Mar 09, 2012

Dear DJJ Team Members:

Welcome to my weekly letter. Please allow me to share the following news and announcements.

LEGISLATIVE UPDATE: Today is the last day of the 2012 legislative session and several bills considered during the session affect DJJ. Here is an update:

Senate Bill (SB) 504: This bill was supported by DJJ and makes several necessary changes to Florida Statute 985. Specifically, the bill provides statutory authority for DJJ’s policy of paying up to $5,000 toward the funeral expenses for certain youth who die in the agency’s custody. It also authorizes the court to commit a youth to DJJ for placement in a mother-infant program. This bill passed and was sent to Gov. Rick Scott. Click here to learn more about SB 504.

SB 834: This bill, supported by DJJ, deals with juvenile justice education and workforce programs. SB 834 encourages collaboration between the Florida Department of Education, school districts and DJJ, which is necessary to improve and effectively measure performance in DJJ education programs. As reforms continue in the juvenile justice system, and as DJJ services are brought in line with best practices, education will be the centerpiece. The Legislature is still considering this bill. Click here to learn more about SB 834.

DJJ Budget: The 2012-13 state budget, expected to be approved by the Legislature today, includes $525.6 million for DJJ. This represents less than a one percent reduction from DJJ’s current year base budget. In light of the state’s economic situation, I am very grateful for this level of funding. The focus of the budget is to continue moving resources from the deeper end of the juvenile justice continuum to the front end with additional community services dollars. The budget does eliminate 77 positions, but this reduction is associated with the issue of allowing DJJ to divert youth charged with domestic violence from secure detention and place them in respite beds. A portion of the budget associated with the 77 positions was moved to contracted services to purchase 43 respite beds. The budget is not final until it is approved by the Governor. I will keep everyone informed if there are any significant changes at that time.


I wish to thank all our supporters and advocates in the Legislature and to Gov. Scott for his leadership on public safety and juvenile justice. He is a strong proponent of the reforms we are making at DJJ.

KUDOS: I am pleased to share three recent letters commending DJJ employees. It is always encouraging to receive recognition from peers. When Stuart Wolcott in Residential Services received the following letter from an assistant state attorney regarding Circuit 8 DJJ Commitment Manager Florence Pitts, he observed, “outside praise is not common in our line of work, so it is refreshing when someone goes out of their way to pay a compliment.”

Hello Mr. Wolcott,


I just wanted to take a moment to let you know what a great job Florence Pitts is doing as commitment manager for the 8th Circuit. I have worked in the juvenile system for about 7 years now, and Ms. Pitts is one of the most outstanding employees I have had the opportunity to work with. Although she travels to multiple circuits and has many staffings to conduct each week, Ms. Pitts comes to each and every staffing thoroughly prepared knowing the history, current charges, and issues on every case. I, as well as the other Assistant State Attorneys who work in the juvenile division here, have been incredibly impressed by her interview style and skills, her intuitive nature, as well as her interpersonal skills. Ms. Pitts conducts every staffing in a highly professional manner always showing respect and listening to every person in the room. Although we do not agree on the outcome of every case, I believe Ms. Pitts makes very fair and rational decisions always considering the needs of the defendant as well as the safety of the community.


We appreciate all of Ms. Pitts’ hard work and dedication to her career and feel very fortunate to have her as the commitment manager for our circuit.


Thank you!


Rebecca S. Mickholtzick

Assistant State Attorney

Juvenile Division Chief

The feedback from families who benefit from our efforts is especially gratifying. Following are excerpts from a letter recently sent from a parent to Circuit 13 Juvenile Probation Officer Emanuella Grice, thanking her and fellow probation employee Warren Garrison (names of parent and child withheld for privacy and confidentiality reasons).

Ms. Grice,


Although we have spoken since this correspondence was sent, I am formally following up to acknowledge receipt of the documents sent and to express our sincere gratitude to you for the professionalism, kindness and compassion extended to our family during this unbelievably difficult ordeal. Certainly this has been the most challenging of times…Ms. Grice, you are a beacon of light in an otherwise darkened situation…I trust you will awaken every morning refreshed, energized and invigorated to positively impact someone's life. Mr. Garrison, thank you as well, for your services and the time spent with .


Regards,


From all of us (, parents, family and community supports who – together – have successfully transitioned through this chapter of our lives). God Bless.

Detention staff at the Manatee Regional Juvenile Detention Center also received an encouraging thank-you card from the family of a youth. The handwritten note is copied verbatim below:

Dear Staff @ Manatee Detention Center,


Thank you for all the Respect, Kindness, and Quality of Life you gave our family while my son was there. You spent time to help change the direction of my son’s life. Your giving of yourselves to help little people (young men and women) is priceless! The courtesy, professionalism and dedication is so refreshing, appreciated, and will have an everlasting positive effect on our lives. To be going through such horrible circumstances to begin with is bad enough. To know there are people like you to help our families get through this makes each and every one of you special! Doing your jobs above and beyond the criteria shows there are still people in this world with heart. God sees us through our hearts, and each one of you have beautiful ones.


Signed by family members

PROBATION KUDOS: Saying Circuit 2 Probation is short-staffed is an understatement. Since December 2011 four officers have left, two on maternity leave and two who chose to pursue other employment. Despite the intimidating work load, JPO Supervisor Dicye Byrd immediately volunteered to take on more responsibility. Already supervising a probation unit covering Leon and Jefferson counties, she added a full caseload in Wakulla County. She also offered to train and supervise a newly hired JPO until he is able to assume his duties. Dicye continues to assist in coordinating circuit events and has volunteered to help with an upcoming weekend community event at the local teen center. Thanks to Dicye’s willingness to help, appropriate staffing during an extremely challenging time for the circuit is ensured.

NEW CHIEF PROBATION OFFICER: I am pleased to announce the appointment of Circuit 16 Chief Probation Officer Karen Knight. Karen fills the position vacated by RaiEtte Avael, who recently retired after many years of dedicated service. Karen has worked extensively with local community stakeholders in the Keys to enhance delinquency and dependency services for youth and their families. She has over 33 years of experience working with troubled youth and at-risk families, including positions as a regional manager with Our Kids of Miami-Dade Inc. (a community-based care agency), a family services specialist with the Florida Department of Children and Families and as a DJJ commitment manager. She received a bachelor’s degree in social work from the University of Tampa. Please join me in welcoming Karen. We are confident her experience and skills will be an asset in this key position.

COMMUNITY HELPS AT-RISK STUDENTS: Pinellas County volunteer chaplain Rev. Kenneth Irby and leadership at the Poynter Institute, a prestigious journalism school in St. Petersburg, were distressed by the events happening in their community in 2011. Around the same time that a local police officer was killed by a 16-year-old boy, a national report by the Schott Foundation for Public Education declared Pinellas County to have one of the nation’s highest dropout rates for African-American boys. Irby, a senior faculty member at Poynter, took action. Working with the St. Petersburg Police Department, the Pinellas County school system, the Tampa Bay Rays, Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Florida and the Sons of Allen (a ministry of the African Methodist Episcopal Church), the institute created The Write Field community outreach program. The program offers academically oriented mentoring to select high-risk minority middle school boys — half of whom, Irby estimates, have run afoul of the law. Building on the institute’s world class journalism curriculum, mentors strengthen writing skills while promoting self-esteem and positive decision making. Irby says the greatest challenge is finding men to volunteer. “Seventy-five percent of the boys (in the program) have abandonment issues; they speak passionately about the men in their lives who have walked away.” I salute the Poynter Institute, its community partners and Rev. Irby for creating The Write Field to unite academic mentors with children who urgently need them.


I am deeply impressed by the level of care shown by Florence, Emanuella and Warren, the staff at Manatee RJDC, Rev. Irby, the Poynter Institute and its community partners. My thanks to you and to all employees for the dedication and commitment that is reflected in your service.

Sincerely,

Wansley Walters

Secretary

PS: Please send any noteworthy or newsworthy items for consideration in my weekly letter to Communications Director C. J. Drake at cj.drake@djj.state.fl.us or call 850.921.5905. Submissions are considered on a space-available basis and may be edited for clarity and length. Thank you for your cooperation.