Foster enduring pro-social supports Provide training on effective models to conduct a search with the and family that is of sufficient breadth and depth to reliably identify current and potential natural supports. Incorporate supports in the appropriate plans, for example, safety supports in the safety plan and work or school supports in the re-entry plan. Set a minimum standard that requires that some of the supports come from individuals and/or programs outside of the youth’s family. The policy should emphasize the importance of connecting youth to community-based activities in which they have an intrinsic interest. Housing and Permanency Address housing stability from the beginning of placement Require early home stability and safety assessments for youth as part of the re-entry plan that is developed with the family at the outset of placement. Develop a pilot project to address family housing stability prior to youth discharge. Develop more supportive housing options Supportive Housing should be expanded to provide more units for youth returning from juvenile justice placement settings. Physical and behavioral health Strengthen Medicaid support for evidence-based services and ensure that continuity of care is enhanced through the shift to Medicaid managed care. Medicaid redesign should be done in a manner that allows Medicaid funding to be used to support evidence-based services for youth. In addition, the shift to a managed care setting for physical and behavioral health should be done in a manner that enhances continuity of care for youth at entry and re-entry and that provides youth access to the services they need. Provide training on effective behavioral health interventions Train facility and re-entry staff, and youth and families in trauma-informed, cognitive behavioral approaches to address issues and in strategies to ensure that youth and families receive parallel messaging when youth return to the community. Promote educational awareness about gender and sexual identity for both youth and their families to support
SUPPORTS AND SERVICES IN CARE Work with LDSS’s to develop visitation policies and practices. Identify model criminogenic thinking curriculum and training- share with LDSS’s and develop implementation plan. Work with LDSS’s to ensure that natural supports are included as part of immediate case planning and planning in placements. Voluntary placements have visitation policies and practices that are sensitive to the of youth and families Voluntary placements provide Interventions to address criminogenic thinking. Enduring pro-social supports are identified during stay and included in planning. HOUSING AND PERMANENCY Work with LDSS’s to ensure that youth and family housing needs are assessed as part of immediate case planning and resolved by re-entry. Work with local public housing authorities to develop plans that allow youth back into housing with intensive re-entry case management; lobby with State and Federal Agencies to enhance and expand effective housing models. Address housing stability from the beginning of placement. Develop more supportive housing options. PHYSICAL HEALTH AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH Ensure there are juvenile justice advocates at the Medicaid redesign table with agendas that include evidence-based coordinated service provision for youth and families. Work with LDSS’s to identify behavioral health best practices and support training where there are gaps in service that include parallel services for families. Provide seamless continuity of care for youth and families supported by Medicaid. and families experience effective behavioral health interventions in facility linked to the community. EDUCATION AND JOB TRAINING Provide access and training about educational and vocational assessments to voluntary placements through LDSS’s. Pilot a model process for educational transitions in one local school district in concert with the LDSS and private Conduct effective educational and vocational assessments. Provide youth in facilities credits that are comparable to
placement that maximizes the award of credits for work completed while in placement and that provide for the prompt enrollment of the appropriate educational setting for youth; and provide technical assistance to voluntary agencies through LDSS’s in concert with local school districts to develop robust course descriptions. Support the training of educational advocates to monitor and enforce existing requirements for the prompt enrollment of following release in partnership with the family. Advocate with the State Education Department to allow voluntary agencies to conduct GED® prep Support LDSS’s in the identification and promotion of school settings that specifically meet the needs of youth, as well as advocate for the development and enhancement of school settings that meet the needs of the youth. Identify and promote the use of vocational programs with a community-based component through LDSS’s at voluntary placements. Work with LDSS’s to identity and promote model mentoring programs with a career development component. viable educational options. Ensure youth are enrolled in school as part of a seamless transition from residential care. Allow for voluntary agencies to provide a GED® pathway for youth who are significantly over age and under credit. Connect to appropriate school setting. Youth leave facility with vocational training that is linked to workforce development and/or job placement in the community. Develop initiatives that provide mentoring with a career development component.