Denise Hinds, LMSWAssociate Executive DirectorFoster Care, Juvenile Justice and Housing

December 5, 2013

NON-SECURE PLACEMENT PROGRAMS ATGOOD SHEPHERD SERVICES

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WHO WE ARE

Good Shepherd Services is a youth development, education, and family service organization in New York City.

Our mission is to provide vulnerable youth and their families with the services and supports they need to make a safe passage to self-sufficiency.

A multi-service agency, we operate two networks of community-based youth development, education, and family service programs in Brooklyn and the Bronx; group homes for adolescents; foster care and adoption services; and an in-service professional training program.

WHAT WE DO

26,037participants were served through

83programs operated across

3 boroughs (Brooklyn, Bronx, Manhattan).

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A multi-service agency, we operate two networks of community-based youth development, education, and family service programs in Brooklyn and the Bronx; group homes for adolescents; foster care and adoption services; and an in-service professional training program. Last year alone:

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BRINGING YOUTH BACK TO NYC

Intended Impact: Improved social and behavioral functioning, improved family connection, successful family and community reintegration including community education reentry

Target Population: Youth placed in non-secure placement as the disposition of a Family Court delinquency case, and referred to GSS by ACS.

• Opened: September/October 2012• Sites: Barbara Blum Residence (boys)

and Shirley Chisholm Residence (girls), both located in Brooklyn

• Census: 24 (12 beds per site)• Number of youth served to date: 66• Projected length of stay: 7 months

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In addition, residential youth justice programs have implemented The Sanctuary Model and Missouri Approach which provides staff and participants with trauma-informed tools and techniques to promote a sense of safety and belonging.

The Sanctuary Model: Creating and maintaining a trauma-sensitive environment that fosters movement towards healing, growth and change.

The Missouri Approach: The MYSI Approach is a group treatment approach designed for the purpose of keeping youth safe and secure during their rehabilitative process, with the goal of reducing the number of youth that recidivate.

Our approach to services across all youth justice programs begins with the GSS Youth and Family Development Framework and its strengths-based principles.

GSS APPROACH TO WORKING WITH JUSTICE YOUTH

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Rank Type of Trauma Exposure YES

1 Hearing about the Violent Death of a Loved One 61%/65%

2 Seeing Someone Beat Up, Shot or Killed 56%/69%

3 Seeing a Dead Body in your Town (not funerals) 28%/38%

4 Beat Up, Shot, or Threatened in Your Town 28%/35%

5 Other Disaster: Fire, Flood, Tornado, Hurricane 24%/12%

6 Having a Painful Medical Treatment 17%/15%

7 Being in a Place Where a War Was Going On 17%/12%

8 Bad Accident (Example: Very Serious Car Accident) 17%/12%

9 Seeing a Family Member Hit, Punched, Kicked 6%/23%

10 Hit, Punched, Kicked Very Hard at Home 6%/19%

11 Sexual Abuse 6%/12%

12 Other Really Scary, Dangerous or Violent Event 0%/12%

*Results from the UCLA PTSD Index Scale Completed 1/1/12-6/30/13 (N = 44)

NSP PARTICIPANT EXPOSURE TO TRAUMA*

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Improved Academic Outcomes:o Youth are attending school daily and earning DOE credits toward graduation; o 91% of the young people who complete the program transition into DOE schools; o 9 of our young people passed a regents exam.o 9 young people attended summer school and earned credits o Young people did not earn DOE credits under the old state run system and, as a result, returned to their communities further behind academically.

Greater Contact with Families:Prior to Close to Home, distance and transportation costs made it difficult for families to visit their child. Now families are able to use NYC public transportation to visit their youth and participate in family counseling. Many youth are also able to earn home passes.

Aftercare: After completing the residential portion of placement, young people receive strength-based aftercare services, with a focus on educational transitional planning.

Work Force Readiness Activities:During the summer months 3 young people participated in Internships with Exalt and 10 in Summer Youth Employment

EARLY SUCCESSES

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WHAT HAPPENS AT DISCHARGE?

Discharge Reason/Discharged to Number of Youth

NSP - End of Sentence 2

NSP - Return to the Community 19

Family Member 16

Foster Family (MTFC) 2

Child Welfare Group Residence 1

Grand Total 21

o Case Management Serviceso Educational Specialisto Behavioral Specialisto Health Services o Daily Circle Ups o Family Counseling and Supports

o Sanctuary/Missouri Phase Systemo GSS/DOE School o Highly Trained and Supervised Youth Counselorso Interdisciplinary Team o Positive Recreation and Life Skill Development

Key Program Components On-Site Support Services

HOW WE DO IT

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"I can't change what has happened in the past, but I most definitely have lots of control over my future."

--Youth Justice Program Alumnae