New York

2021 GCP NYC DCJS Team

Contacts:

Damon Bacote, Deputy Commissioner, Office of Youth Justice, New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services

Sean Brown, Associate in Intercultural Relations, NYS Education Department

Yolanda Caldwell, Program Consultant, New York State Education Department

Kristin Conklin, Executive Director, NYS Permanent Judicial Commission on Justice for Children, NYS Unified Court System

Jennifer Cox, Community Correction Representative, NYS Division of Criminal Justice Services, Office of Probation and Correctional Alternatives

Shalain Garcia, Criminal Justice Policy Analyst 2, NYS Division of Criminal Justice Services

Avery Irons, Associate for Training and Technical Assistance, NYS Youth Justice Institute

Brian Rainey, Research Fellow, New York State Youth Justice Institute

2021 GCP SNUG Team

Contacts:

Evelyn Almonte, Social Worker Lvl III, Jacobi Medical Center - Stand Up to Violence Program

Chanel Bryant, Social Worker, SNUG Outreach

2012 ISCP New York Team

Contacts:

Kathleen DeCataldo, Executive Director, New York State Permanent Judicial Commission on Justice for Children - New York State Office of Court Administration

Lisa Grumet, Chief of Policy and Planning, Family Court Division - New York City Law Department

Sara Hemmeter, Associate Commissioner for Family and Youth Justice Programs - Administration for Children's Services

Sarah Sandelius, Executive Director of Policy and Student Advocacy - New York City Department of Education

Maryanne Schretzman, Executive Director, Center for Innovation Through Data Intelligence - New York City Office of the Mayor, Deputy Mayor of Health and Human Services

Meridith Sopher, Director of Child Welfare Training - The Legal Aid Society, Juvenile Rights Practice

Capstone Description:

1. Gather and summarize laws and MOUs surrounding confidentiality.

2. Train staff.

2010 MSI (Public) New York Participant

Contact:

Felipe Franco, Associate Commissioner for the Office of Community Partnerships - New York State Office of Children and Family Services

Capstone Description:

Implement coordinated case management (between the New York State Office of Children and Family Services, Division of Juvenile Justice and Opportunities for Youth and Local New York State Departments of Social Services (LDSS)) and planning for crossover youth immediately upon adjudication and placement to better support permanency and their transition back to the community.

2010 MSI (Private) New York Participant

Contact:

Linda Wright, Northern Regional Home and Community Based Services Waiver Coordinator - Parsons Child and Family Center

Capstone Description:

Collect data on crossover youth, how they are treated by the court, and placements.  This information may lead to coordinated service initiatives, better placement options and decisions, and information sharing to identify and serve crossover youth moving forward.

2017 RED Albany County Team

*Note: The project is no longer active due to changes in staffing.

Contacts:

Anne Moscinski, Associate Executive Director for Program Services LaSalle School

Jamel Muhammad, Executive Director Youth LIFE Support Network, Inc.

Barbara Ray, Probation Supervisor Albany County Probation

Kathleen Schlegel, Senior Case Worker Albany County Department for Children, Youth and Families

Camela Steinke, Program Assessment & Effectiveness Research Specialist LaSalle School

Lynn Tubbs, Child Welfare Clinical Director Albany County Department for Children, Youth and Families

Nicole Ward, Executive Director Albany County Youth Bureau

Capstone Description:

To increase successful exits of youth of color and prevent further penetration of youth of color into the juvenile justice system in Albany County using a specific Voluntary Placement Agency as a pilot. The team will partner with key stakeholders in both the state and county levels to:

1. Conduct implicit bias training for the placement agency and county staff

2. Implement objective decision-making strategies aligned with a Risk-Need-Responsivity framework

3. Increase family engagement efforts to encourage family participation in youth's treatment

Capstone Update (2018):

The team began the pilot at LaSalle School and served the first eligible youth in June 2018. The team has put in place protocols and mechanisms for data tracking and analysis to assess the impact of the program. Members of the Capstone team have been meeting regularly to ensure that an Individual Crisis Management Plan is developed for each youth in care, and that LaSalle School staff provide Positive Behavioral Intervention and Supports (PBIS) through an equity lens. Working with key partners from NYS DCJS and NYS OCFS, the Capstone team collaborates with LaSalle School to provide staff trainings on PBIS, implicit bias, racial anxiety, and stereotype threat in October 2018. To engage youth and families in the treatment process, ACDCYF has contracted with Youth Life Support Network to provide reintegration services and work with families and youth through a community coach and a Parent Engagement Specialist.

2015 SJP Albany Team

Contacts:

Lesley Buff, North Albany Academy Principal, Albany City School District

Grant Cowles, Excelsior Fellow - Juvenile Justice Policy Analyst, Division of Criminal Justice Services, Office of Juvenile Justice 

Brendan Cox, Chief of Police, City of Albany

Gail Geohagen-Pratt, Commissioner, Albany County Department for Children, Youth and Families

Sean Rentz, Senior Probation Officer, Albany County Probation Department

Judge Margaret Walsh, Family Court Judge, New York State

Kimberly Wilkins, Myers Middle Schoo Principal, Albany City School District

Andrew (Andy) Wong, President, AJWI, Inc.

Capstone Description:

Improve educational outcomes and decrease youth’s involvement in the juvenile justice system through:

1. Developing an information sharing system between Public Schools, Police, Probation, Children Youth and Families, and Mental Health Departments. 

2. Identifying and providing voluntary, preventive services for high-risk, high-needs youth and their families. 

Capstone Update (2018):

Due to funding challenges, the team has switched gear and become focused on partnering with the Albany City School District to decrease the number of students becoming involved in the juvenile justice through promoting the use of restorative justice practices, handling school-based incidents within the school system without involving law enforcement and probation officers, and collaborating with child welfare agency to provide prevention services for you at risk of entering the juvenile justice system. 

2013 MSI Bronx Team

*Note: Sadly, Dr. Werchol passed away and the project is no longer active.

Contacts:

Keith Baumann, Attorney - The Bronx Defenders

Sandra Davidson, Unknown - ACS

Lauren Meller, Supervising Attorney Bronx Family Court Legal Services - NYC Administration for Children's Services

Dawne Mitchell, Attorney in Charge - The Legal Aid Society

Peter Passidomo, Judge - NYS OCA

Sam Rosaldo, Director of Referral, Enrollment and Transition - District 79, NYC Department of Education

Stacye Spear, Borough Director - New York City Dept. Of Probation

Kedeshia Spooner, Disposition Specialist - The New York City Law Department

Marcia Werchol, Assistant Vice President, Family Court Mental Health Services - New York City Health & Hospitals Corporation

Capstone Description:

Map different agencies' role in CYPM.

2012 MSI Bronx Participant 

Contact:

Gineen Gray, Associate Commissioner - New York City Department of Probation

Capstone Description:

Evaluate current protocol to ensure that all dually involved youth are identified at the point of arrest (eg: survey families and staff on their experiences, use mapping, etc.).  This is intended to support the coming implementation of CYPM.

2010 MSI (Private) Bronx Participant 

Contact:

Victoria Sammartino, Executive Director - Voices UnBroken

Capstone Description

Raise awareness about crossover youths by having program alumni write about their experience.

2013 MSI Brooklyn Team

Contacts:

Jill Adams, Project Coordinator - Crossover Youth Practice Model

Naomi Cavanaugh, Director of Juvenile Justice Permanency Planning - New York City Children's Services

Martin Feinman, Attorney In Charge - Legal Aid Society

Joshua Laub, Director of Youth Development - NYC Dept of Education-O.S.Y.D.

Myra Radden, Director - New York City Department of Probation

Jeannette Ruiz, Supervising Judge - NYS Office of Court Administration

Aimee Sklar-Calogero, Chief of Staff to the Deputy Division Chief - New York City Law Department, Family Court Division

Daniel Turbow, Judge, Family Court - Family Court of the State of New York, County of Kings

Brian Zimmerman, Attorney for Child/Assigned Counsel - 18b/assigned counsel

Capstone Description:

Work to reduce suspensions to reduce opportunities to offend.

2010 MSI (Private) Brooklyn Team

Contacts:

Shari Richardson, Coordinator, Social Services and Permanency Planning - St. Vincent's Services, Inc.

William Sabado, Deputy Executive Director - St. Vincent's Services, Inc.

Capstone Description:

The team will continue to work with crossover youth and focus on enhancing and streamlining the process through identifying and rolling out evidence-based system of service to inform social services agencies. In particular, the Family to Family system will be implemented and evaluated using a longitudinal methodology.

Capstone Update (2014):

St. Vincent's Services, Inc. are continuing its work to providing evidence-based interventions for crossover youth. Family support continues to be a major focus; St. Vincent's Services is working with the Youth Residential Services Department to putting protocols and procedures in place to deliver and track services.

2008 MSI CPI Brooklyn Participant

Contact:

Deborah Lashley, Executive ADA, Juvenile Crimes Bureau - Kings County District Attorney's Office

Capstone Description:

Map and fill gaps in education and vocational programs.

2018 RED Erie County, NY Team 

Contacts:

Felicia Beard, Director, Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo

Mary Carney, Erie County Family Court Judge, NYS Office of Court Administration

Janeen El-Amin, Child Protection Coordinator, Erie County

David Mann, Lieutenant, Buffalo Police Department

Aimee Neri, Liaison for NYS Child Welfare Court Improvement Project, NYS Unified Court system

Tiffany Perry, Court Attorney Referee, New York State

Delroy Pinnock, Attorney, Legal Aid Bureau of Buffalo

Whitney Walker, Executive Director, VOICE-Buffalo

Capstone Description:

The team's Capstone Project is focused on decreasing the disproportionate rate of minority youth in out-of-home care for PINS (child welfare) cases through increasing the utilization of family and community resources to keep youth in their homes.

2018 LGBTQ Erie County, NY Team

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

Capstone 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.

2009 MSI Erie County Participant 

Contact:

Marie Sly, Clinical Supervisor for the Family Services Team - Erie County Department of Mental Health

Capstone Description:

Shorten the length of stay for youth who are placed in residential centers by reinforcing the values of the State Children's Plan and coordinating wraparound services. While Erie County continue to shift from a residential model to a community diversion model, the project will focus on redefining residential centers and best practices to support youth transition back into the community.

Capstone Update (2024):

Sly's project was successful in reducing Erie County detention stays as well as out of home placements for PINS youth. Erie County no longer has a nonsecure detrention facility. Additionally, by January 2020, Erie County only had 1 PINS youth in residential foster care. 

2009 MSI Greece Participant 

Contact:

Conor Cusack, Assets Coordinator - Greece Central School District

Capstone Description:

Reduce service-duplicity by adopting the CCAMP 4.1 computer software (which it appears the participant created and is now trying to market) to map community assets.

2018 SJDP Jefferson County, NY Team

Contacts:

Judge Edward Klepacz, Town Justice, Town of Theresa

Carrie Mangino, Resource Officer, Jefferson County Sheriff's Office

Scott McIntrye, Police Officer/School Resource Officer, Watertown Police Department

Tammie Miller, Director, Youth Services Division

Daniel Munroe, Head of Student Mediation, Indian River Central School

Tammy Patterson, Mediation Program Coordinator, Resolution Center of Jefferson and Lewis Counties

Jeanette Rushford, Principal, Jefferson-Lewis BOCES

Shane Ryan, Police Officer, Watertown Police Department

Capstone Description:

The Jefferson County team seeks to help youth avoid risky criminal behavior, reduce time out of school, and make schools and communities safer through diversion programs with restorative justice strategies. 

2014 YIC MercyFirst Team

Contacts:

Kristan Baker, Clinical Director - MercyFirst

Michelle Summers, Director of Residential Programs - MercyFirst

Capstone Description:

Expand visitation (and definition of family), provide orientation for youth and families, train staff in family engagement, use JRIT, better include families in team conferences, create family goals and workbook, hold family events, use Skype videoconferencing.

2018 YIC Monroe County, NY 

Contacts:

Michael Allen II, Program Director Rochester City School District

Kristine Durante, Assistant Chief Probation Officer Monroe County

Melissa Hayward, Sr. Manager Children's Behavioral Health Services Monroe County Office of Mental Health

John Kennedy, Special Operations Captain Monroe County Sheriff's Office

Barbara Mitchell, Juvenile Justice Services Planner/JDAI Coordinator Monroe County Department of Human Services

Catherine Thomas, Director Monroe County Department of Human Services

Capstone Description:

The team aims to improve youth functioning while in the Specialized Secure Center, as well as post release. Their main strategy is to develop processes that will ensure both continuity of care and development of a strong therapeutic, educational, recreational, and employment focused plan for detained and sentenced youth transitioning into and out of custody. The team will also focus on developing cross-system partnerships and engaging the community and families.

Capstone Update (2020):

To streamline reentry services, the Capstone members has been cultivating relationships with local key stakeholders to develop cross-system partnerships. In addition, the team brought on board a Clinical Coordinator and a Vocational Therapist. Some of the care worker positions were also reclassified to attract more qualified staff. While unexpected staff turnovers have been a challenge, the team continues to provide flexible training opportunities, both online and in-person. Guidelines related to case planning are updated, and numerous policies are in the process of being developed. Another major focus is on family and youth engagement. Aside from regular staff training on family and youth partnerships, the team is also developing tracking and reporting mechanisms to monitor the agencies' family and community activities, incorporating family input around case planning, and developing surveys to identify areas of improvement.

Capstone Update (2024):

While most of the original team has moved on, the current team members continue to meet on a quarterly basis to improve cross-system communication, trouble shoot, and improve services within the Detention Center, as well as discharge planning. The team is currently working through changes in their youth population related to Raise the Age, focusing on improving discharge planning for the youth who are returning to the community as well as improving and expanding diversion efforts to avoid the use of unnecessary detention.

2017 SJP Mount Vernon, NY Team

Contacts:

Adrian Armstrong, Judge, NYS OSA/Mount Vernon City Court

Jennifer Carpenter, Sergeant, Mount Vernon Police Department *NOTE: Jennifer has retired and is no longer with the team.

Luther Garrison, Probation Officer, Westchester County Department of Probation

Arthur Muhammad, Youth Development Specialist, Mount Vernon City School District

Capstone Description:

The Capstone Project aims to enhance the alternatives to long-term suspension options for students, and to develop a holistic reintegration process for students returning to their home school after long-term suspension. The team will utilize restorative justice practices and develop relevant programming that meets the educational, social, and emotional needs of students coming back into the local schools.

Update (2018):

The Capstone Project will be implemented in the fall of 2018. Instead of only receiving two hours of education per day at a local library, students in long-term suspension will receive a full-day schedule with math, social studies, English, and science instructions. Additionally, a guidance counselor will be assigned to assist students with service referrals as needed. The team is working with the school district to formalize the reentry process to engage and transition youth back into the community.

2021 GCP Nassau County, NY Team

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

Capstone 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.

2018 RED Nassau County, NY Team 

Contacts: 

Erika Deans, JDAI Coordinator Nassau County Probation Department

Dana Boylan, Executive Director, Youth Services Nassau County

DS Brazley, Legislative Aid Town of Hempstead

Theresa Drye, Program Manager Nassau County DHS, Office of Youth Services

Aleisha Garvin, Probation Supervisor Nassau County Probation Department

Russell Harris, Police Detective Hempstead Village Police

Donna Raphael, Senior Director of Advocacy and Community Relations Family and Children's Association

Laqueta Robbins-Kennedy, Director, Juvenile Detention Center Nassau County Probation Department

Capstone Description:

The team aims to decrease recidivism rates for Black and Hispanic youth in the Village of Hempstead during the Probation Intake Adjustment process by partnering with key stakeholders in the community. Key strategies include collaborating with families served to identify barriers to involvement, strengthening family engagement policies and services, and bolstering the referral and service matching process to meet youth and families' needs.

2018 SJPD Nassau County, NY Team 

Contacts: 

Barbara Blumenthal, Senior Probation Officer Nassau County Probation Department

Kellie Cook Mclaurin, Principal Nassau BOCES

Patrick Crea, Supervisor Nassau BOCES

Michael Jasmin, Program Coordinator Center for Court Innovation

Brianna Padilla, Prevention Social Worker HELP Services, Inc.

Arianne Reyer, Assistant District Attorney/ Director of Adolescent Diversion and Youth Court Nassau County District Attorney

Capstone Description:

The Capstone Project focuses on reducing inappropriate or disruptive behaviors that result in school suspension or youth arrest. The team will utilize a behavioral approach and graduated sanctions, create school-based community engagement opportunities, and implement restorative practices.

2021 NYC CYPM Champions

Click here to see the participant class.

2019 NYC CYPM Champions

Click here to see the participant class.

2017 NYC CYPM Champions

Click here to see the participant class.

2017 LGBTQ NYC 

Contact:

Keith Cruise, Associate Professor, Fordham University

Capstone 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.

2014 MSI NYC, NY 

Contact:

Erin Gover, Assistant Deputy Borough Chief, New York City Law Department 

Capstone Description:

Create and pilot a restorative justice panel as a diversionary option for youth ages 7-17, who are arrested for low-level offense(s) and have been referred for prosecution to the New York City Law Department in the South Bronx.

2020 LGBTQ New York City Team

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

Capstone 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.

2019 Length of Stay Policy Academy New York City Team

Contacts:

David Chambers, Executive Director, Administration for Children's Services

Edward Gorch, Clinical Director of Juvenile Justice Programs, Administration for Children's Services

Sara Hemmeter, Acting Deputy Commissioner for the Division of Youth & Family Justice, Administration for Children's Services

Miles Jackson

Jestine Jennings, Program Director of Social Services and Aftercare, Sheltering Arms Children and Family Services

Nick Marinacci, Deputy Superintendent, NYC Department of Education

Johan Peguero, Assistant Commissioner of Close to Home, NYC Administration for Children's Services

Courtney Ramirez, DYFJ Executive Director of Family Engagement + Youth Advocacy

Tim Roche, DYFJ Senior Policy Advisor

Sam Rosaldo

Christopher Tan

Sara Workman, Executive Director, Justice Analytics and Child Welfare Reporting, NYC Administration for Children's Services

March 2019 RED NYC Team 

Contacts: 

Nandi Dozier-Lewis, Program Manager, City of New York Mayor's Office

Vincent Lau, Director of Youth Justice Applied Research, NYC Administration for Children's Services

David Peters, Executive Director, Office of Equity Strategies, Administration for Children's Services

Ismelda (Izzy) Rosario, Director of Strategic Innovation, Administration for Children's Services

Cecilia Shepard, Deputy Chief of Staff, New York City Law Department

Gloria Vidal, Senior Research Associate, NYC Mayor's Office of Criminal Justice

Louis Watts, Assistant Commissioner, NYC Administration for Children's Services

Cecilia Williams, Senior Counsel/Director of Interagency and External Affairs, New York City Law Department

Capstone Description:

The NYC RED team is working to address racial and ethnic disparities through system collaboration and community engagement. More specifically, the key components of this Capstone Project include reconvening the quarterly multi-system stakeholder meetings to discuss RED issues, creating an MOA to standardize the racial/ethnicity data collection process, and exploring community-based services for justice-involved minority youth. 

Capstone Update (2020):

The team has incorporated a focus on racial and ethnic disparities as part of the New York City Juvenile Justice Advisory Committee (JJAC) work. The committee is currently thinking through the best way to incorporate an equity lens into their initiatives. The team continues to work on other aspects of their Capstone, and they hope that the involvement of JJAC would help move the project forward.

2016 & 2017 RED New York City Law Department 

Contacts: 

Pia Wood, Assistant Corporation Counsel, NYC Law Department (2017 RED)

Jennifer Gilroy Ruiz, Family Court Deputy Chief, NYC Law Department (2016 RED)

Capstone Description:

Ms. Wood and Ms. Ruiz from two cohorts of the RED Certificate Programs are collaborating on one Capstone Project. Their project aims to create and implement a structured decision-making tool to mitigate unconscious, implicit bias of prosecuting attorneys in the juvenile justice system of New York City.

2015 SJP NYC Team

Contacts:

Judge Gayle Roberts, NYC Family Court

Kassa Belay, Community Liaison, Administration for Children's Services (ACS)

Dorald Bastian, Principal, NYC Department of Education (DOE)

Ramon Garcia, Assistant Commissioner, NYC Police Department

Ashley Grant, Staff Attorney, Advocates for Children

Stacie Hare, Youth & Young Adult Coordinator, Human Resources Administration

Ifeoma Ike, Senior Advisor, NYC Center for Economic Opportunity/Mayor Office of Strategic Planning

L. Kelly Johnson, Deputy Director, School Safety Division, Community Affairs Bureau, NYPD

Joshua Laub, Director of Youth Development, DOE OSYD

Julie Peterson, Senior Program Officer, Pinkerton Foundation

Lily Shapiro, Senior Policy Advisor, Commissioner of NYC Department of Probation

Jordan Stockdale, Program Director for School Climate, Mayor's Office of Criminal Justice 

Christopher Tan, Agency Attorney (Juvenile Justice), ACS

James Waslawski, Principal, New Directions Secondary School

Capstone Description:

Creating a program (9 x 9) to promote and support over-aged students in 7th and 8th grades in nine middle schools in District 9.

Capstone Update (2017):

The program, 9 x 9, was launched in August 2017 to support overage middle school students in District 9 to transition to high school through leveraging intensive academic supports, family engagement, and interagency coordination.

2015 MSI New York City - ACS Team

Contacts:

Kelly Acevedo, Associate Commissioner, NYC Administration for Children's Services

Babette Spain, Special Project Coordinator, NYC Administration for Children's Services *Note: Babette has since left the position and is no longer involved in the Capstone Project.

Capstone Description:

To generate awareness and understanding of the needs of the crossover youth population and strengthen collaboration between the multiple systems involved through writing a briefing paper that focuses on raising awareness of the mental health, housing, education and disproportionality issues for crossover youth and creating a workgroup with internal and external partners to promote the need for supportive services and create a peer-to-peer mentoring service for crossover youth.

2013 ISCP New York City Probation Team

Contacts:

Marian Inguanzo, Social Worker - Research Foundation of CUNY

Rodney Smith, Probation Officer - NYC Department of Probation

Capstone Description:

Using Electronic Database Information Sharing as a strategic approach to building community capacity to reduce recidivism and improve rehabilitation outcomes for African-American and Hispanic youth on probation in New York City.

April 2023 ARJE New Rochelle, NY Team

Contacts:

Nate Adams, Program Coordinator, My Brother's Keeper; City School District of New Rochelle

Maria Almonte-Weston, Deputy Regional Director, Court Reform Programs; Center for Justice Innovation

Kevin Brickle, Youth Representative

Charles Fauntleroy, Probation Officer, Westchester County Probation Department

Robert Johnson, Detective, New Rochelle Police Department

Becky Mazzanobile, Chief Executive Officer, Boys & Girls Club of New Rochelle

David Peters, Owner, Self-Employed/Consultant

Jared Rice, New Rochelle City Court Judge, New York State Unified Court System

Capstone Description:

The New Rochelle Youth Justice & Equity Team (YJET) seeks to disrupt the school-to-prison pipeline and mitigate violent youth behavior, focusing on three pillars: interventions for high-risk, high-needs high schoolers; preventative strategies for New Rochelle’s middle schoolers; and anti-racism practices and trainings. Bringing together law enforcement, the judiciary, the New Rochelle school system, and community organizations, YJET seeks to work across systems to prevent and reduce violent behavior among New Rochelle’s youth.

2020 LGBTQ Madison-Oneida BOCES Team

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

Capstone 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.

2014 ISCP Oneida County Team

Contacts:

Randal Caldwell, Honorable Randal Caldwell-New York State

Colleen Fahy-Box, Deputy Commissioner-Oneida County Department of Social Services

James Franco, Director of Operations-Utica Safe Schools Healthy Students Partnership, Inc.

Anne Lansing, Executive Director-Utica Safe Schools Healthy Students Partnership, Inc.

John Syrotynski, Director of Security-Utica City School District

David Tomidy, Director of Probation-Oneida County

Capstone Description:

Create an MOU to facilitate data-sharing that will be needed in order to support their implementation of a diversion program, focusing on youth age 16-18 (who are currently in adult court in NY). The MOU will also formalize current information sharing procedures and standards, to ensure that they will continue even when current administrators retire.  It may also expand upon current information sharing, while also ensuring that it is legally permissible. 

Capstone Update:

The team developed an MOU and created the Oneida County Arrest Diversion Governing Board (ADGB) that handles operation and legal aspects of information sharing in the jurisdiction. The team also created a legislation subcommittee as part of the ADGB to establish pilot legislation for the Arrest Diversion Program. On a related note, Oneida County has scaled up their School-Based Arrest Diversion Program to include more partners at the table and plan to roll out a community arrest diversion program at the end of 2016. Since inception, total of 14 youth has successfully completed the program.

2012 MSI Onondaga County Team

Contacts:

Lisa Alford, Commissioner of Aging and Youth - Onondaga County

James Czarniak, Director of Juvenile Justice - Onondaga County

Robert "Bob" Long, Commissioner of Mental Health - Onondaga County

Linda Lopez, OnCare Project Director (Onondaga County System of Care) - Onondaga County System of Care/CCSI

Cynthia Morrow, Commissioner of Health - Onondaga County

Ann Rooney, Deputy County Executive for Human Services - Onondaga County

David Sutkowy, Commissioner - Onondaga County Department of Social Services

Capstone Description:

Implement Crossover Youth Practice Model: improve data collection and availability of information, and develop workgroups to focus on each practice area of the CYPM.  Basically, they are forming five workgroups, one for each area of CYPM implementation, and assigning appropriate tasks to each. Also, working with Syracuse University to develop risk assessment (of crossing over).

Capstone Update (2024):

The team's final Capstone Project focused on the creation of the Department of Children and Family Services, which groups all youth-serving agencies under one roof to better support cross-system and dual system-involved youth and families. This was driven in part by the county's involvement in educational issues and data illustrating that county departments were not aligned to coordinate interventions and resources to maximize benefits for youth and families. While positive interdepartmental relationships existed, the team found that coordination between agencies was lacking due to differing goals, protocols, and priorities.

The team started with a review of how other counties in New York were organized and many discussions about what a realignment would mean for each department. The team brought in the Department of Law, Personnel Department, and Department of Management and Budget to assist with planning and execution. The County Executive mentioned this restructuring in a public forum in March 2013, and the notion of realignment was well-received by the public. In September 2013, the Department of Management and Budget and the County Executive's office presented a proposal for the restructuring to the County Legislature, highlighting the reasons for the realignment and that no one would lose their job as a result. The proposal was approved, and leadership teams in each of the realigned departments were formed to determine how each department would approach the realignment. 

Ultimately, the reorganization has allowed for more collaboration between departments and has helped the county take a more holistic and results-based accountability approach to services.

2009 MSI Queens County Participant 

Contact:

Felix Martinez, Community Coordinator for Special Prosecutions - Queens County District Attorney’s Office

Capstone Description:

Develop an integrated protocol to identify, track and assess crossover youth in the Queens County adult criminal court in order to ensure that these youths receive the necessary support services to reduce their likelihood of reoffending; Create a multiple disciplinary team made up of prosecutors, judges, probation officials, and community-based mental health and alternative-to-incarceration programs to lead integrated case management conferences.

2016 MSI Rockland County, NY Team

Contacts:

Amy Albers, Assistant Superintendent, Student Services Rockland BOCES

Marion Edra Breland, Coordinator of Behavioral Health Implementation for Rockland County, and Director of Youth and Family Services for the Village of Haverstraw Rockland County & Village fo Haverstraw

Sherri Eisenpress, Family Court Judge, Acting Supreme Court Judge New York State Office of Court Administration

Barbara Gavin-Green, Director of Social Services Rockland County Department of Social Services

Tina Guccione, Supervising Assistant District Attorney Rockland County District Attorney's Office

Susan Hoerter, Medical Director Rockland County Department of Mental Health

Mary Jean Marsico, Chief Operating Officer / District Superintendent Rockland Board of Cooperative Educational Services

Judy Rosenthal, Executive Director, Fiscal & Program Operations, DA's Office Rockland County

Capstone Description:

Improve short and long-term outcomes for crossover youth and high–risk youth in North Rockland and BOCES school systems by:

1) Creating a system of care with multi-agency staff who are trained to identify early risk factors

2) Establishing guidelines/triggers that initiate the referral process for a cross-system coordinated service offered by Partnership for Safe Youth (PSY)

3) Developing protective factors that help stabilize a student’s academic performance and behavior in the community

4)  Working with partners to develop cross-system policies and practices

2018 YIC St. Lawrence County, NY 

Contacts: 

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

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

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

Heather Rand, Grade A Supervisor St. Lawrence County DSS

Amber Sullivan, Probation Officer St. Lawrence County Probation Department

Carrie Tracy, Probation Supervisor St. Lawrence County Probation Department

Capstone Description:

The team seeks to collaborate with key partners from education, mental health, chemical dependency, Youth Advocate Programs, Probation, and Department of Social Services to improve wraparound service coordination for youth reentering the community. Their strategies include:

1) creating a multidisciplinary committee to oversee the Capstone Project,

2) training agency staff and providers on trauma responsive practices, and

3) enhancing diversion and reentry services.

2021 GCP Suffolk County, NY Team

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

Capstone 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.

2017 LGBTQ Suffolk County, NY

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

Capstone 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

Capstone 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.

November 2019 RED Tompkins County, NY Team 

*Note: This project is no longer active.

Contacts:

David Sanders, Criminal Justice Coordinator/Performance Measurement Coordinator, Tompkins County County Administration

Kennet Hansen, Caseworker, Tompkins County DSS

Amie Hendrix, Deputy County Administrator, Tompkins County

Carinn Hubbard, Peer Advocate

Paula Ioanide, Associate Professor, Ithica College

Gladys Larson, Senior Probation Officer, Tompkins County

Richard Wallace, Judge, Ithaca City Court

Capstone Descriptions:

The team seeks to reduce racial and ethnic disparities using a two-fold approach. First, the team will create a Strengthening Our Students (SOS) program, with the goals of identifying minority youth exhibiting PINS-like behavior early and providing them with community-based intervention services to avoid official referrals to the PINS Diversion Program. Second, the team will work to reduce disparities within three specific child welfare categories: 1) Termination of Parental Rights, 2) Emergency Removals, and 3) Hotline Calls by working with the county Department of Social Services to provide training and develop an action plan based on data collected.

2017 SJP Ulster County, NY Team

*Note: This project is no longer active.

Contacts:

Mary Trish Cina, Probation Supervisor, Ulster County

Dana Katz, Assistant Program Director/Case Manager for One80 and STSJP, Family of Woodstock, Inc.

LeShawn Parker, Coordinator of Prevention and Safety, Kingston City School District

Jennifer Pineda, Program Director, Family of Woodstock, Inc.

Maria Scarangella, Case Manager, Family of Woodstock, Inc.

Jo Shuman, Mobile Mental Health Practitioner, Access Supports for Living

Robert Vosper, Town Justice, Retired

Capstone Description:

The team will reduce the use of out-of-school suspension and address racial disparities in school disciplinary practices. The strategies include expanding alternatives to suspension programming, policies, and procedures, creating a process for re-entry circles, and training all school staff on trauma-informed care, restorative justice, and adolescent development.

Capstone Update (2019):

The team first piloted their Capstone Project in the Kingston School District and has expanded to Wallkill Central School district. Between October 2017 and September 2019, the team has conducted 15 trainings on restorative justice and trauma-informed care. They also provided additional trainings, such as Positive Behavioral Interventions and Support and restorative conferencing, to school staff as well as partnering agencies associated with the targeted school districts. To support policy and procedural changes, the Capstone members met with school district leaders to roll out restorative practices in schools, and Wallkill Central School District has released a new code of contact for the 2018/2019 school year to use restorative justice conferences as an alternative to suspensions. The team is working with the schools to design and implement reentry circles for students. Between 2017 and 2019, the team has seen a 25% increase in referrals to the One80 program (a case management program using restorative approach) from schools, and a total of 30 successful program completions.

Capstone Update (2024):

The team secured two full-time Restorative Justice Facilitators for two school districts, but the project is now no longer active.

2017 LGBTQ Westchester County 

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

Capstone 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.

2011 MSI (Private) White Plains Participant

Contact:

Kerry Megley, Assistant Executive Director - Family Ties of Westchester, Inc.

Capstone Description:

Implement an internal and external communications strategy that articulates the importance of family engagement.