California

April 2023 ARJE Children's Law Center of California Team

Contacts:

Isabel Daniels, Staff Attorney, Children's Law Center of California

Jody Green, Director of Strategic Initiatives, Children's Law Center of California

Kaveh Landsverk, Staff Attorney, Pre-Filing Representation Project; Children's Law Center of California

Julie McCormick, Senior Policy Attorney, Children's Law Center of California

Gina Payne, Peer Advocate, Children's Law Center of California

Phyllis Stricklan, Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion; Children's Law Center of California

Description:

The Children’s Law Center of California Team seeks to create a Youth Advisory Council to collaborate with and advise a variety of teams and projects at CLC with the ultimate goal of disrupting the movement of youth from entering the delinquency system from the dependency system. 

2018 LGBTQ One Circle Foundation

Contact:

Kiku Johnson, Associate Director, One Circle Foundation

Capstone 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.

2015 RED CA Board of State and Community Corrections Team

Contacts:

Brian Back, Judge, CA Board of State and Community Corrections (BSCC), State Advisory Committee on Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (SAC JJDP)

Colleen Curtin, Field Representative, CA BSCC

Shalinee Hunter, Field Representative, CA BSCC **Note: Shalinee is no longer with BSCC and is not involved in the Capstone Project

Mary Jolls, Deputy Director, Corrections Planning & Programs, CA BSCC

Sandra McBrayer, Chief Executive Officer, The Children's Initiative

Capstone Description:

To address racial and ethnic disparities through changing the operations of BSCC. Main components of the project include:

1. Conduct a comprehensive internal agency evaluation through an outside expert to examine agency practices and policies

2. Develop and administer a survey of BSCC staff and leadership regarding their perceptions and understanding of racial and ethnic disparities and service delivery

3. Develop and provide racial and ethnic disparities training for all BSCC staff based on agency evaluation

2020 LGBTQ Fresh Lifelines for Youth, Inc. Team

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.

Capstone 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.

2018 RED Alameda County Team

Contacts: 

LeRonne Armstrong, Assistant Chief of Police Oakland Police Department

Laurel Arroyo, Deputy Public Defender Alameda County Public Defender

Esa Ehmen-Krause, Assistant Chief Probation Officer Alameda County Probation Dept.

Paulynne Jones, Division Director Alameda County Probation

Eileen McAndrew, Assistant District Attorney Alameda County

Carissa Pappas, Management Analyst Alameda County Probation Department

Jessica Selvin, Chair, Juvenile Justice Commission Alameda County

Scott Jackson, Superior Court Judge State of California

Wendy Still, Chief Probation Officer Alameda County Probation Department

Capstone Description:

The key focus of the Capstone Project is to identify and revise policies and practices that perpetuate racial and ethnic disparities, particularly those that contribute to the number of secure detentions for robbery among youth of color. The team will work closely with the RED committee and create a youth profile by analyzing data from the Oakland Police Department and Probation Department through case studies and youth focus groups. 

Capstone Update (2024):

The team partnered with Dr. Angela Irvine and Ceres Policy Research to study felony robbery and assault charges in Alameda County through a public health and youth development lens. The study found that there are large numbers of youth in Alameda County who are charged with assaults and robberies whose cases are ultimately dropped by the District Attorney and the Courts. This demonstrates the “urgent need for assessment and diversion programs,” particularly for Black youth that are overrepresented within the incident types explored in the report.

March 2013 ISCP Alameda County Team

Contacts:

Rhonda Burgess, Presiding Judge, Alameda County - State of California

Roger Chan, Executive Director - East Bay Children’s Law

Gumaro Garay, Division Director - Alameda County Social Services Agency

Adrian Kirk, Director, Student Programs and Services - Alameda County Office of Education

Carissa Pappas, Management Analyst - Alameda County Probation Department

Dominique Pinkney, Assistant Public Defender - Alameda County Public Defender

Jeff Rackmil, Assistant Director BHCS Child and Youth Services - Alameda County HCSA

Brian Richart, Chief of Staff - Alameda County Probation *NOTE* Brian is currently the Chief Probation Officer with El Dorado County, CA

Terry Wiley, Assistant District Attorney, Head of Juvenile Division - Alameda County District Attorney

Victoria Wu, Senior Deputy County Counsel - Alameda County, Office of the County Counsel

Capstone Description:

Map decision points in JJ and CW and create SOP for proper info to be shared with other agencies at each decision point.

Capstone Update (2014):

The team has made substantial progress in identifying the flow of information when a crossover youth is referred to the DA's office, and has created a draft of the system map from police contact to dismissal. The team is also working with Probation Information Services to create a process for earlier identification of dependent youth and communicating the information to PO and DA more efficiently. 

July 2012 MSI (Public) Alameda County Team

Contacts:

Aundrea Brown, Assistant Public Defender - Alameda County Public Defender

Rhonda Burgess, Presiding Judge, Juvenile Court, Alameda County - State of California

Roger Chan, Executive Director - East Bay Children's Law Offices

Lori Cox-Jones, Agency Director - Alameda County Social Services Agency

LaDonna Harris , Acting Chief Probation Officer - Alameda County

Michelle Love, Assistant Agency Director, Children and Family Services - Alameda County Social Services Agency

Jennifer Madden, Deputy District Attorney - Alameda County District Attorney's Office

Brian Richart, Chief of Staff - Alameda County Probation**Brian is currently the Chief Probation Officer with El Dorado County, CA

Monica Vaughan, Director, Alternative Education - Oakland Unified School District

Andrea Youngdahl, Director, Interagency Children's Policy Council - Alameda County

Capstone Description:

Create system flowchart and inventory current capacities/standard practices.

Capstone Update (2014):

Instead of implementing the original Capstone Project, the team decided to launch the Crossover Youth Practice Model. Alameda County is now a CYPM site.

2022 LGBTQ Individual Participant: Dana Johnson

Contact:

Dana Johnson, Director of Youth Housing and Trainer, Rainbow Community Center Contra Costa County

Capstone Description:

Dana seeks to create a Supporting LGBTQIA+ Houseless Youth Toolkit to be shared with their various housing community partners.

March 2019 RED Contra Costa County Team

Contacts:

Diana Becton, District Attorney, Contra Costa County District Attorney's Office

Donte Blue, Deputy Director, Office of Reentry and Justice Contra Costa County

John Ebrahimi, Probation Manager, Contra Costa County

Bisa French, Assistant Police Chief, City of Richmond

Venus Johnson, Assistant District Attorney, Contra Costa County District Attorney's Office

Robin Lipetzky, Public Defender, Contra Costa County

Stephanie Medley, Director of Education & Justice, RYSE Center

LaShante Smith, School Psychologist/Climate Coordinator, West Contra Costa Unified School District

Capstone Description:

The team's main goals are to reduce disparities in school-based arrests, out-of-school suspensions, and expulsions. Main strategies include:

1. Reviewing current school discipline data

2. Developing an MOU between police, schools, and juvenile justice officials, with a focus on reducing arrests of students and strengthening restorative and trauma-informed practices

Capstone Update (2020):

While in the early developmental phase, the team has brought on additional partnerships to support their work. For example, the team has partnered with Impact Justice, the California Endowment, and Y & H Soda Foundation to support the team's data analysis and the development of a new discipline matrix for the West Contra Costa Unified School District.

2014 YIC El Dorado County Probation Team

Contacts:

Vince Janette, Deputy Chief Probation Officer - El Dorado County Probation

Kaci Smith, Supervising Deputy Probation Officer (Institutions) - El Dorado County Probation

Capstone Description:

Create an orientation brochure and information card with relevant contact info for each youth; Expand visitation hours, as well as the definition of who can visit; Explore transportation and video conferencing to facilitate family engagement; Organize monthly events for families.

Capstone Upate (2015):

The team has increased visiting opportunities at the facility (times/dates/locations), and some youth are transferred to another facility closer to home for the duration of a parent visit. Institutional officers now have more ability to approve special visits, and information about the facility and youth is now communicated to parents on a regular basis.

2022 LGBTQ Individual Participant: Luis Quinones

Contact:

Luis Quinones, Parent and Faith Community Coordinator, HOPICS (Homeless Outreach Program Integrated Care System)

Capstone 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.

Capstone 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 individual 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.

Capstone Update (2024):

Quinones was able to partner 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 successful 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.   

2022 EIYF Los Angeles County Probation Department Team 

Contacts:

Albert Bañuelos, Probation Director, Executive Staff Director, Los Angeles County Probation Department

Katheryn Beigh, Director, Los Angeles County Probation Department

Jessica Carrington, Supervising Deputy Probation Officer, Los Angeles County Probation Department

Jesus Corral, Senior Director, Los Angeles County Probation Department

Janice Jones, Senior Probation Director, Los Angeles County Probation Department

Sam Lewis, Director, Anti Recidivism Coalition

Michelle Medina, Deputy Probation Officer II, Treatment and Counseling, Los Angeles County Probation Department

Starla Nunley, Deputy Probation Officer I, Los Angeles County Probation Department

Mary Ann Smiley, Director, Los Angeles County Probation Department

Brook Smith, Associate Director, The Children's Initiative

Tami Wilson, Metal Health Clinical Program Manager II / Supervising Psychologist, Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health

Capstone Description: 

The Los Angeles County Team seeks to reduce the use of isolation in the Campus Kilpatrick by implementing new reintegration process strategies, new credible messenger strategies, and increasing and implementing consistent youth-centered training for staff.

Capstone Update (2024):

The population at Campus Kilpatrick has been capped at 20 youth for the past three years and serves as a "step-down" for youth with dispositions of several years. The Mindfulness Center has not needed to be opened and used, as staff are utilizing other methods to help youth cool down (e.g., taking a walk, counseling, going to the gym). The team has, however, added formerly justice-involved Credible Messengers to its staff, and these individuals work alongside staff in the units on a six to eight hour shift. This Credible Messenger model has expanded to most of the jurisdictions' facility sites.

2018 LGBTQ Los Angeles County DCFS Team

Contacts:

Dorothy Byron-Arrington, Children's Services Administrator, Los Angeles County

Alan Weisbart, Children's Services Administrator III, Los Angeles County, DCFS

Capstone 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.

Capstone Update (2020):

The LA County DCFS has hired a new manager for the Capstone Project on addressing LGBTQ+ issues. In addition, the team has proposed numerous policy and protocol changes, such as a new Transgender policy, improvements to the child and family team meetings, and the inclusion of SOGIE language. These proposed changes are currently under department review and pending approval. The team is also working to incorporate more LGBTQ-related training opportunities for department staff.

2014 YIC Los Angeles County Probation Team

Contacts:

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

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

Capstone Description:

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

2008 MSI CPI Los Angeles, CA Participant

Contact:

Kathy New, Probation Director - LA County Department of Probation

Capstone Description:

Implement communication strategy (create and execute a "Message Box") in support of pre-existing information sharing initiative.

2008 MSI CPT Los Angeles County Team

Contacts:

Rebecca Lewis, Deputy District Attorney - L.A. County District Attorney's Office

Michael Nash, Presiding Judge, Juvenile Court - Superior Court, Juvenile Division

Jane Newman, Head Deputy, Public Defender - L.A. County Public Defender's Office

Patricia Ploehn, Director, Department of Children and Family Services - L.A. County Department of Children and Family Services

Marvin Southard, Director - L.A. County Department of Mental Health

Robert Taylor, Chief Probation Officer - L.A. County Probation Department

Capstone Description:

n/a

2024 TJP Orange County Team

Contacts:

Isabel Apkarian, Judge, Superior Court of California

Margarita Cervantes, Peer Navigator, Project Kinship

Katherine David, Assistant District Attorney, Orange County District Attorney

Nancy Genovese, Senior Social Services Supervisor, County of Orange, California

Isabell Gutierrez, Division Director, Orange county Probation Department

Norma Jaime, Supervising Probation Officer, Orange County Probation Department

Jessica Johnson, Chief Deputy Probation Officer, Orange County Probation Department

Tiffany Mitchell, Chief Programs Officer, Orangewood Foundation

Mahonri Sapiga, Human Services Deputy Director, County of Orange

Van-Anh To, Deputy Public Defender, Orange County Public Defender's Office

Martha Trujillo, Youth Support Specialist- Outreach Coordinator Project Choice, Orangewood Foundation

Capstone Description:

The Orange County Team seeks to bolster diversion offerings, including addressing diversion through preventative work at the dependency level, enhancing data collection and expanding the diversion unit in the Orange County Probation Department, and establishing partnerships with community-based diversion programs. To do so, the team will partner with the Orangewood Foundation, law enforcement, education stakeholders, community organizations, courts, and attorneys.

2016 DIV Orange County Team

Contacts:

Heather Benjamin, Director of Youth Development Programs, Community Service Programs Inc

Elizabeth Bunetta, Deputy Probation Officer II, Orange County Probation Department

Remmy Chang, Deputy Probation Officer, Orange County Probation Department

Andy Hamer, Supervising Probation Officer, Orange County Probation Department

Alisha Jackson, Deputy Probation Officer II, Orange County Probation Department

Christina Kampczyk, Supervising Probation Officer, Orange County Probation Department

Christina Ronald, Assistant Division Director, Orange County Probation Department

Donnamarie Rufrano, Deputy Probation Officer II, Orange County Probation Department

Capstone Description:

The team plans to work with Community Service Programs (CSP), law enforcement, and schools to provide early intervention services and divert youth from formal system involvement. Additional strategies include service mapping, implementing OYAS, developing a Diversion Intervention Matrix, training probation staff and key stakeholders on the new diversion tools, and engaging youth and families in the diversion process.

Capstone Update (2019):

Screening, Assessment, and Placement: As a result of their Capstone Project, the team has implemented revisions to some of their juvenile diversion programming. CSP/Waymaker began to identify youth's criminogenic and therapeutic needs through expanded assessment tools, and the probation department staff are trained in OYAS, with a focus on OYAS' Diversion tool. Relatedly, the probation department, particularly its diversion units, has received OYAS training as well and uses OYAS to assess youth at the time of intake to determine if youth should be formally processed or diverted. The probation department also designed a culturally-sensitive diversion service referral matrix, which will be reviewed and updated annually. In addition, the team created a County Service Referral Matrix for all juvenile probation officers and the county juvenile court to use as a resource when making referrals. Data Tracking and Utilization: To ensure accurate data collection and tracking, CSP is utilizing a logic model to link their program goals to youth's emotional and behavioral outcomes; the probation department is simultaneously tracking diversion rate as well as overrides. In early 2018, the team collaborated with the OCPD Research Unit to examine the OYAS screening and assessment tools, and found OYAS to be ineffective. As a result, the OCPD Research Unit developed a new screening/assessment tool, JIAS Risk Assessment, which will be implemented in October 2019. Specific override protocols are put in place to ensure the fidelity of JIAS Risk Assessment implementation. Training and Education: The team is also working to collaborate and educate key stakeholders, providing 43 Diversion Legal Awareness Class to 435 youth and 472 family members as of September 2017. Subsequently, the Youth and the Law class has become a permanent part of the Juvenile Court Services Division as a diversion option.  The team is also invested in training CPS/Waymakers, probation, and law enforcement staff on diversion best practices as well as related research findings. On-going staff training topics include restorative justice training and programming, trauma-responsive approaches, racial and ethnic disparity trainings, adolescent brain development, family engagement, Thinking for a Change, and University of Cincinnati's Effective Practices in Probation (EPICS). In addition, the team also provides evidence-based interventions training such as Trauma-Focused Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy and Motivational Interviewing.

2014 RED Orange County Team

Contacts:

Andy Hamer, Supervising Probation Officer - Orange County Probation Department

Catherine Stiver, Orange County Probation Department - Division Director

Doreen Lore, Orange County Probation Department - Supervising Probation Officer

Jennifer Pulliam, Orange County Probation Department - Supervising Probation Officer

Julie Stedman, Orange County Probation Department - Assistant Division Director

Nazly Restrepo, Orange County Bar Foundation - Associate Director

Capstone Description:

Reduce number Latino youth referred to DA by initial case screener or by Non-Custody Intake Unit Deputy Probation Officer (NCI-DPO) (after given to them by the initial case screener), by: Expanding efforts to find contact information and get in touch with families (to reduce the number of cases referred to the DA because of being unable to contact the youth’s family); Implement community education campaign on the benefits of diversion (to reduce the number of cases referred to the DA because the family does not respond to correspondence); Train staff to better explain the benefits of diversion and create peer education program for parents (in which they can learn about diversion from other parents of youth who previously went through the program)(to reduce the number of cases referred to the DA because the family did not consent to diversion); Re-visit policies on automatic referrals to DA for youth who have previously been wards of the court or who fail a diversion plan; Implement the OYAS objective assessment tool (to reduce the number of cases referred to the DA because the youth has “multiple delinquency issues” and is “unsuitable for diversion”).

Capstone Update (2016):

The team revised policies surrounding cases with inaccurate contact information, trained non-custody intake staff on effectively explaining the benefits of diversion, and provided training for staff on cross-over youth and the danger of detention. In addition, POs were given greater flexibility in handling first time shoplifting, marijuana possession, and school fight referrals. The team is currently exploring the use of OYAS as screening tool and just started data analysis due to the lack of resources.

2014 MSI Team

Contacts:

Keith Bays, Chief Probation Officer-Sacramento County

Stacy Boulware Eurie, Presiding Juvenile Court Judge-Superior Court of California, County of Sacramento

Michelle Callejas, Deputy Director-Sacramento County Child Protective Services

Traci Lee, Assistant County Counsel-Sacramento County, Office of the County Counsel

Matt Perry, Assistant Superintendent-Sacramento County Office of Education

Michael Shores, Assistant Chief Probation Officer-Sacramento County Probation Department

Uma Zykofsky, Deputy Director, Behavioral Health Services, Department of Health & Human Services-Sacramento County

Capstone Description:

Implement CSEC screening tool. Start a docket dedicated to cases involving CSEC youth that follows the tenets of CYPM. Ensure that all service providers and key stakeholders are trained on trauma-informed care and adolescent brain development. Develop partnership with local businesses to provide vocational and employment opportunities for youth on the docket.

Capstone Update (2017):

The team has created a dedicated CSEC court docket for crossover CSEC youth, a CSEC Interagency Steering Committee, and signed a MOU. The MOU also established a new process and screening tool for identifying CSEC and youth at risk of being commercially sexually exploited, and developed a multidisciplinary team structure to work with identified CSEC youth. To create the CSEC screening tool (Commercial Sexual Exploitation - Identification Tool), the Capstone team partnered with the West Coast Children's Clinic to identify common indicators for CSEC.

2014 YIC Team

Contacts:

Christopher Eldridge, Mental Health Program Coordinator - County of Sacramento, Division of Behavioral Health Services

Brad Marietti, Supervising Deputy Probation Officer - Sacramento County Probation Department

Patti McGowan, Assistant Probation Division Chief - Sacramento County Probation Department

Capstone Description:

Create a more therapeutic housing environment and productive learning environment for youth who have been placed in the Special Needs Unit; Train staff in Dialectical Behavioral Therapy techniques; Hold bi-weekly meetings to discuss interventions being used for each resident; Explore opportunity for UC-Davis post-doctoral fellows and/or Regional Center to provide psychological services; Ensure that the teacher assigned to the unit has a Special Education license and hire an additional aide; Find a tool to use in order to identify residents for placement in the Special Needs Unit; Change the décor of the unit, add a sensory room, use stress balls.

2013 YIC Team

*Note: The majority of this team has retired and their Capstone Project is no longer active.

Contacts:

Ruby Jones, Supervising Probation Officer - Sacramento County Probation Department

Marc Nigel, Director - Court and Community Schools - Sacramento County Office of Education *Note: Marc is no longer part of this Capstone

Michael Shores, Chief - Sacramento County Probation Department

Capstone Description:

Change rewards and incentives for positive behavior in juvenile correctional facilities.

2010 MSI (Public) Participant

Contact:

Michael Shores, Assistant Division Chief - Sacramento County Probation Department

Capstone Description:

Develop a community-based diversion program for justice-involved youth with mental health needs (Juvenile Justice Diversion and Treatment Program (JJDTP).

2009 MSI Participant

Contacts:

Rachel Rios, Director - Division of Juvenile Parole Operations

California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation – Division of Juvenile Justice

Capstone Description:

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

2009 MSI Participant

Contact:

Amy Seidlitz, Chief - California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation – Division of Juvenile Justice

Capstone Description:

Establish mechanism to identify crossover youth; conduct YASI risk/needs assessment to identify common key factors to crossing over; publish results in white paper

2008 MSI CPI Participant

Contact:

Shalinee Hunter, DMC Coordinator/Corrections Consultant and JJ Specialists/Title II Lead - Corrections Standards Auth., CA Dept. of Corrections and Rehabilitation

Capstone Description:

Foster partnership between the state corrections standards authority and schools to educate and begin to address DMC.

2016 MSI Team

Contacts:

Jessica Cuthbert, Supervising Social Service Practitioner County of San Bernardino

Deborah Donnelly, Interim Clinic Supervisor San Bernardino Department of Behavioral Health

Michael Pagnini, Supervising Probation Officer, San Bernardino County Probation

Capstone Description:

Identify dually involved youth and review and improve the diversion process for crossover youth through reviewing historical and current data and examining effectiveness of dual status processes.

Capstone Update (2018):

The team is working to obtain buy-in and review data. The probation department is beginning to look at youth's trauma history, noting their individual needs. The team is also aiming to push for a culture change, putting together an implementation guide and facilitate conversations around trauma.

2019 TJP Team 

Contacts: 

Ana España, Superior Court Judge, State of California

Adolfo Gonzales, Chief Probation Officer, San Diego County Probation Department

Scott Huizar, Deputy Chief Probation Officer, San Diego County Probation Department

Kevin Kellbach, Supervising Probation Officer, San Diego County Probation Department

Sandra McBrayer, CEO, The Children's Initiative

Dorothy Thrush, Chief Operations Officer, Public Safety Group County of San Diego

Lisa Weinreb, Deputy District Attorney, San Diego County District Attorney's Office

Mary Beth Wirkus, Deputy Public Defender, Supervising Attorney, Juvenile Delinquency Division County of San Diego

Capstone Description:

The team plans to establish a new Youth Development and Community Support Division, a standalone juvenile probation division within the county’s Probation Department. This new division, in collaboration with several partners in the County, will expand community-based alternatives to detention for youth and support its staff to implement effective policies, practices, and approaches designed to achieve positive youth and community outcomes. 

2015 SJP Participant

Contact:

Leah van Lingen, CWS Policy Analyst, County of San Diego

Capstone Description:

To provide supportive education services to re-engage students who had a change of placement or were out of school for behavioral health or truancy reasons. The project will facilitate the coordination between Child Welfare Services (CWS) and San Diego Unified School District (SDUSD) by linking CWS’ placement change meetings with SDUSD’s Check and Connect program to ensure that youth’s education goals are supported.

Capstone Update (2017):

Although the Check and Connect program experienced a funding cut and is no longer part of the Capstone Project, the education liaisons (onsite at Child Welfare offices) continue to collaborate with SDUSD to serve probation youth in out-of-home placements. The education liaisons attend MDT meetings weekly for targeted youth to ensure that education remains on the forefront of the youth's plan. In addition, the liaisons play a critical role in providing youth with resources and addressing many of their concerns.

2015 YIC Team

Contacts:

Billy Duke, Deputy Chief Probation Officer, San Diego County Probation Department *Note* Billy is no longer with the Probation Department

Lisa Sawin, Division Chief, San Diego County Probation Department

Stacy Spector, Executive Director, San Diego County Office of Education

Chrystal Sweet, Division Chief, San Diego County Probation Department 

Geoff Twitchell, Director of Treatment and Clinical Services, San Diego County Probation Department

Capstone Description:

Establish a Trauma Response Unit within the San Diego County Probation Department to promote trauma-informed care for youth in custody. The main components of the Capstone Project include:

1) Develop collaborative relationships with key stakeholders

2) Identify and recruit multidisciplinary staff experienced in trauma-informed care

3) Train staff and partners in the use of TARGET

4) Establish eligibility criteria for committed youth

5) Integrate trauma-informed care into current program operations

Capstone Update (2016):

The team established a TRU team that includes probation officers, the Stabilization, Transition, Assessment, and Treatment (STAT) team, correctional counselors, and staff from San Diego Unified School District. Staff were trained in TARGET, and the Capstone team has implemented specific quality assurance protocols that include coaching, training, video-taping and reviewing the videotape, monthly individual and group consultation, and a certification process. Within the first 6 months of implementation, 72 youth have completed TRU, have significantly less behavioral incidents and improved PTSD/Anxiety symptoms. The Capstone Project on TRU received awards from the California State Association of Counties and the Council on Mentally Ill Offenders.  

March 2013 ISCP Participant

Contact:

Leah Van Lingen, Child Welfare Services Policy Analyst - County of San Diego, Policy and Program Support

Capstone Description:

Review confidentiality guidelines in each agency, co-locate service providers to allow better coordination, develop shared definition of child abuse.

Capstone Update (2024):

ConnectWellSD, the countywide information sharing database, supported service referral integration across county and community providers until it sunsetted in September 2023. Over 6,000 providers were included in the database, and over 750,000 referrals were made to these providers. ConnectWellSD housed over 2.5 million customer records and over 9,500 staff utilized the system to support service delivery. Data in the database was parcelled by type to allow for permissions to view based on what was permissible by law. Staff and community partners were given access by job role, and staff accessing ConnectWellSD could pull up demographic information as well as electronic copies of supporting documentation as needed to avoid the customer having to locate it.

Prior to this electronic record database and remaining active today, the "Confidentiality Guide" summarizes information sharing parameters for 71 entities. This was most recently updated in September 2024 and continues to serve as a valuable tool regarding what information can and cannot be shared based on current law.

2010 MSI (Public) Participant

Contact:

Lynn Sharpe-Underwood, Executive Director - San Diego Commission on Gang Prevention and Intervention

*Note: Lynn is no longer with San Diego Commission - She is currently an Adjunct Professor with the Criminal Justice Systems Department at Alliant International University in San Diego.

Capstone Description:

Identify, collect data on, and then provide targeted services to cw-involved youth detained in curfew sweeps. 

2009 MSI Participant

Contact:

Leah van Lingen, Child Welfare Services Policy Analyst / Legal Procedures Liaison - County of San Diego

Capstone Description:

Help reduce crossover by focusing on the under 5 population in the child welfare system, providing early intervention services and decreasing group home care. Based on the Updates: Collect and analyze longitudinal data from the past to connect crossover to whether a youth in child welfare received an assessment early in life.  Use this to encourage wide-spread use of the DSEP assessment under KidStart, an agency providing early intervention services for cw youth (then later also to their siblings, and then later to anyone) ages 0-5.

Capstone Update (2024):

In May 2023, San Diego County's standard protection efforts underwent a major revamp, and prevention is now the core function. The Child & Family Well-Being Department (CFWB) is now a partnership of the Community-Based local First 5 organization and the Office of Child Safety. This shift has helped provide a network of community supports for youth and families. CFWB continues to screen all of their 0-5 year olds for developmental milestones and provides follow-up services to address any gaps.

As of July 2024, the Developmental Screening & Assessment Program (DSEP) expanded their screenings to include youth up to 12 years old. This has been helpful thusfar in connecting these youth with programming that addresses their needs. DSEP continues to refer families to support services, prioritizing services that are not on waitlists and can offer support in a timely fashion. As a result, DSEP does not currently refer youth to KidStart (which is currently on a waitlist), but KidStart continues to serve some CFWB foster youth.

2014 ISCP Participant

Contact:

Kyle Patterson, Project Manager-Controller's Office, City and County of San Francisco

Capstone Description:

To Establish data-sharing committee, data sharing steering committee, position of citywide Chief Privacy Officer, uniform citywide client consent form, data request and approval process and standardized forms, template MOUs, legal resources like summaries of relevant statutes, common data fields in case management systems to facilitate data-matching, technical means of facilitating data-sharing, etc.

2010 MSI (Private) Participant

Contact:

Lauren Brinkman, Collaborative Court Intensive Case Management Program Supervisor - Seneca Center for Children and Families

Capstone Description:

Identify crossover youth served by the participant's organization, which provides wraparound services for youth involved in child welfare and/or juvenile justice.  Gain access to this information, track it, and then use it to collect data.  Do the same for youth currently involved only in child welfare but at risk of crossing over. 

2015 YIC San Mateo Team

Contacts:

Erika Chavez, Deputy Probation Officer, San Diego County Probation

Annie Corbett, Founder and CEO, Corbett Group Homes, Inc. and the R.I.S.E Programs, Inc.

Rose Mukhar, Attorney, San Mateo County Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children and Adults (CSEC)

Capstone Description:

To create a  Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children ( CSEC) committee, which will bring together agency leaders and key stakeholders that serve the CSEC population to raise CSEC awareness and decriminalize CSEC population. The committee will develop CSEC and trauma-informed trainings, establish alternatives to the juvenile justice system, and facilitate policy and practice changes in San Mateo, CA.

Sept. 2014 Diversion San Mateo Team

Contacts:

John Keene, Chief Probation Officer - San Mateo County Probation Department

Susan Manheimer, Police Chief - San Mateo Police Department

Laura Sharp, Juvenile Detective - Police Officer - San Mateo Police Department

Linda Simonsen, Clinical Services Manager - San Mateo County Mental Health Services

Christine Villanis, Chief Deputy Probation Officer - San Mateo County Probation Department

Capstone Description:

Improve current diversion program by implementing a screening tool to determine eligibility for the program, a multi-disciplinary assessment tool (CANS) to match youth with appropriate services, program evaluation (gathering and analyzing data on outcomes), a policy regarding expungement of records regarding a youth’s police record, and appropriate policies and MOUs. 

Capstone Update:

Since inception of the diversion program, there have been over 40 youth participants:

• • Over 95% success rate in completing the 6-month program

  • Over 95% success rate in youth not re-offending within 6 months of program completion

2016 YIC Participant

Contact:

David Fahy, Senior Deputy Probation Officer, Marin County Probation

Capstone Description:

Facilitate the increased use of home-based foster care and short-term residential treatment centers in Marin County for probational youth who are ordered into the foster care system through improving family engagement, establishing community partnership, and training probation staff on the Continuing Care Reform legislation.

2017 LGBTQ Team

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

Capstone 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:

1. Creating a resource map to identify available resources and gaps in the community and access points for services.

2. Developing and administering an agency/organization/school self-assessment survey to examine current LGBTQ cultural competency and areas for improvement.

3. Implementing a county-wide training plan based on the self-assessment results

4. Developing standardized LGBTQ toolkits/resources to be used by organizations throughout the county

2015 DIV Team

Contacts: 

Roy Brown, Police Detective, Santa Monica Police Department

Ana Giocondra Jara, Youth and Family Services, Santa Monica Police Department

Wendell Shirley, Captain, Santa Monica Police Department

Capstone Description:

Aims to minimize the exposure to the formal criminal justice system and improve long- term outcomes for juveniles in Santa Monica through pre-charge diversion practices, utilizing screening and assessment tools, connecting youth to appropriate services based on assessment results, and creating an alternative structure of accountability that formalizes the counsel and release process.

2022 LGBTQ Team

Contacts: 

Keri Brandt, Social Worker Supervisor II, Stanislaus County

Courtney Mummert, Social Worker, Stanislaus County Child Protective Services

Capstone 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.

Capstone 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.