May 18, 2012

Dear DJJ team members:

Welcome to my weekly letter. Please allow me to share some recent news and announcements.

SCHOOL-JUSTICE PARTNERSHIP: This week I joined Florida Supreme Court Justice Barbara Pariente, state Education Commissioner Gerard Robinson and others for the Circuit 15/Palm Beach County School-Justice Partnership meeting. The partnership is part of the federal Supportive School Discipline Initiative, and is created to “keep kids in school and out of court.” Data and research show that a “zero tolerance” approach to discipline in schools does not make schools safer, but does result in more youth entering the juvenile justice system. Further, the suspensions, expulsions and arrests that result from school zero-tolerance policies have a disproportionate impact on minority students. The School-Justice Partnership will open communication between schools and law enforcement, state attorneys, public defender and judges to find effective ways to keep schools safe, allow learning environments to be more productive and reduce negative outcomes among youth.

PREVENTING CRIME IN THE BLACK COMMUNITY: “Juvenile delinquency in Florida, across all categories, is now at its lowest point in more than a decade. As we continue to make reforms, we expect this trend to continue.” DJJ Assistant Secretary for Prevention and Victim Services Wanda Finnie made this statement during her opening remarks at the 27^th Annual Preventing Crime in the Black Community Conference this week in Tampa. Every year approximately 1,500 citizens, state and local government agencies, experts and stakeholders gather from across Florida to discuss crime factors and prevention strategies unique to the African-American community. Exploring positive ways to address juvenile crime, DJJ staff facilitated workshops on juvenile justice reform, alternatives to arrest, and a peer panel discussion geared toward the youth track of the conference. The conference presented an opportunity for DJJ’s mission, goals, reform efforts and accomplishments to be shared with attendees. (For more information on the conference, click here.)

HEALTH SERVICES KUDOS: I am very excited to announce that the National Center for Mental Health and Juvenile Justice (NCMHJJ) has selected DJJ to participate in the Mental Health Training Curriculum for Juvenile Justice (MHTC-JJ). MHTC-JJ isa multi-state juvenile justice mental health training initiative supported by the federal Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention and the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation. It received a tremendous response from applicants to participate. Of the 43 applicants from states and jurisdictions across the country, up to 10 will be selected. NCMHJJ Director Joseph J. Cocozza, Ph.D., said in the notification letter to DJJ, “Your application was among the strongest we received, demonstrating a commitment to improving staff knowledge in this area, and a clear plan for how this training will be institutionalized to maximize the impact.” This training is greatly needed. DJJ data indicates that 83 percent of DJJ committed youth may suffer from mental health issues. The training will increase understanding of mental health needs and concerns, making staff better prepared and able to respond to these youth appropriately in everyday and crisis situations. The MHTC-JJ training will be provided to selected staff during a train-the-trainer session tentatively scheduled for January 2013. These staff will train direct-care staff. MHTC-JJ training furthers DJJ’s commitment to provide trauma-informed care and effectively respond to youth with specialized needs, and will result in better care for the most vulnerable youth in our facilities. Many thanks to DJJ Chief Medical Director Lisa Johnson, M.D. and the Office of Health Services staff for making this opportunity possible.

JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEMS IMPROVEMENT PROJECT: Implementation of the Dispositional Matrix, a tool to help prevent further delinquency among youth, has begun as a pilot project in Pinellas County. The Dispositional Matrix was developed through the Juvenile Justice Systems Improvement Project with Georgetown University. It will assist juvenile probation officers and the court in determining the most appropriate services for youth based on their risk level of re-offending and the seriousness of the offense. The goal is to refer the right youth to the right services at the right time. Special thanks to Sixth Judicial CircuitChief Judge Thomas McGrady, Judges Raymond O. Gross, Patrice Moore, Jack Day, James Pierce, Public Defender Bob Dillinger, Assistant Public Defender Steve Nelson, Assistant State Attorney Joe Walker, Dr. Cindy Zarling with Behavioral Services and Michelle Jameson with Unified Family Court Alternative Sanctions.

CIRCUIT 5 CONGRATULATIONS: Congratulations to Cpl. Leon Madison and Lt. Larry Smith for being chosen as Marion Regional Juvenile Detention Center JDO of the year and JDO Supervisor of the year, respectively, and to Sumter County JPO of the Year Dennis Flory. The awards were announced during the Fifth Annual Juvenile Justice Board Conference on May 4. The event, held at the Oxford Assembly of God Church, provided free sessions for CEU credits to more than 200 attendees on topics such as gang awareness, trauma informed care, faith community partnerships and gender-specific services. Thanks to Circuit 5 Juvenile Justice Board Chair Stephanie Glass for hosting the event.

QUALITY IMPROVEMENT KUDOS: Quality Improvement (QI) Bureau Chief Jennifer Rechichi shares a letter she recently received from Les Peters Halfway House (HWH) regarding their annual Quality Improvement review. Les Peters HWH is a facility in Tampa for moderate-risk boys. The letter was originally sent to QI reviewer Michelle Miles commending her and the rest of the team that reviewed the facility, Kirstie Naoom, Tommy Fawcett, Lori Provenzano and Rick Burkhart.

Dear Michelle,

Please accept my gratitude for the professional way you conducted our audit last week. I have participated in many audits and surveys throughout my career, and was very impressed with the way your team operated with respect and kindness throughout the entire process. Even in difficult conversations and discussions, and considering computer issues, you and your team remained professional, friendly, and efficient. Please thank the rest of your team, especially Kirstie, for their support of our program and youth.

Respectfully,

Rebecca L. McDonough, EdD, LMHC, Senior Behavior Analyst, DMHA

Leslie Peters Halfway House

VOLUNTEER CHAPLAINS: Volunteer chaplains can greatly enhance the success of our youth. They provide care and counseling to families in crisis and help youth transition to their home communities after completion of residential programs. The one-day training required to become a volunteer chaplain includes an overview of the juvenile justice continuum, DJJ services, the role and responsibilities of a volunteer chaplain, protocols, precautions for safety and security, needs of at-risk youth and their families and trauma informed care. Thanks to the following people who completed basic training to become volunteer chaplains on Saturday, May 12, at the Faith Christian Family Center in Tallahassee.

Josephine Gamboa-Montgomery


Alloydice Gaines

Melvin Groomes

Willie Haynes

Verna Jones

Gary Montgomery

Doris Terry

Reginald B. Watson

Ernest Willis

The next volunteer-chaplain basic training will be held Saturday, June 2, at Victory Church in Lakeland. For more information about volunteering as a chaplain, please click here.

There are many stakeholders working to help reduce juvenile delinquency. By making sure each youth receives the right intervention at the right moment for the right amount of time, working closely with stakeholders to synchronize efforts that ultimately benefit youth, we are all making Florida a safer and better place to live.

Thank you for 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.