Thinking For a Change (T4C) facilitator training equips staff to deliver the intervention to youth. T4C facilitator training occurs over four consecutive days. Completion of the two-day DJJ Basics of Motivational Interviewing and Stages of Change (MI) is a prerequisite to attending T4C facilitator training. T4C is an evidence-based delinquency intervention proven to reduce recidivism and antisocial attitudes and cognitions, major risk factors evident in youth served by the Department. T4C is a twenty-five lesson curriculum with a recommended delivery schedule of twice per week.

Motivational Interviewing is a directive, client-centered interaction style for eliciting behavior change by helping youth to explore and resolve ambivalence. Motivational Interviewing training is intended to provide staff members with more effective communication strategies to utilize when interacting with youth. These strategies focus on reducing resistance and are non-confrontational in nature and involve less escalation during the course of interactions. Motivational Interviewing teaches staff to elicit positive youth behavior by enhancing the youths' motivation and encouraging them to take responsibility for their own actions.

The DJJ Basics of MI and the Stages of Change Curriculum (2008) is delivered over two days and involves lecture, role-playing, group activities, and individual readings. Completion of the two-day DJJ Basics of MI and the Stages of Change Curriculum is a prerequisite for attending C-PACT and/or R-PACT training, as well as facilitator training in any of the DJJ recognized evidence-based practices.

LifeSkills Training (LST) facilitator training equips staff to deliver the intervention to youth. LST facilitator training occurs over two consecutive days. Completion of the two-day DJJ Basics of Motivational Interviewing and Stages of Change (MI) is a prerequisite to attaining LST facilitator training. LST is an evidence-based delinquency intervention proven to reduce recidivism, substance use/abuse and aggression, major risk factors evident in youth served by the Department. LST has middle school and high school component options. The middle school curriculum is a fifteen lesson curriculum, while the high school curriculum is a ten lesson curriculum. LST is delivered a minimum of once per week.

Quality Improvement (QI) Certified Reviewer training presents the basic skills and information necessary to conduct a review of the Department’s contracted programs and services. The training program is intended for supervisory and management staff from programs and Headquarters, who have been selected to serve as reviewers, as well as representatives from other juvenile justice entities. Any reviewers not meeting minimum requirements for QI Certified Reviewer status will be required to complete and submit the for consideration by the Bureau Chief.

Training includes goals and objectives of the QI process, learning review instruments, conducting on-site reviews, thorough documentation, and writing narratives for rating justification. Skill practice and inter-rater reliability activities and competency-based assessments are conducted throughout the training to ensure participants comprehend and can apply the documentation. Participants become acquainted with the three fundamental components of a review: interviews, observations, and documentation. The training concludes with a discussion of general implementation issues and a question-and-answer session. A participant must pass written examinations in order to become a certified reviewer. Upon successful completion of all requirements, participants are certified by the Bureau Chief, which allows them to participate in annual compliance reviews as a certified reviewer.