DJC Newsletter February, 2006 |
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 Click underlined links to navigate through the newsletter. Highlight and print selected portions.Beginning with this issue of the DJC Newsletter and throughout 2006, we will feature a component of the juvenile re-entry initiative now underway throughout DJC institutions and field locations. We invite County correctional liaisons to share their experience as well. Together, along with care providers and service providers in the communities, we can provide the accountability, continuity of learning, and support youth need. February's issue focuses on lines of communication that are necessary to assist a youth in making a successful transition from institutional placement to community living.
Communication for Successful Re-entry
Informational Items Announcements
Model County Programs
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Administrator's Memos to Counties In the spirit of fostering communication about DJC's re-entry initiative, Administrator Charles A. Tubbs recently sent a memo to County Directors of Human and Social Services regarding revised procedures for requesting a juvenile's release from an institution. County correctional liaisons were provided with the revised Juvenile Release Authorization form (DOC-1788) so there could be uniformity across the state for release procedures. The new DOC-1788 includes documentation of re-entry related activities such as receipt by the supervising agent of a planning document called the Youth's Release Action Plan, and listing dates of selected meetings and activities. Copies of blank forms and an explanation were sent via electronic mail to the Office of Juvenile Offender Review contacts in each county that provides its own aftercare. We intend for this issue of the DJC Newsletter and subsequent issues throughout the year to further illuminate revised or new procedures and activities associated with a juvenile's transition from the JCI to community supervision and enhance a coordinated approach among state and county professionals. |
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In November 2005, the Division of Juvenile Corrections began to implement re-entry practices based on components of the Going Home model described by Dr. David Altschuler, Johns Hopkins University, and Dr. Troy Armstrong, California State University, Sacramento and tested in Wisconsin over the past three years. Let's start Lines of Communication with definitions of re-entry related terms in use in Wisconsin.
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The Division of Juvenile Corrections (DJC) designed the Transition Initiative to assist youth, their families, DJC staff and other involved agencies prepare for the movement of juvenile offenders from correctional facilities to the community, or between community placements, with minimal disruption of services and programming. From the Community into the Institution... “Reach-in” activities literally involve people in the community going in to the juvenile institution to meet with the youth. Advance “reaching-in” effectively builds a bridge to the community by developing an appropriate treatment plan with input from the youth and family as well as from the community provider network, DJC reintegration social workers and community agents. All become stakeholders in transition phase planning and setting the community treatment direction and goals for the youth. Since launching the Transition Initiative, the JCI’s have become more accessible to members of the community/provider network.. The providers are invited by the DJC community agent i.e., Probation and Parole Agent (P&P agent) in concert with the JCI Reintegration Social Worker to meet the youth, his or her family and others involved in providing services. The process begins approximately three months prior to the youth’s expected return to the community with a readiness review conducted by members of the Joint Planning and Review Committee (JPRC). If the review concludes that the youth is ready, the formal re-entry planning process commences. An Office of Juvenile Review (OJOR) staff can also place a youth in the 90-day transition phase via an Action Needed Request (ANR) submitted by any member of the JPRC. (Recently, OJOR has added several new action codes for youth entering Transition Phase Planning. See "Speaking in Code" below.) Youth who will remain at the JCI until the expiration of their juvenile orders also can be placed into a transition phase in order to identify services and resources they might access in the community to which they will return. When a Transition Phase is Suspended... Occasionally JCI staff needs to re-evaluate a formal re-entry plan based upon the youth’s performance or conduct within the JCI. This can result in lengthening or terminating the youth’s transition phase. Procedurally, this review begins when:
If the OJOR reviewer decides to lengthen the youth’s transition, the OJOR will issue a new Department Order and the JCI social worker will assist the agent or county worker to modify the youth’s case plan and transition planning activities. Termination of the transition phase requires the OJOR reviewer to issue a Department Order and the JCI social worker to assume responsibility for developing an institutional case plan. When a youth is placed in the Transition Phase for the first time, or re-starts transition planning, the OJOR will communicate to the JCI educational staff that a youth is in transition planning via a checklist located in the front of the youth’s Lifework Education Portfolio. Education staff will then work with the youth to develop a new Youth Release Action Plan. The goals, and people the youth identifies as anticipated helpers, is key information for community agents. With it, agents can effectively identify an appropriate Transition Team. These support people and services form a network for the youth’s successful community reintegration. Between Schools... Transitioning to school and/or employment is a vital part of community re-entry. Dr. Paula Crandall-Decker, Education Director at Ethan Allen School for Boys, recently facilitated a meeting between representatives of the Madison Metropolitan School District (MMSD), Operation Fresh Start and staff from DJC. Division staff included education directors from Lincoln Hills School and Southern Oak Girls School, teachers, social workers and aftercare agents from the Madison area. Their purpose was to explore communication channels regarding youth enrollment in the Madison Metropolitan school district. They established a workgroup with the mission to improve transitioning to local schools for DJC youth through effective communication and collaboration. Discussion at the meeting resulted in many improvement suggestions. Institution staff and field staff in the DJC Northwestern Region Madison Office will attempt to incorporate the following suggestions into their procedures. Ultimately they will provide recommendations to administrators to consider for Division-wide policy.
To aid in transition for DJC youth being released to the Madison area, Mindy Trudell, representative of MMSD, agreed to the following suggestions:
Additionally it was agreed that a representative from Operation Fresh Start will visit institutions as needed to interview those youth who may not be appropriate for admission to MMPS and would be better served by enrolling in a HSED and vocational/employment program. Progress in implementing these excellent suggestions will depend upon ongoing communication. Via the airwaves... Advances in technology have also made it possible to use Distance Learning labs (DLL’s) to facilitate planning meetings. Transition team meetings held via a closed circuit television network can, in some instances, allow “reaching-in” to take place from a distant location. By whatever communication lines.... Overall, the “reaching-in” by community providers creates two positive outcomes:
In future newsletters, Lines of Communication between youth, county liaisons and DJC agents and employers will be explored. |
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Recently OJOR has added several new action codes for youth entering Transition Phase Programming. These codes and/or what they represent are written on Department Orders in the Action Taken box. Eligibility For Release Codes: (i.e., eligible for release planning) Retain Codes: Youth placed into a JCI short-term program are placed in transition upon entry. The code for a short-term program would be:
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INFORMATIONAL ITEMS Juvenile Cognitive Intervention Program The Division is proud to highlight the number of youth who successfully complete the Choices and Changes phases of the Juvenile Cognitive Intervention Program offered at all DJC facilities. Each phase includes 15 lessons and takes an average of six weeks to complete. Successful completion was excellent in 2005. While serving an additional 18 students compared to 2004, successful completion of Phase I increased by eight percent. Eighty-three percent (83%) of participating students successfully completed the Choices curriculum. Seventy-one (71) more students participated in Phase II in 2005 than 2004. A successful completion rate of 88 percent (88%) was maintained.
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Juvenile Court Intake Worker Training
We offer this update to assist Counties in coordinating hires/assignments with available training sessions. Notification Requirement: It is the employer’s legal responsibility to notify the Department of Corrections at the time that a new intake worker is hired or re-assigned. Notification forms should be sent to: Jo Mercurio, JSS, Division of Juvenile Corrections, PO Box 8930, Madison, WI 53708-8930. Fax 608.240.3370. Training Payment: There is a $120 fee per participant, charged to counties, for workers trained during the state fiscal year 2006 (ending June 30, 2006). Checks or purchase orders should be made out to the WI Juvenile Court Intake Association (WJCIA). Checks must be received at least 30 days prior to the session. Send checks and registrations to:
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Announcements 18nth Annual Adolescents and Families Conference April 19-21, 2006 at Lakewoods Resort in Cable, WI. Click to visit UW Eau Claire's website for the agenda and registration information. |
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Shelley Hagan Appointed as Director of OJOR Shelley Hagan was appointed Director of the Office of Juvenile Offender Review effective January 9, 2006. Shelley has been a valued member of the Division’s central office staff since June 1994. As DJC's policy and grants coordinator, she has worked in many areas of the Division’s operations including legal, legislative, fiscal and policy. Shelley has provided and facilitated numerous training opportunities for DJC staff over the years, including regional training prior to the implementation of the Juvenile Justice Code in 1996 as well as training for statewide audiences on Chapter 938 in subsequent years. Shelley frequently provides consultation in areas such as the Serious Juvenile Offender Program, records management and legislative analysis for county partners. As Director, Shelley will administer the provisions of Chapter 938 of the Wisconsin Statutes which designates the Office of Juvenile Review (OJOR) as the release and decision-making authority for youth placed in a Type 1 secured juvenile correctional facility (JCI). She will work out of the DOC DJC central office in Madison and supervise OJOR reviewers assigned to each Juvenile Correctional Institution (JCI), central office OJOR staff and the Interstate Compact for Juveniles Correspondent. Shelley is beginning her 23rd year of State service, having been a policy analyst and supervisor in the Department of Health and Family Services before joining DJC. The Division is very pleased to appoint someone with her breadth of experience and knowledge to this position. Shelley can be reached at 608.240.5918 or at shelley.hagan@doc.state.wi.us.
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