Systems Change for Status Offenders in Connecticut

1. Systems Change for Status Offenders in Connecticut Presented by: Kimberly Sokoloff Selvaggi April 12 & 13, 2011

2. Presentation Overview • Connecticut juvenile population • Impetus for Change: legislative background and target population • Family Support Center model • Implementation process: considerations and challenges • Measuring and monitoring outcomes • Lessons learned

3. Connecticut Juvenile Court in FY 2006-2007 • 15,857 distinct juveniles referred to court • 10,910 Delinquency • 1,212 Youth in Crisis (status offenders age 16 & 17) • 3,735 FWSN referrals (status offenders under 16)

6. Legislative Changes • PA 05-250: Children of Families with Service Needs; effective October 1, 2007 • Prohibits holding a child whose family has been adjudicated as a FWSN in juvenile detention, and • Prohibits adjudicating FWSNs delinquent solely for violating a court's FWSN order • PA 06-188: Establishes Families With Service Needs Advisory Board

7. New Court Referral Process • New Parent Complaint Notification Form • Changed the School Truancy/Defiance of School Rules Complaint Form • Considerable changes in requirements for Judicial handling • High-need FWSNs diverted directly to services (to FSCs in 4 areas)

8. Role of Juvenile Probation • Supervisors Screen FWSN Referrals; focus is on court diversion • Refer directly to FSC (high needs indicated) OR • Assign a probation officer to assess needs and refer to services • All Cases Handled Non-judicially • Exceptions: Continued and escalating problem behavior in conjunction with community based services being exhausted

9. Family Support Center: Funding • Judicial Branch requested state funds for 10 centers to serve 12 juvenile courts • Target Highest-Need FWSNs • Estimated 25% of all referred • FY 07/08 state budget funded four (4) of ten, remainder of funding requested for FY 08/09 and again for FY 09/10 • Funding included process and outcome evaluation

10. System Impact of Changes

11. Statewide FWSN Referrals Down 10% reduction from 2006 40% reduction from 2006 • Calendar Year 2006 • 3,638 FWSN Referrals • Calendar Year 2007 • 3,263 FWSN Referrals • Calendar Year 2008 • 2,187 FWSN Referrals

12. Decrease in Judicial Handling • 10/1/06 to 4/30/07 • 1,222 non-judicial FWSN • 1,309 judicial FWSN • 10/1/07 to 4/30/08 • 1,397 non-judicial FWSN • 89 judicial FWSN • 10/1/08 to 4/30/09 • 1,341 non-judicial FWSN • 47 judicial FWSN • 0 FWSNs or FWSN Violators in Detention

13. Decreased Violations and Commitments • 10/1/06 to 4/30/07 • 30 FWSN Commitments of 181 total commitments (17%) • 263 violations for FWSN & Delinquent • 10/1/07 to 4/30/08 • 6 FWSN Commitments of 134 total commitments (4%) • 166 violations for FWSN & Delinquent • 10/01/08 to 4/30/09 • 8 FWSN Commitments of 151 total commitments (5%)

14. Family Support Center Model

15. Goals • To divert FWSNs from further court involvement: • Offer a “one-stop,” multi-service model of care for children and their families • Provide an array of services on-site • Prioritize collaboration with systems, service providers and families

16. Model Underpinnings • Principles of effective practice • Strengths-based • Gender responsive • Trauma sensitive • Family focused • Individualized

17. Services Offered • Crisis Intervention • Family Mediation • Case Management/Coordination • Educational Consultation/Advocacy • Aftercare Services • Referrals to home-based programs • Flex Funds for Pro-social Activities

18. Group Offerings • Trauma Services/ Intervention • Cognitive Behavioral Interventions • Female-specific services • Parent/ Family Skill building

19. Key Elements • Focus on initial engagement • Contact families within 3 hours of receiving the referral • Must continue attempts until all options are exhausted • Provide comprehensive screening, assessment and case plan (called collaborative plan) • Services needed are services offered; match the child/family to the services indicated through assessment • Collaboration with systems and service providers

20. Who are the Kids? • Cases are VERY Complex • Multiple system involvement: Many services have already been tried • Prior out of home placements • Home-based services • Outpatient substance abuse and mental health services • Significant mental health needs • Have witnessed or been victims of abuse/violence • Parents have untreated and significant needs • Educational challenges • Stressed families

22. Referral Process • Probation Supervisors receive and review referrals from complainant • If risk/need indicators are moderate/high, referral is sent immediately to FSC and FSC must contact the family within 3 hours • If risk/need indicators are mild/moderate, case is assigned to a probation officer for standard processing • If after meeting the child and/or family, probation officer uncovers more risk/needs indicators, referral to FSC can still be made • DCF liaison can/is also be consulted; 3 of 4 courts instituted a triage meeting with DCF

23. Screening and Assessments • Comprehensive screening process • Juvenile Assessment Generic (JAG) • Suicidal Ideation Questionnaire (SIQ) • Massachusetts Youth Screening Instrument-2 (MAYSI-2) • If indicated, assessment is conducted • Child and Adolescent Needs and Strengths with Mental Health Challenges (CANS-MH) • Traumatic Events Screening Inventory (TESI)

24. Staffing & Training • Staff interview process reflects key underpinnings of the program model • Each staff must have an individual development plan • Staff are accountable to set standards regarding model adherence • Training (plus coaching) begins with • Motivational interviewing • Strengths-based practice • Trauma sensitivity • Cultural competence • Gender responsivity • Training on practices and interventions • Process must include quality assurance and feedback to encourage improvement

25. Measuring Outcomes • Utilize Contractor Data Collection System to collect data • Justice Research Center conducted process and outcome evaluation • Quality assurance by outside vendor • CSSD staff ensures contract compliance and model fidelity

26. Risk Reduction Indicators for FSC • Program Completion • Number of Referred Clients with an Intake • Arrest rate 12 months post FSC Completion • FWSN Re-referral Rate 12 months post completion

29. Percentage of Clients Re-referred as a FWSN

31. Family Support Center:Other Outcome Measures • Client Level • Educational improvements • Family functioning improvements • Overall client functioning improvements • Program Level • Treatment matching • Model fidelity • System Level • Recidivism by risk level, gender, age, ethnicity

32. FSC Budget Information • Each FSC is independently contracted for services via the RFP process • Contracts are for 3 to 5 years • Average cost per slot is $10,000 • Slots turn over every 5 to 6 months • Average cost per family is $5000 • 4 FSC’s opened 10/07; 3 opened in 12/10; 5 program expansions in 12/10

33. Lessons Learned • Implementation requires an active partnership between model developer and the agency implementing the model • Process evaluation helps streamline program processes and activities; QA ensures quality is maintained • Collaboration with referral source is paramount • Must have established ties with other systems/ service providers • Collect data that will help determine if outcome objectives are being met • Detail processes and inform partners • Offer live technical assistance

34. Connecticut Contact Information Kimberly Sokoloff Selvaggi State of Connecticut, Judicial Branch Court Support Services Division 936 Silas Deane Highway Wethersfield, CT 06109 kimberly.selvaggi@jud.ct.gov 860-721-2171