FRONTENDDIVERSIONINITIATIVEPROGRAMPolicyandProcedureManualOverview

TexasJuvenileProbationCommissionVickiSpriggs,ExecutiveDirector

4900NorthLamarBoulevard,5thFloorEastPostOfficeBox13547Austin,TX78711

Tel512.424.6700Fax512.424.6717TDD512.424.4000www.tjpc.state.tx.us

LastRevisedMay29,2009

TableofContentsSectionI: GeneralInformationandOverview

GeneralHistory.................................................................................................................................1

FutureGoals......................................................................................................................................2

SectionII: ProgramImplementation

ProgramGuidelines...........................................................................................................................2

CaseManagement...........................................................................................................................4

DataCollection..................................................................................................................................6

DataAnalysis.....................................................................................................................................6

TechnicalAssistance.........................................................................................................................6

OutcomeMeasures...........................................................................................................................6

SECTIONIII: Attachments

AttachmentA:TheCaseforSpecializedSupervisioninJuvenileJustice..........................................7

AttachmentB:ProgramOverviewBexarCounty...........................................................................15

AttachmentC:ProgramOverviewDallasCounty..........................................................................16

AttachmentD:ProgramOverviewLubbockCounty.......................................................................18

AttachmentE:ProgramOverviewTravisCounty...........................................................................20

AttachmentF:OhioScaleYouth..................................................................................................22

AttachmentG:OhioScaleParent.................................................................................................24

AttachmentH:OhioScaleWorker...............................................................................................26

AttachmentI: OhioScaleScoringGuidelines.............................................................................28

TheTexasJuvenileProbationCommission,anequalopportunityemployer,doesnotdiscriminateonthebasisofrace,color,nationalorigin,sex,religion,ageordisabilityinemploymentortheprovisionofservices,programsoractivities.IncompliancewiththeAmericanwithDisabilitiesAct,

thisdocumentmayberequestedinalternativeformatsbycontactingtheTexasJuvenileProbationCommissionattheaboveaddress.

FrontEndDiversionInitiative |PolicyandProcedureManualOverview 1

SECTION1:

GENERALINFORMATIONANDOVERVIEWGeneralHistory InSeptember2007,theTexasJuvenileProbationCommission(TJPC)incollaborationwiththeTexasYouthCommission(TYC),theHealthandHumanServicesCommission(HHSC),theTexasCorrectionalOfficeonOffenderswithMedicalorMentalImpairments(TCOOMMI),theBexarCountyJuvenileProbationDepartment,andtheTarrantCountyJuvenileProbationDepartmentrepliedtoarequestforparticipationintheModelsforChangeMentalHealth/JuvenileJusticeActionNetwork.Ofthe21applicationsreceived,TexaswasoneoffourstatesselectedtojointheexistingfourModelsforChangestatestoformtheMentalHealth/JuvenileJusticeActionNetworkfundedbytheJohnD.andCatherineT.MacArthurFoundationandcoordinatedbytheNationalCenteronMentalHealthandJuvenileJustice.Theinitiativeisaimedatdevelopinginnovativesolutionsandstrategiestobetteraddressthementalhealthneedsofyouthinvolvedwiththejuvenilejusticesystem.Asapartoftheeffort,theFrontEndDiversionStrategicInterventionGroup(SIG)wasformed.ThisSIGhasfocuseditseffortsonthepreadjudicatorydiversionofyouthwithmentalhealthneedsfromtheearliestpointsofcontactwiththejuvenilejusticesystem.Theoriginatingplanninggroupidentifiedthreecriticalpointsofcontacttotargetwithadiversionstrategy:lawenforcement,schoolsandintake.TexaschosetotaketheintakebasedoptionfordiversionbycreatingtheFrontEndDiversionInitiative(FEDI).Thisapproachhasfocusedonprovidingmotivationalinterviewing,familyengagement,crisisintervention,andmentalhealthtrainingtospecializedjuvenileprobationofficerstohelpthembetteridentifyandworkwithyouthwhohavementalhealthproblems.Intake(eitherprobationorjuvenilecourt)isoftenviewedasthegatekeepertojuvenilecourt,andassuch,representsanidealpointforapplyingapreadjudicatorydiversionstrategy,particularlyforyouthwithmentalhealthneeds.Buildingontheworkthathasbeendoneintheadultprobationsystem(Skeem,EmikeFrancis&Louden,2006),thisapproachwill:

implementanintakebaseddiversionstrategyusingspecializedjuvenileprobationofficerswhohavereceivedsubstantialmentalhealthtrainingtoenablethemtoworkeffectivelywithyouthwithmentalhealthneeds;

haveestablishexclusivementalhealthcaseloadsforspecializedjuvenileprobationofficersthataresmallerthanthecaseloadsoftraditionaljuvenileprobationofficers;

provideintensivecasemanagementandsupporttoyouthandtheirfamilies;and providecommunitybasedlinkageswithserviceproviderstolinkyouthandtheir

familiestothementalhealthservicesandothersupportstheyneed.Thesespecializedofficersserveasacasemanagerworkingwithareducedcaseloadthattargetstheofficerseffortsonengagingfamilies,linkingtheyouthtocommunityservicesandprovidingsupporttodiverttheyouthandfamilyfromtheadjudicationprocess.ThedemonstrationsitesforFEDIincludeBexar,Dallas,Lubbock,andTravisCountyJuvenileProbationDepartments.

2 PolicyandProcedureManualOverview |FrontEndDiversionInitiative

FutureGoalsAlldataandinitiativereviewswillbeconsolidatedbyTexasJuvenileProbationCommission(TJPC)toreportthestatusoftheFrontEndDiversionInitiative(FEDI)totheoversightboardoftheTJPCasrequestedbytheExecutiveDirectorofTJPC,andtotheNationalCenteronMentalHealthandJuvenileJustice(NCMHJJ)byDecember2009.Priortotheendoffiscalyear2010,acomprehensivereportevaluatingtheimpactofFEDIwillbecompiledbyunitstaffofTJPCandsubmittedtoNCMHJJ,theoversightboardofTJPC,andtoallidentifiedstakeholdersinvolvedwiththeeffortsoftheTexasMentalHealthandJuvenileJusticeActionNetwork.SECTION2:

PROGRAMIMPLEMENTATIONSpecializedsupervisionwithspeciallytrainedprobationofficerscarryingareducedcaseloadhasbeenproventobecosteffectiveandefficienttowardrehabilitatingtheadultmentallyilloffender.Theseprogramsapplythetheoryoftherapeuticjurisprudenceandaredesignedtobetreatmentorientedontheassumptionthat,formentallyilloffenders,problemsolvingresponsestoviolationsofprobationconditionsaremoreappropriatethanstrictenforcementofthoseconditions(Wexler,2000a,2000b;Winick,2003).Thespecializedofficercollaborateswiththeoffenderonidentifyingtheproblem(s)thatoccurredandgeneratesaplanorcontractwiththeoffender(andinthecaseofajuvenileoffender,theoffenderandhisorherfamily)toaddressthebehaviorthroughanewcourseofaction(Skeemet.al.,2006).Themostcommoncomponentsoftheproblemsolvingprocessincludes(a)havingafair,twowayconversationabouttreatmentnoncomplianceanditslikelycauses;(b)generatingalternativestrategiesforaddressingtheproblem;and(c)mutuallyagreeingonaplanforsolvingtheproblemtoachievecompliance(Skeemetal.,2006,p.180).ProgramGuidelinesEachdemonstrationsitehascollaboratedwithTJPCinthedevelopmentoftheminimumprogramimplementationguidelinesforFEDI.AlthoughtherearesomevariancesinimplementationofFEDIacrosslocations,thefollowingguidelinesaretheuniversaloperatingguidelinesfollowedbyeachsite.Thepurposeofthisinitiativeistocoordinateaccesstoeffectiveservicesinordertodiverttheyouthfromadjudication.

a. Targetpopulation.Youthwhowillbeservedthroughthisinitiativearethosewho:

i. Havereceivedoraredeemedbythelocaldepartmentasbeingeligiblefordeferredprosecution,deferreddisposition,orarependingadjudicationundercourtorderedconditionsofrelease,andarebeingsupervisedinthecommunitybythejuvenilecourt;and

ii. ArefoundtohaveaDSMIVAxisIdiagnosisorarescreenedaspotentiallyhavingaDSMIVAxisIdiagnosisotherthanorinadditiontosubstanceabuse,mentalretardation,autism,orpervasivedevelopmentaldisorder;and

iii. Areatriskofadjudication;andiv. Haveatleastonefamilymemberorotheradultinthehouseholdwhoiswillingtoactivelyparticipateinthe

program.

FrontEndDiversionInitiative |PolicyandProcedureManualOverview 3

b. ReferralintotheFrontEndDiversionInitiative.Eachofthefollowingactivitiesshallbecompletedtodetermineeligibilityfortheprogram:

i. MentalHealthScreening:Inordertoidentifyallpotentialyouthfordiversion,eachyouthshouldbescreened

atintake.Thisscreeningprocessmaytakeseveralformsasfollows:

1. MassachusettsYouthScreeningInventory(MAYSI2).In2001,StateofTexashasadoptedtheMAYSI2asthemandatorymentalhealthscreeningforallyouthreferredtolocaljuvenileprobationdepartments.ThoseyouthwhomeetthesetcutoffcriteriaontheMAYSI2areeligibleforFED.I

2. ExistingDiagnosis.Someyouthmayhavehadapriormentalhealthassessment.Howevertheymaynot

becurrentlyactiveintreatment.Ifthefamilyindicatestheyouthhadapriorassessmentresultinginanexistingdiagnosis,thenthatyouthiseligibleforFEDI.

3. SpecialEducation.Ifthefamilyindicatesthattheyouthisinspecialeducationduetoemotional

disturbances,thenthatyouthiseligibleforFEDI.4. JuvenileMentalHealthHistory.Ifthefamilyindicatesthattheyouthhashadpreviousmentalhealth

treatment,suchashospitalization,psychiatricservices,orhasreceivedservicesfromacommunitymentalhealthprovider,theyouthiseligibleforFEDI.

5. FamilyMentalHealthHistory.Someyouthmaybereferredtothelocalj