024. Some successes I have had is a church who has partnered with us has changed their welcome letter to be more affirming to the LGBTQIA+ community. They have also brought in resources for HIV testing. Pastors have also had more of an interest in talking with me about how they can help, as well as local organizations who work with TAY. Some barriers I have been having is difficulty engaging parents as their schedules can be a bit complicated because of work and other responsibilities. I have been working with the local school district to better see how I can engage parents. In the next 6 months I hope to start the reunification process with youth. We have laid the foundation, so now it is time to walk towards our goal. We also plan on starting our listening sessions with pastors and to transcribe the data we receive from those exact sessions.
Update (2024): Quinones was able to parter with a local church, encouraging them to change the language in their welcome letter to be inclusive and to open an on-site LGBTQIA+ youth space. He was also succesful in creating a new youth center at one of the HOPICS sites to create a safe space in the South LA community for LGBTQ youth. Quinones is finishing up the creation of an online course for pastors to learn how faith-based sexual exclusion impacts LGBTQIA+ youth. This course is being designed with Fuller Seminary and will give pastors the knowledge and tools to discuss LGBTQ topics with their congregations.
Contact:
Luis Quinones, Parent and Faith Community Coordinator, HOPICS (Homeless Outreach Program Integrated Care System)
2022 LGBTQ Individual Participant: Jaime Riley
Description: Wicomico County seeks to address the unique needs of LGBTQIA+ youth who may be at risk of out of home placement or maltreatment, are already in crisis or at risk for crisis, or are at risk for involvement with the Wicomico County Department of Juvenile Services (DJS) or the Wicomico County Department of Social Services (DSS). To do so, the Wicomico County Local Management Board (Wicomico Partnership for Families and Children), DJS, and DSS will work in partnership to develop prevention and intervention strategies that address the specific needs of LGBTQIA+ individuals in a crossover model.
Contact:
Jaime Riley, Director, Wicomico Partnership
2022 LGBTQ Individual Participant: Lauren Spector
Description: Cleveland Rape Crisis Center will form an internal multidisciplinary team to evaluate and revise CRCC policies and procedures, develop MOUs with LGBTQ centers in Northeast Ohio, and develop and implement an internal and external training to ensure all service providers (law enforcement, therapists, advocates, prosecutors, etc.) are trauma-informed, survivor-focused, and treating LGBTQ youth with dignity and respect.
Update (March 2023): CRCC has formed an internal MDT committee to address the needs of LGBTQ survivors and how our organization can best help. We've established the following action steps: (1) develop and implement internal and external trainings, (2) changing the wording on our engagement paperwork and assessments to be more inclusive and affirming, and (3) develop relationships with LGBTQ organizations to collaborate and eventually develop MOUs. The successes we've had is identifying specific topics for trainings and creating a subcommittee for those who can develop and present those trainings, changed the wording on our engagement paperwork from preferred pronouns to just pronouns, making the questions on the mental health assessment more relaxed and conversation -like so clients feel safe in answering questions, and have identified key community partners to outreach and develop collaborative relationships with. Barriers we have run into is people's openness and willingness to take the trainings (mostly externally), time to take trainings in already packed schedules, and community partner stubbornness. We are currently in ongoing conversations with our various youth programs in hearing their voices in these action steps and developments and in the progress of starting an LGBTQ support group for therapy. We do offer virtual options for those who cannot attend services in-person and we also offer Uber rides (with parent/guardian approval and guidance)and using the local bus system. Our local bus system also offers free rides to kids who are in unsafe situations and will take them to the appropriate service provider needed. In the next 6 months we are hoping to accomplish rolling out some trainings both internally and externally, and having developed community partner relationships that will lead to MOUs. We will achieve this by ensuring all committee members are taking part in these actions steps evenly, doing a training once a month (making it a series), and seeing our growth in community partnerships. To assess our progress, we will see how many MOUs we've created in the next six months and compare that number to what we've started with. To assess progress made in trainings, we will complete a pre- and post- survey to measure growth in learning, look at the demographics attending the trainings (law enforcement, therapists, prosecutors, advocates, etc.), and offer CEUs and certificates of attendance. CRCC also has client satisfaction surveys. We will compare answers from older surveys to answers in the future to see how we've improved and what we can still do better!
Contact:
Lauren Spector, Regional SART Coordinator/Advocate, Cleveland Rape Crisis Center
State Team (Team Lead: Rhianna Scyter) (2022 FL GCP)
Description: Identify the criminal code(s) and recommend changes to address minors who are arrested for family violence under the domestic violence statutes. Enact legislation that ensure public and family safety is maintained and replace the arrest of a minor with evidenced-based alternatives to the arrest of minors under the domestic violence statute.
Update (Dec. 2022): We have determined that in the current legislative environment, our best course of action is to work on education this session. We will be building partnerships and a coalition of supporters to help identify and support sponsors for the legislation in 2024. Our solution must involve changes to criminal code and a process to move families out of the system and into care. We also need to determine the fiscal impact of what we are suggesting. We have developed the following primary talking points. When girls enter the system (child welfare or DJJ) they have poor outcomes. The current system response to family violence is designed for intimate partner violence (pro-arrest) and does not allow for therapeutic intervention, breaking families apart and moving girls into a system that is not designed to support abuse survivors. We now that moving them into the system results in greater risk of human trafficking and homelessness. A pro-parent approach requires we seek first to support then punish. Our goal is to eliminate pro-arrest and domestic violence arrests for youth under 18 when the victim is a family member and offer the option for officers to issue a civil citation leading to mandatory counseling.
Contacts:
Linda Alexionok, Co-Founder, SIE CoLab Adaptive Leadership Institute
An Goldbauer, Consultant, Self
Cassandra Jenkins, Executive Assistant, Leon County Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller
Jimmy Midyette, Director of Policy, Delores Barr Weaver Policy Center (*Jimmy has since left this position)
Carol Wick, President, Sharity
Tiffney Funches' Team (2022 FL GCP)
Description: We chose to address the lack of education/awareness of resources and information needed for youth and families to begin having serious self-reflective conversations with-in their households. We want to share information on trafficking, generational trauma, different exercises/practices that families can use or implement. Our daily work with girls (youth) allows us to identify that families are still looking and needing support. There are conversations and from personal experiences that we all shared sometimes knowing what and who is in our community willing and able to help.
We decided to start small then expand. We will host a community day (almost festival style), in which we will bring local organizations and agencies together to set-up information booths, host mini workshops, and provide areas where families can connect with resources for things they need. Food, clothing, living assistance etc. Potential to make events annual in partnership with each other and also school partnerships may be recommended as an alternative for families who express concern of not being able to access resources, or students are at-risk of being sent to alternative schools.
Update (Dec. 2022): We have solidified our team location, date and time for our community event. We are currently working with girls and parents to collect information on what workshops and organizations would be beneficial to them.
Contacts:
Tiffney Funches, Middle School Program Manager, Girls Inc. of Jacksonville
Juanita Forman-Lee, Director of Operations, Girls Inc. of Jacksonville
Jerri McInturff, Program Manager, Junior Achievement
Brenda Phillips, HS Program Manager, Girls Inc. of Jacksonville
Natalie Indelicato's Team (2022 FL GCP)
Description: The issue we seek to address directly is raising awareness of the model program, Girls Matters It's Elementary (GMIE), to inform clinical, judicial, and policy change related to school suspension and referral alternatives. Our group aims to publish an article that increases awareness of the GMIE program, discusses it’s alignment with the Relational Cultural Theory, and provides implications for research, clinical, and policy reform as it relates to elementary school girls and especially girls of color.
Update (Dec. 2022): Since completing the in-person GCP Certificate Program training, our team has met approximately once per month to explore ways that we can apply girl centered practices in our professional and personal lives. Our team composition shifted slightly as Vinessa Gordon transitioned away from the Delores Barr Weaver Policy Center.
We met with Vinessa Gordon and Lawanda Ravoira and received support to move our capstone project forward, including receiving a GMIE replication manual that was written in 2016. We also received a support for an IRB application from the Policy Center to submit with the Jacksonville University IRB application to examine secondary data for our project. We are now finalizing the IRB submission.
Update (2024): Dr. Indelicato and Dr. Borden submitted a journal article and two conference presentations regarding the See the Girl: In Elementary (formerly Girl Matters: It's Elementary) program. The article and presentations examine qualitative assessment data between 2018 and 2023, exploring how the program has been helpful for the girls it serves. Girls stated that program counselors offered active listening, therapeutic support, and authenticity and that the program helped them with coping skill development, relationship building, and providing a safe environment.
Contacts:
Natalie Indelicato, Associate Professor and Department Chair, Jacksonville University
Ne'Shaun Borden, Assistant Professor and Clinical Coordinator, Jacksonville University
Vinessa Gordon, Research and Grants Analyst, Delores Barr Weaver Policy Center (*Vinessa has since left this position)
Shirley Moon, Community Convener/Educator, Partnership for Child Health (Building a Resilient Jacksonville System of Care)
Diana Johnson and Erin Wolfson's Team (2022 FL GCP)
Description: We wish to address the prevention of girls being arrested and entering the justice system whom are suspected or identified CSEC HT victims. The specific reform we wish to undertake in this project is to divert a girl from arrest to wrap-around care, to include medical services, drug treatment, housing, therapy, and a survivor mentor.
Update (Dec. 2022): Identified and continue to track juveniles that come through via arrest without services who are HT or suspected HT victims.
Contacts:
Diana Johnson, Director of Juvenile Court, Office of the Public Defender
Vanessa Cornegay, Juvenile Probation Officer, Department of Juvenile Justice
Pamela Hazel, Assistant State Attorney, 4th Judicial Circuit State Attorney's Office
Adair Newman, Director, State Attorney's Office
Michael Kalil, Circuit Court Judge, State of Florida
Kathryn Sheldon, Attorney, Public Defender's Office
Abdul-Hai Thomas, Child and Youth Ombudsperson, Center for Children's Rights (CCR)
Katoia Wilkins, Director of Contract Management, City of Jacksonville - Kids Hope Alliance
Katrina Taylor's Team (2022 FL GCP)
Description: Focus on trauma – intergeneration trauma, the power and control being taken away from the girls; Human Trafficking – that Jacksonville is a hub for human trafficking; Judicial System – the girls being convicted of crimes, retraumatizing of the girl, broken trust
Update (Dec. 2022): We have "Human trafficking" now listed on the Full Service reports as a selection should the submitter believe that is a concern with the student. Resources have been put in place utilizing various parties to guarantee we are offering the correct assistance to the students as needed. The district staff as a whole are being trained more extensively on what to look for in the case of human trafficking.
Contacts:
Katrina Taylor, Director of School Behavioral Health, Duval County Public Schools
Danielle Cherry, High School Secretary, Duval County Public Schools
Amy Jello, Police Sergeant, Duval County School Police
Lesley-Ann Vickerie's Team (co-led with members) (2022 FL GCP)
*Note: This project is no longer active.
Description: Create a collective of community leaders to do the following: increase education on Girl-Centered Practice for foster parents, Community providers, and Community Based Care Organizations as it relates to their populations served.
Update (Dec. 2022): We have identified consortium members that we will reach out to individually to request engagement. We identified the overarching goal of the behavioral health consortium's initial meeting and will put together a formal agenda, as well as establish an initial meeting date when we reconvene in January. We have requested assistance with acquiring data to support current BH needs for Duval/Nassau counties.
Contacts:
Andria Bannister, Director, Partnership for Child Health
Gwen Tennant-Evans, Director at Nassau Service Center, Family Support Services of North Florida
Cierra Terrell, Operations Manager, Delores Barr Weaver Policy Center
Lesley-Ann Vickerie, Behavioral Health Manager, Family SUpport Services of North Florida
Erin Whitacker-Houck, AVP Clinical Program Operations, LSF Health Systems
Description: Explore the use of peers with lived experience to work with youth utilizing CINS/FINS services (shelter and community counseling). As an agency, increase awareness of healing centered approaches and increase opportunities/experiences to utilize the feedback from the girl's "power with" wheel
Update (Dec. 2022): Progress has been slow and is still in development. I have reached out to former employers that had similar programs to discuss job descriptions, qualifications, and training programs. Because I was working in a different state when I learned about this program, some things vary. Recently, was at a Quality Improvement conference that other agencies presented about their new Youth Advisory Board. I am looking to speak more individually with this agency to learn ideas from to potentially start here as well. The Youth Advisory Board could be used to guide principles of the Young Adult Peer Mentoring program and looking what would be potentially helpful or hurtful for the program and what youth and girls specifically are looking for.
Contact: Logan Farrelly, CINS/FINS Clinical Director, Youth Crisis Center
Yvette Angelique Hyater-Adams (2022 FL GCP)
Description: We are drawn to organize a capstone project that focuses on supporting RADICAL restorative healing and metabolizing emotions for people doing “the work” of supporting young women and girls experiencing trauma. Listening to the heaviness and the “no way out” exhaustion in the hearts and stories from the participants in the room was overwhelming. We asked, who is healing the healers?
Update (Dec. 2022): Yvette is fine tuning the strategy of “who’s healing the healers and helpers” to include well researched practices of Mindfulness-based stress reduction, somatic abolitionism, and eco-womanism as baseline theories to develop tools and resources for girl-centered practitioners. Yvette is interested in integrating racialize cultural nuance—an approach that centers the experience of BIPOC + women to inform how practitioners go about healing themselves, and with the girls they serve, with an awareness of how good practices that support the intersectionality of women and BIPOC can be a benefit to all others. Through research and participating in experiential learning, Yvette will draw out intersecting principles and themes in MBSR, Somatic Abolitionism, and Eco-womanism that will guide surveys and focus groups with girl centered practitioners and girls served, to collect perspectives of what each of these groupings of folk feel they need for themselves for radical healing, and what they perceive the “other” as needing. From this data, a process will be designed and an initial training/workshop developed.
- Met with Lawanda Ravoira early November for technical support. Together, we talked through ideas and possible approaches. We agreed that the cohort we trained with may be a good group to outreach to participate in surveys and focus groups on “healing the healer and helpers” through the lens of healing modalities of MBSR, somatic abolitionism, and eco-womanism.
- Lawanda will support Yvette in identifying group(s) of girls (via one or a couple of organizations) to participate.
- Lawanda will support Yvette in identifying a group of practitioners in a particular city, i.e. Daytona, as survey and focus group participants.
- Yvette is drafting a guiding paper that documents her thinking about pulling together theories of MBSR, Somatic Abolitionism, and Eco-womanism, and their unique threading in offering skills and practices to support “healers and helpers” and the girls served.
- Yvette is participating in a program offered by Brown University in MBSR, and in February 2023, will apply for their MBSR facilitator certificate program featuring working with BIPOC and marginalized populations. Yvette is interested in integrating Somatic Abolitionism into how she will go about leading MBSR in BIPOC and marginalize communities. She is also holding her awareness and skills in girl-centered practice as an approach in working with marginalized populations, with a special interest in the needs of girls and young women.
- Yvette and Lawanda meet the end of January to develop a timeline to address these ideas and tasks.
Contact: Yvette Angelique Hyater-Adams, Principal and Chief Storytelling Officer, Narratives for Change
Description: Speak with Judge Jolley and group of diverse stakeholders to partner in implementing my project: The problem regarding system-involved youth issues that I want to address is to decrease the rate of girls’ introduction to the juvenile justice system in Volusia and Flagler, by increasing the awareness of, and access to, trauma-informed approaches (TIA) by diverse girl-serving stakeholders in Volusia-Flagler. Girls’ response/reaction to trauma is perceived as “girls behaving badly” vs “trauma speaking.” This perspective (lack of understanding of what trauma “looks” like) influences/determines the adult response to the girl’s trauma, resulting in DJJ involvement.
Research Volusia and Flagler girl incarceration numbers; and trauma-informed trainings that are having most success with juvenile justice, education, law enforcement, and community organization providers.
Update (Dec. 2022): My project is still largely in the planning/preparation stage. I am gathering resources and stakeholders in order to ensure there is a solid foundation to support a successful launch and sustained engagement throughout the project.
- I have had 2 meetings with Judge Jolley to identify prospective organizations to train.
- I have secured a volunteer/intern, who has recently started working 3-5 hours/week: building an organization/contact list; researching specific trauma-informed approaches that are most effective with schools and law enforcement; and researching statistics relevant to girls' juvenile justice statistics in Volusia and Flagler counties.
- I am working to revise my timeline for: determining a training curriculum, inviting organizations, beginning the trainings, and drafting the unified referral form (for edit by the agencies).
- I have also identified a potential funding source to support the training curriculum and the participation of girls and parents. My progress was significantly delayed by Hurricane Ian. My Center was damaged, and our program has been displaced since late September; so my project work was, essentially paused, until mid-November, as I found a new temporary location and got the center running reasonably well (and on-boarded the intern).
Contact: Sheila Jordan, Executive Director, Pace Center for Girls, Volusia-Flagler
Description: Research feasibility and secure funds for replication of the Florida Girl-centered Practice Certificate Program for WA State. Work with girls in our advocacy program to advocate for 2023 legislative session budget provisos for the girl-centered services program navigator team.
Update (Dec. 2022): As of Dec. 2022, I have made the following progress on the Capstone Project:
1) began to collect data for the OJJDP grant so we are positioned for a potential RFP in 2023 to replicate the Florida Girl-centered Practice Certificate Program for WA State.
2) began to brainstorm the types of technical support I will need to make progress on my capstone.
3) began to work with girls in our advocacy program to understand the budget proviso process for the 2023 legislative session.
Contact: Ann Muno, Director, Justice for Girls of WA State
Nassau County, NY (2021 GCP)
Description: The Nassau County team aims to improve access to preventative services for girls by addressing intergenerational and current trauma using evidence-based trauma-informed care tools and wrap-around services, with the ultimate goal of reducing girls’ entry into the justice system. To do so, the team will work with a multidisciplinary group of partners and will focus their efforts in the Village of Hempstead.
Contacts:
Erika Deans, Social Worker, Nassau County Probation Department/Juvenile Detention Center
Latesha Fowler, Program Manager, FCA
Elizabeth Funkghee, Prevention Supervisor, FCA
Diane Gaines, Executive Director, The Woman's Opportunity Rehabilitation Center
Aleisha Garvin, Assistant Deputy Director, Nassau County Probation Department
Joyce Lewis, Chief Executive Director, Visions to Opportunity
Jasmine Lucas, Prevention Counselor, FCA
Donna Raphael, Senior Director, FCA
Shalana Smith, Clinical Prevention Counselor, FCA
Lisa Williamson, Program Coordinator, The Woman's Opportunity Rehabilitation Center
Suffolk County, NY (2021 GCP)
Description: Suffolk County’s multidisciplinary team seeks to improve the quality of therapeutic services, housing options, and the screening process, as well as collaboration between agencies around delivery of services, for sex trafficked and at-risk girls and young women ages 10-24, including LGBTQIA+2 girls. To do so, the team will leverage its partnerships with a variety of stakeholders and organizations to create an online housing resource guide and a shared referral and services database.
Contacts:
Fernando Camacho; New York State Court of Claims Judge, Acting Justice, Supreme Court of Suffolk County; New York State Unified Court System
Susan DeNatale, Attorney, Susan A. DeNatale, Esq. P.C.
Molly England, Suffolk County Anti-Trafficking Initiative (SCATI) Task Force Coordinator, Empowerment Collaborative of Long Island, Inc.
Andrea López, Advocate, ECLI
Elizabeth Pfister, Staff Attorney, Legal Aid Society of Suffolk County
Jill Porter, Probation Officer, Suffolk County Probation Department
Glorisbel Roman, Co-Deputy Bureau Chief -- Children's Law Bureau, Legal Aid Society of Suffolk County, Inc.
Chartonnai Taylor, Program Manager, Hope for Youth
Barbara Walsh, Attorney Training Coordinator and Senior Staff Attorney, Legal Aid Society of Suffolk County
New York City Team (2020 LGBTQ)
Description: The New York City Team seeks to partner with and elevate the voices of youth to: improve access to information and affirming resources for LGBTQ+ youth and their families; enhance SOGIE training and data collection practices of youth-serving agencies, including the Department of Probation and the Administration for Children’s Services; and use the NYC Summer Youth Employment Program as a tool to engage young people in leadership capacities. Through a coordinated multi-agency effort, the team ultimately aims to improve the experiences and trajectories of justice-involved LGBTQ+ youth.
Contacts:
Amore Alvarenga, Juvenile Justice Coordinator, Family Court Division of the New York City Law Department
Dawn Daniels, Executive Director of Juvenile Justice Behavioral Health Services, ACS
Aylese Kanze, Director of Anti-Trafficking and Anti-CSEC Initiatives and Outcomes, New York City Law Department, Family Court Division
Mathew Lynch, Juvenile Implementation Manager, Raise the Age, Department of Probation
Zakiya Robinson, Program and Outreach Manager of the Unity Project, NYC Mayor's Office to End Domestic and Gender-Based Violence
Saloni Sethi, Director of Policy, NYC Mayor's Office to End Domestic and Gender-Based Violence
Jeremy Syrop, Deputy Director, Department of Youth and Community Development NYC
Talia Beaulieu-Hains, Program Associate II, Vera Institute of Justice
Alameda County, CA: Fresh Lifelines for Youth, Inc. (2020 LGBTQ)
Description: The team seeks to provide a more inclusive environment through training for FLY staff, informed by our youth and with the assistance of experts.
Contacts:
Stephen Ajani, Director - Santa Clara County, Fresh Lifelines for Youth, Inc.
Danielle Clark, Lead Case Manager, Fresh Lifelines for Youth, Inc.
Jamela Joseph, Alameda County Directors, Fresh Lifelines for Youth, Inc.
Meredith McGrath, Lead Case Manager, Fresh Lifelines for Youth, Inc.
Melissa Poling, Law & Reentry Program, Fresh Lifelines for Youth, Inc.
Brianna Ramos, Career Pathways Navigator, Fresh Lifelines for Youth, Inc.
Clackamas County, OR (2020 LGBTQ)
Description: The team's Capstone Project seeks to effectively provide welcoming and affirming environments that recognize LGBTQN+ young people and all of their intersectional identities as whole beings so they can be successful and thrive. The team wants to elevate their strengths while supporting them in navigating and addressing the barriers or challenges that may have brought them into contact with the system(s) in the first place. The youth are not the issue, the issue is how systems can be responsive to best keep youth safe and well - both physically and mentally, engaged in learning, and away from the justice system. Another key issue the team's Capstone Project seeks to address is overcoming implicit and explicit bias, cultural disinformation, misperceptions and misinformation.
Contacts:
Eric Barrera, Field Supervisor, Oregon Youth Authority
Jenn Burleton, Program Director, Lewis & Clark Graduate School of Education & Counseling
Christina McMahan, Juvenile Department Director, Clackamas County
Alice Perry, Juvenile Manager, Clackamas County Juvenile Department
Erin Prendergast, Supervisor in Child Welfare, State of Oregon
Courtney Shrifter, Senior Policy, Performance and Research Analyst, Clackamas County Juvenile Department
Oneida County, NY: Madison-Oneida BOCES (2020 LGBTQ)
Description: The team seeks to achieve a more inclusionary and supportive school climate for LGBTQ+ students using MOBOCES staff, Youth Leadership, a student lead GSA, and parental support by working with community partners such as BRIDGES, ACR Health/Q Center, and their component districts.
Contacts:
Rachel Burleigh, Corporate & Community, Madison-Oneida BOCES
Shannon Collins, School Counselor, Madison-Oneida BOCES
Gina Calabro, Special Education Coordinator, Madison-Oneida BOCES
Katie Hall, School Counselor, Madison-Oneida BOCES
Debbie O'Connor, Social Worker, Madison-Oneida BOCES
Carrie Scalzo, School Social Worker, Madison-Oneida BOCES
Erie County, New York (2018 LGBTQ)
Description: The team seeks to improve the experience and outcomes for system-involved LGBTQ youth by establishing a committee that will provide organized professional education and oversee the development of a system to identify and respond to the needs of system-involved LGBTQ youth. The team will work with multidisciplinary partners across legal, community, education, and government systems.
Contacts:
Mary Carney, Judge, New York State Office of Court Administration
Catherine Gavin, Assistant Commissioner, Erie County Department of Social Services
Ben Hilligas, Director, Erie County Youth Bureau
Tracey Kassman, Court Attorney-Referee, NYS Unified Court System
Sharon LoVallo, Erie County Family Court Judge, NYS Office of Court Administration
Aimee Neri, Liaison, NYs Unified Court System/ NYS Child Welfare Court Improvement Project
Rachel Parrino, Engagement and Education Specialist, Pride Center of WNY
Michael Seitz, Drop-in Center Manager / Youth Advocacy Coordinator, Gay & Lesbian Youth Services of WNY *Note:* Michael is no longer with the organization and is not involved in the project moving forward
Vera Venkova, Attorney, Self-Employed
Los Angeles DCFS, California (2018 LGBTQ)
Description: The goals of the project is to explore best practices to engage and support LGBTQ+ youth, develop a tracking mechanism for self-identified LGBTQ+ youth, and modify written policies and guidelines to provide affirming care to these youth. Through these strategies, the team will ultimately develop more stable placements, strengthen reunification efforts, and enhance staff's competency in working with LGBTQ+ youth and their families.
Contacts:
Dorothy Byron-Arrington, Children's Services Administrator, Los Angeles County
Alan Weisbart, Children's Services Administrator III, Los Angeles County, DCFS
Fulton County, Georgia (2018 LGBTQ)
Description: The Capstone team seeks to reduce discrimination, victimization, and criminalization of LGBTQ+ youth through assessing and enhancing the agencies' LGBTQ-inclusive culture and policies, collecting SOGIE information, providing ongoing LBTQ-related trainings, and engaging families and key stakeholders throughout the process.
Contacts:
Shanae Frazier, Clinician youthSpark, Inc.
Miriam Kirby, Social Services Coordinator Fulton County Juvenile Court
Sharnell Myles, Clinical Director youthSpark, Inc.
Kiku Johnson, California (2018 LGBTQ)
Description: The Capstone Project aims to educate key stakeholders who work with LGBTQ/GNCT youth in the juvenile justice system. The one-day training, SOGIE Affirming Approach & Expansive Practices with Youth Facilitator, takes an asset-based, harm-reduction approach, focusing on topics such as terminology, intersectionality, implicit bias, allyship, and affirming/expansive practices.
Contact: Kiku Johnson, Associate Director, One Circle Foundation
Sheri Combs, New Orleans, Louisiana (2018 LGBTQ)
Description: The goal of this Capstone Project is to deliver inclusive and culturally competent services to the LGBTQ residents at the Covenant House through implementing LGBTQ-inclusive policies and practices, as well as providing a series of reoccurring LGBTQ-inclusivity trainings for staff.
Contact: Sheri Combs, Sr. Human Trafficking Case Manager, Covenant House
Colorado (2018 LGBTQ)
Description: The team seeks to increase the quality of service delivery, support a culture of inclusivity, and apply best practices to working with LGBTQ/GNC youth. More specifically, the team plans to focus on collecting accurate data and creating a best practices guide for LGBTQ/GNC youth.
Contacts:
Pearl Bell, Youth Engagement Specialist Colorado Department of Human Services
John Ferullo, Director of Staff Development Colorado Department of Human Services
Rhode Island (2018 LGBTQ)
Description: Through the My Life, My Choice/Boston GLASS (MLMC) empowerment and pychoeducation group curriculum, the team aims to identify, education, and connect LGBTQ youth who are at risk of being involved in CSEC to services and resources. In addition, St. Mary's Home for Children's Supporting Teens and Adults At-Risk (STAAR) clinical case management services will also collaborate with community partners to support youth at risk of commercial sexual exploitation.
Contacts:
Adam Cable, Clinician St. Mary's Home for Children
Catherine Hearne, Clinical Supervisor St. Mary's Home for Children
Douglas County, NE (2018 LGBTQ)
Description: The team aims to establish a professional development program and training with an emphasis on supporting system-involved LGBTQ youth. In addition, the team will conduct a local juvenile justice system policy analysis to identify policies which impact the well-being of system-involved LGBTQ youth and help develop a policy template for use across agencies to improve the support of LGBTQ youth.
Update (2020): The team has completed a local policy analysis and found that the juvenile justice system lacked LGBTQ-focused policies. One of the team members has created and implemented a training program to the Juvenile Assessment Center, Youth Center, and Douglas County Juvenile Probation staff. Additionally, the team is working with Dr. Angela Irvine to incorporate SOGIE questions in the assessment process. The Juvenile Attention Center has started utilizing SOGIE-specific questions and is collaborating with the county probation department.
Contacts:
LaCher Carter, Supervisor Douglas County Youth Center
Elizabeth Crnkovich, Judge Separate Juvenile Court of Douglas County, Nebraska *Note: Judge Crnkovich is retired and is no longer involved in the project.
Shawne Johnson Coonfare, Director-Juvenile Assessment Center Douglas County
Kira Kaltenbach, A/P and Billing Specialist PromiseShip *Note: Kira is no longer with the agency.
Dominique Morgan, National Director Black and Pink, Inc.
Janee Pannkuk, Executive Director Douglas County
Tina Wigington, Probation Supervisor State of Nebraska- Judicial Branch
Ohio (2018 LGBTQ)
Description: To Capstone Project focuses on addressing the lack of SOGIE data collection in Ohio's state systems, including the 88 county juvenile courts and 37 detention centers, by working with partners, stakeholders, and a newly formed working group.
Contact: Kim Welter, Director of Policy and Finance (Contract with Equality Ohio), KLW Consulting LLC
New York City, NY (2017 LGBTQ)
Description: To develop and disseminate a comprehensive resource guide for youth-serving professionals that links current knowledge of LGBTQ-GNC justice-involved youth with the broader framework of the 8 essential elements of a trauma-informed juvenile justice system.
Contact: Keith Cruise, Associate Professor, Fordham University
Milwaukee County, Wisconsin (2017 LGBTQ)
Description: The team aims to create LGBTQ policy and procedures, educate Delinquency and Court Services Division (DCSD) employees, and create meaningful community partnerships. The main strategies include:
Revising detention center and probation intake procedures
Developing an advisory board called the “SOGIE Champions” to help support staff and LGBTQ youth during the change process.
Creating LGBTQ/SOGIE training modules for all current DCSD and new hires.
Contacts:
Luciana Gonzalez-Ward, Administrative Coordinator Milwaukee County, Delinquency and Court Service Division
Lathel Taylor, Interim Superintendent, Milwaukee County
Santa Clara County, California (2017 LGBTQ)
Description: Develop a master plan, or a roadmap, across multiple systems of care in Santa Clara County to increase LGBTQ cultural competency and to improve access to services for LGBTQ+ youth and families. The main strategies include:
Creating a resource map to identify available resources and gaps in the community and access points for services.
Developing and administering an agency/organization/school self-assessment survey to examine current LGBTQ cultural competency and areas for improvement.
Implementing a county-wide training plan based on the self-assessment results.
Developing standardized LGBTQ toolkits/resources to be used by organizations throughout the county.
Contacts:
Nisreen Baroudi, Supervising Attorney, Juvenile Division, Santa Clara Public Defender's Office
Nick Birchard, Deputy Chief, Santa Clara County Probation Department
Zelia Costa, Senior Mental Health Program Manager, Santa Clara County
LaRon Dennis, Supervising Deputy District Attorney, Santa Clara County DA's Office
Maribel Martinez, Director, Office of LGBTQ Affairs, County of Santa Clara
Veronica Robles, Mental Health Program Specialist II, Santa Clara County Behavioral Health Services
Cha See, School Linked Services Director, Santa Clara County Behavioral Health Services
Jonathan Weinberg, Social Services Program Manager, Department of Family & Children's Services, Santa Clara County
Florida (2017 LGBTQ)
Description: Strengthen SOGIE competencies and create congruent universal policies across the FL DJJ, DCF, and the Florida Network of Youth and Family Services. More specifically, the tasks include:
Surveying staff and youth on SOGIE awareness, perceptions, and practices within state agencies.
Reviewing agency data systems for the inclusion of SOGIE-related questions and SOGIE data.
Reviewing and modifying existing policy language across all 3 partnering agencies to be inclusive of LGBTQ youth.
Capstone Update (2018): Policy and Practice Implementation: As of 2018, the team is primarily focused on creating and implementing agency policies and practices. First, they interviewed youth and staff regarding SOGIE policies used by the targeting agencies to inform their next steps. The team also designated safe space and “SOGIE-competent” areas in the shelters, and created documents for visitors and volunteers to become educated on the shelter’s SOGIE policies. As part of the efforts to support agency-wide policy and practice changes, FL DJJ created and piloted a SOGIE training curriculum and modified training requirements for all direct care staff, including probation, detention, and residential staff. In addition, a “SOGIE 101” training was provided to residential commitment management staff and JDAI staff, with an intention to improve conditions for LGBTQ youth within secure detention settings in Florida. SOGIE Data Collection: The team has updated agency protocols to include SOGIE-related questions, allowing them to begin collecting SOGIE data.
Contacts:
Dennis Driscoll, Detention Center Superintendent II, Florida Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ)
Matthew Fitzgerald, Statewide Placemate and Classification Coordinator, Florida Department of Juvenile Justice
Bethany Gilot, Statewide Human Trafficking Director, Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF)
Katherine Gomez, Research Analyst, Florida Department of Juvenile Justice
Elizabeth Phillips, Statewide Reform Coordinator, Department of Juvenile Justice
John Robertson, Program Services Director, Florida Network of Youth and Family Services
Jeff Wenhold, Statewide PREA Coordinator, Florida Department of Juvenile Justice
Multnomah Education Service District & Oregon State Joint Project (2017 RED + 2017 LGBTQ)
Description: The two Capstone teams are collaborating to implement the Affirmation Creates Equity (ACE) Project, which focuses on connecting students to the most appropriate educational placement and services upon release from juvenile detention. Targeting students between the ages 11 to 21 in the MESD, the ACE Project aims to: 1) reduce racial and ethnic disparities, 2) support the well-being of LGBTQ+ youth, 3) ensure the timely and appropriate educational placement for students in special education, and 4) provide wraparound services for all youth leaving juvenile detention to assist with successful re-entry to community schools.
Update (2019): The Capstone teams created a new position, Transition Specialist, who is trained in supporting survivors of sex trafficking and plays a significant role in connecting organizations, school districts, administrators, and counselors to help youth navigate reentry into schools after exiting detention facilities. The team also began to provide trainings for educators, establish regulations, and initiate partnerships. The ACE Project established objective guidelines for restorative justice, while the Protocol for Safe and Affirming Care, a guide for professionals, volunteers, and caregivers in Oregon's child welfare and juvenile justice systems, provided framework for care to LGBTQ+ youth. As of June 2019, the ACE Project has served 264 students in Yamhill and Polk counties.
Contacts:
OR LGBTQ Team
MESD RED Team
Bobby Bridges, DMC Coordinator, Youth Development Council
Tim Logan, Agency Administrator, SoValTi
Joseph O'Neil, Lead Transition Specialist, Multnomah Education Service District
Scott Ryan, Student Services Coordinator, Multnomah Education Service District
Washington (2017 LGBTQ)
Description: To increase and improve support and services for LGBTQ youth in the juvenile justice and child welfare systems by collecting more accurate SOGIE data, building affirming environments for LGBTQ youth to disclose and discuss their identities, connecting LGBTQ youth to appropriate services, and implementing the Safe and Affirming Care protocol in three pilot sites (in King and Spokane Counties).
Update (2018): The eQuality Project is the first statewide effort in support LGBTQ+ youth in the juvenile justice and child welfare systems. The team partnered with community-based organizations to provide trainings to pilot site staff on the protocols, terminology, and best practices to create and safe and affirming environments for LGBTQ+ youth and their families. The team has also created focus groups to increase professionals' comfort and skills with discussing SOGIE with youth. To evaluate the efficacy of their efforts, the team has contracted with an external evaluator to assess the work and created an evaluation report in August, 2018. The findings indicated that professionals reported an increase in the knowledge, attitudes, and skills to work with LGBTQ+ youth. In addition, although the SOGIE questionnaire was perceived to be the key element of the initiative, additional guidance and training on administering the questionnaire may be necessary.
Update (2024): The team implemented virtual and in-person trainings to educate service providers on how to support LGBTQ youth in the system. The team is continuing their trainings and currently working to collect SOGIE data from eight different sites.
Contacts:
Cameron Norton, Child Protective Services and Family Reconciliation Services Supervisor State of Washington, Children's Administration
Nicholas Oakley, Project Manager Center for Children and Youth Justice
Tori Peterson, Probation Manager Spokane County Juvenile Court
Ryan Pinto, Probation Manager King County Superior Court
Arizona (2017 LGBTQ)
Description: The team aims to develop a statewide non-discrimination policy and other comprehensive policies for LGBTQ/SOGIE youth involved in the child welfare, behavioral health and juvenile justice systems.
Update (2018): The team collaborated to assess existing non-discrimination policies, identifying strengths and weaknesses of the policies, evaluating the policies' alignment with Arizona's visions and language. As a result, the team has developed a draft of the non-discrimination policy, and the policy is currently under review for final revision. In addition, the team is working with the DCS Learning and Development Office to provide SOGIE training and support to implement the revised policies. The team plans on developing and administering a baseline survey to gauge partnering agencies' staff comfortability and competency working with LGBTQ youth.
Contacts:
Janette Bell, Program Administrator State of Arizona
Janet Garcia, Senior Director Casey Family Programs
Katherine Guffey, Chief Quality Improvement Officer Department of Child Safety
Beverlee Kroll, Policy Manager Department of Child Safety *Note: Beverly is retired and is no longer involved in the team's work.
Holly Reynolds, Contract Compliance Specialist Arizona Supreme Court
Megan Wilson, Provider Services Manager Department of Child Safety
Suffolk County, New York (2017 LGBTQ)
Description: The Capstone Project aims to provide trainings to ensure proper and respectful treatment of LGBTQ youth, and to prevent at-risk LGBTQ youth from entering the juvenile justice system. Additionally, the team will partner with key stakeholders to initiate a statewide collection of LGBTQ youth data within the Probation Department computer system.
Update (2019): Suffolk County Department of Probation has received training and assistance from Ceres Policy Research and has begun collecting SOGIE data. Kerri Kosloff from the Capstone team has also provided several SOGIE 101 trainings and techniques to collect accurate SOGIE data to the Family Court Probation Officers, including all staff who work with youth and will be asking SOGIE-related questions. As of March 2019, the team is about two months into the data collection period. So far, the probation officers have reported high level of youth responsiveness to the SOGIE questions. Other team members have presented their LGBTQ/SOGIE training program with the Legal Aid Society of Suffolk County and Suffolk County Bar Association. The team is in the process of establishing partnership with local non-profit organizations that serve LGBTQ youth. Furthermore, members of the Capstone team are also setting up training sessions for Suffolk County Family Court’s Court Improvement Project, through which they would be able to provide trainings to judges, attorneys, and court staff.
Contacts:
Ferdie Castillo, Co-Founder / Director of Advocacy Empowerment Collaborative of Long Island
Kathleen Evers, Staff Attorney Legal Aid Society of Suffolk County
Michael Gulotta, Staff Attorney Legal Aid Society of Suffolk County
Lani Houston, Staff Attorney Legal Aid Society of Suffolk County
Kerri Kosloff, Psychiatric Social Worker Suffolk County Department of Probation
Catherine Miller, Attorney Catherine E. Miller LLC
Ian Moss, Staff Attorney Legal Aid Society of Suffolk County
Texas Juvenile Justice Department (2017 LGBTQ)
Description: The teams aims to improve facility culture and safety in secure settings for LGBTQ youth, increase staff understanding of LGBTQ issues, and clearly defining practices and procedures for SOGIE youth in the Texas Juvenile Justice Department.
Contacts:
Teresa Stroud, Senior Director, State Programs and Facilities Texas Juvenile Justice Department
Debbie Unruh, Chief Independent Ombudsman Texas Juvenile Justice Department
Westchester County, New York (2017 LGBTQ)
Description: The team will incorporate their LGBTQ-focused Capstone Project into the larger, statewide Girls justice Initiative. The Capstone Project focuses on preventing and reducing the number of LGBT/GE girls (particularly girls of color) who are at risk of entering the juvenile justice system, arrested, formally referred to court, and/or placed in confinement. The team will work with key stakeholders to raise awareness, provide relevant training, and develop and implement policies and practices responsive to culture, gender, and trauma.
Contacts:
McKenzie Berezin, Project Director New York University
Rashida Cartwright-Thigpen, Assistant County Attorney Westchester County Attorney's Office
Kathie Davidson, Supervising Judge NY Unified Court System
Kathleen DeCataldo, Executive Director NY Unified Court System
Traci Gardner, Pediatrician The Children's Village
Jessica Grimm, Director of Braveheart Programs The Children's Village
Ian Grugan, Criminal Justice Program Representative NY State Division of Criminal Justice Services
Zubaidah Jackson, Supervising Probation Officer Westchester County Probation
Tara Leaman, Program Director Westchester Building Futures
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