summit county crossover youth practice model initiative led by summit county juvenile court an...
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Summit County Crossover Youth Practice Model
Initiative led by Summit County Juvenile Court an Summit County
Children Services using a strength-based approach to address the
unique issues facing youth involved in both the child welfare and juvenile
justice systems.
Background:
Research has long documented that youth who have been maltreated are more likely to engage in delinquent behavior.
Also, if a youth has current or past involvement with the child welfare system, he/she is more likely than a child not otherwise involved to recidivate in the juvenile justice system.
However, little was known as to why this was occurring and what could be done to prevent it.
The Crossover Youth Practice Model (CYPM) helps to answer these questions and provides a way to address the unique needs of children known to both systems.
Background:
Casey Family Programs and the Center for Juvenile Justice Reform at Georgetown University’s Public Policy Institute have been partnering since 2007 to address the unique issues presented by “crossover youth.”
The practice model guide can be found at http://cjjr.georgetown.edu/pm/practicemodel.html
“Crossover Youth” is a general term used in research that refers to youth that have been a victim of abuse and/or neglect and engaged in delinquency. Dually-involved youth are known to both the juvenile justice and child welfare systems in some capacity. In the model the term crossover youth is used to describe dually-involved youth.
The Crossover Youth Practice Model has been implemented in eight counties (Carol, Clark, Delaware, Lucas, Montgomery, Ross, Summit and Trumbull) throughout the State of Ohio.
What do we know about crossover youth?
There are at least 4 different pathways for a youth to become involved in both systems:1.A youth in the child welfare system who is subsequently charged with delinquency.
2.A youth entering the delinquency system with previous (but not current) contact with the child welfare system.
3.A youth enters the delinquency system and is currently being maltreated but has no previous or current contact with the child welfare system.
4.A youth enters the child welfare system for placement following juvenile justice confinement because no other option is available.
What do we know about crossover youth?
They are often in the child welfare system for long periods of time.
They are more likely to be female as compared to the general delinquency population.
Minorities, particularly African Americans, appear to be over represented.
Most are placed out of the home and often experience multiple placements.
They are often truant and/or performing poorly in school.
What is a Practice Model
A conceptual map and organizational ideology that includes definitions and explanations regarding how staff can partner with families, service providers, and other stakeholders in the delivery of services to achieve positive outcomes for youth and their families.
A practice model:– Describes the practices from case opening to case closure– Informed by a way of approaching the work (practice principles)– Includes sequences and techniques – Reflects evidence based, promising, and best practices in the field
Goals of the CYPM efforts in Summit County:
Increased communication among agencies.
Increased cooperation, coordination, and integration of services provided by Summit County Juvenile Court (SCJC), Summit County Children Services (SCCS) and any additionally involved agencies.
Increased use and development of joint assessments.
Increased collaboration in case planning and case management.
Goals of the CYPM efforts in Summit County cont’d:
Increased family and youth engagement. Increase improvement at school. Decreased recidivism in the juvenile justice
and child welfare systems. Decreased length of stay in detention. Decrease disproportionate minority contact. Reduction of out-of-home placement.
Currently Involved with CYPM:
SCJC Judge and Magistrates Members of SCJC Administration SCJC Probation Department SCJC Intake Department Summit County CASA Summit County Prosecutor’s Office Legal Defender Office of Summit
County
SCCS Executive Director and Directors
SCCS Social Workers Summit Family and
Children First Council Akron Police Department Akron Public Schools Barberton Police
Department Barberton City Schools
What does a CYPM case look like?
Youth must have an open dependency, neglect, or abuse (DN) case as well as an open unruly or delinquency (DL) case.
Youth must be living (or placed) in Summit County, at the time they meet the other criteria.
Youth must be between 10 and 16 years old.
Youth must not currently be in residential placement.
Youth must not be on another specialized docket at the Court.
One Family, One Judge
CYPM participants have their delinquency and dependency, neglect & abuse court hearings conducted before one Judge (or Magistrate).
The approach allows judicial officers to become thoroughly familiar with the needs of the children and families, the efforts made over time to address those needs and the complexities of each family’s situation.
Families benefit by having greater familiarity with the judicial decision maker and courtroom; as well as, from not having to repeatedly share their stories with a series of changing judicial officers.
Roles of Involved Individuals:
SCCS caseworker, probation officer or SCJC intake worker, and CASA will attend all hearings and CYPM conferences.
A facilitator will guide discussions during conferences and complete the form to be presented to the Magistrate.
CYPM Conferences
CYPM conferences will provide the opportunity for representatives from SCJC, SCCS, CASA/GAL, school personnel, families, and the youth to share information and plan for success.
CYPM required meetings will include any regularly-scheduled conferences as well as any SCCS TDMs or SARs.
– Team Decision Meetings or Semi-Annual Reviews
CYPM Conferences will occur throughout the lifetime of the case:– Monthly– SCCS TDMs shall serve as CYPM conferences– SCCS SARs shall serve as CYPM conferences– Before each hearing– As requested– As scheduled by involved individuals
CYPM Conferences
An agenda will be used during conferences to promote information sharing.
The team will develop a summary to present to the Magistrate including:
– Progress made by youth and family on existing court orders– New concerns or issues– Assessment explaining recommendations and basis
Including an overview of the youths educational status (grades, attendance) and any education matters requiring attention.
– Recommendations of the group indicating participants’ agreement with individual recommendations.
CASA/GAL
Court Appointed Special Advocate/Guardian ad Litem– Provides the child with a trained community volunteer, appointed
by the Judge, to advocate for what is in the child’s “best interest.”– Serves as an informed, independent, and objective voice for the
child.– Provides the Court with information on the child through detailed
testimony and reports.
Each youth involved in the CYPM pilot will receive a CASA or GAL– CASA/GALs will have the opportunity to participate in a crossover training to
focus on the uniqueness of crossover cases– Court Advocacy Team: 3 staff members who focus on crossover cases
Jen Allen, Pam Bennett, Bethany Lee-Lane
The CASA/GAL Role
The CASA/GAL role in Crossover cases (DN/DL) is very similar to the role in Dependency cases(DN)Continue monthly visitsComplete a court reportAdvocate for the child’s best interestAttend meetings for the case such as:
– TDM, SAR, CYPM TCM
CYPM Team Conference Meetings– Be prepared to participate in the meeting and discuss the youth’s
strengths, weaknesses, services, and areas that need improvement
DN and DL flowcharts
Handouts: – Compare how the dependency and delinquency
case processes are alike
Example #1 Johnny DV
DL: Delinquency
16 year old Johnny is charged with Domestic Violence (DV) for fighting with his mother
Johnny does not get along well with his mother’s boyfriend, Dan, and often runs away from the home. He has been charged with unruly behavior
At the preliminary hearing, Johnny denies the charge and a Pre-Trial is set
Johnny meets with his attorney and admits that he did hit his mother
He is ordered to participate in anger management classes, counseling, and is ordered to serve 10 days in detention
– Detention is suspended
DN: Dependency
Johnny has 3 younger siblings (4, 6, 8 y/o) His mother was out drinking with her
boyfriend Dan. Again. They return home, Dan was intoxicated &
irate that the 8 year old was not in bed yet. Dan began to verbally fight with Johnny &
attempt to ground him for not putting all the kids to bed on time. He shoves Johnny and Johnny shoves back.
Mother is upset & tries to intervene. Johnny hits his mother to get her out of the way.
Mother calls the police & reports Johnny for hitting her. The police couldn’t determine who initiated the altercation
Police did not arrest mother because of the 3 minor children present, and lack of caregiver.
Example #2: Trisha Truancy
DL (Delinquency)
15 year old Trisha is being charged with truancy
Trisha has missed the last 2 months
Her mother tells the court Trisha is just lazy and won’t listen
She will not pass the 10th grade, and she is behind developmentally
Trisha’s mother is charged with failure to send
DN (Dependency)
Trisha has three siblings (3, 4, and 8 years old)
Trisha’s mom got a job 2 months ago
It is Trisha’s responsibility to get the 8 year old ready and off to school.
Trisha watches the 3 and 4 year old during the day so their mother won’t loose her job
Example #3 Abby Unruly
DL (Delinquency)
14 year old Abby is charged with unruly conduct.
She has a history of running away, AWOL, and truancy
She sneaks out of the house at night, and sometimes does not return home after school for days at a time
DN (Dependency)
14 year old Abby has two siblings (3 and 5 y/o) and a history of going AWOL
Her mother’s live in boyfriend is registered sex offender with a lengthy criminal history.
DN referral was received indicating mother was leaving young children in the care of her boyfriend
He has been touching Abby inappropriately since she was 12 years old.
Abby has told her mother, but her mother won’t end the relationship or ask the boyfriend to leave the home
Abby is terrified of him and what he is capable of doing.
Ohio Mentoring
In 2013, the Center for Juvenile Justice Reform at Georgetown University’s Public Policy Institute named Summit County an Ohio Mentor to the Crossover Youth Practice Model.
“…Expanding the implementation of the model across Ohio requires strong coaching from not only our faculty at Georgetown, but also colleagues within Ohio like the leadership from Summit County who have done a wonderful work in support of crossover youth.”
-Shay Bilchik
Research Professor at the Georgetown University
Public Policy Institute and Director of it
Center for Juvenile Justice Reform.
Contact Information
Getta Cornici
330-643-2910
Alan Futo
330-643-7828
Sarah Noviks
330-643-4549