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Explore the collaborative milestones between the county probation department and local tribes focusing on culturally appropriate services, mental health support, and prevention activities for tribal youth in custody, aiming to reduce disparities and enhance trust. Key lessons underscore the importance of patience, trust, and mutual understanding in successful collaborations.
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Weaving Good Relations Humboldt County Probation Efforts Working With Local Tribes
Important Milestones in Collaboration Native Americans Concerns Committee • Subcommittee of Juvenile Justice Commission • Formal policy agreements with UIHS and HHS • Culturally appropriate diagnostic psychological testing and services • Mental health assessment and counseling for tribal youth in custody • More welcome environment at Juvenile Hall • Provision of Native American cultural awareness, delinquency prevention and substance abuse activities
Milestones in Collaboration Multi-Tribal Roundtable • Developed comprehensive cultural awareness and ICWA training for staff • Led to pro-active implementation of ICWA in delinquency cases • Enhanced efforts for recruitment of foster families in tribal communities • Helped create greater trust and uniformity in the process used by Probation, CWS and Tribes in approving of kinship care providers
Milestones in Collaboration Implementation of Operating Agreements Formal written MOU’s and informal interagency agreements between Tribes and Probation in serving tribal youth • Codify practice by which agencies would work together in delivering culturally appropriate diversion & prevention services • Probation “Family to Family” Initiative involves family, youth, and Tribe directly in Team Decision Making meetings regarding placement decisions. Resulted in fewer placements, fewer placement disruptions, and better transition to home
Milestones in Collaboration Disproportionate Minority Contact (DMC) Grant • Concern around DMC has persisted for many years 2008 Data (HC Youth 10-17) • Tot al Pop: White Black Latino Asian /PI NA • 75% 1% 8.6% 2.5% 7.3% • Arrests: 73% 3% 10.5% 1.5% 12% • JH admits: 68% 2.5% 11.6% 1.6% 16.5% • 3-year grant intended to identify and address system wide issues that may be causative factors in the over-representation of minority youth in local juvenile justice system • Probation looking for Tribes to be active partners throughout the planning grant process
Lessons Learned • Collaboration takes patience, understanding, and an awareness of each other’s legal standing, statutory obligations, and cultural history/mores/and values • Collaboration takes trust…trust in one another’s competencies, judgments, and motivations behind our actions. • Collaboration means being willing to relinquish control and accept that we as individual entities cannot attain the same level of success as we can collectively