Feb 22, 2013

Dear DJJ team members:

Welcome to my weekly letter. I am pleased to share the following news and announcements.

ROADMAP UPDATE: I am looking forward to the Jacksonville Roadmap Town hall meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 27, at the Florida State College at Jacksonville, Downtown Campus, Building A, Room 1068, 101 West State Street, Jacksonville. To register to attend, please visit the Jacksonville Roadmap meeting webpage.

LEGISLATIVE UPDATE: On Thursday, Feb. 21, the Florida House of Representatives’ Judiciary Committee voted unanimously in favor of DJJ’s legislative priority, HB 4019-Youth Custody Officer/Jail Tours by Rep. Gayle Harrell. Data shows that the use of jail tours as a punitive measure has no positive effect in the reduction of recidivism rates. Further, punitive jail tours violate the Federal Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act, and can result in DJJ losing two-thirds of our federal funding for prevention programs. Thanks to Rep. Harrell for her good work to ensure passage of the bill at its last committee stop in the House. The 2013 Legislative Session will begin on March 5.

CONGRATULATIONS: The following team members graduated from basic officer training at the Florida Public Safety Institute in Tallahassee today. To become certified juvenile justice detention officers (JDOs), they successfully completed 240 hours of training. I was honored to offer closing remarks and I want to thank Chief of Staff Alex Kelly for welcoming the graduates, noting the importance of their role in helping youth achieve a brighter future.

Veronica Bennett, St. Lucie Regional Juvenile Detention Center (RJDC)
Sheila Brutus, Southwest RJDC
Raheed Bryant, Duval RJDC
Ollie Buchanon, Jr., St. Lucie RJDC
Genoa Burgess, Bay RJDC
Brittany Chaplic, Southwest RJDC
Angela Dixon, Duval RJDC
Anthony Farmer, Leon RJDC
Kendell Grant, Leon RJDC
Chad Hicks, Okaloosa RJDC
Robert Houpt, Okaloosa RJDC
Agnes Johnson, Duval RJDC
Anthony Johnson, Okaloosa RJDC
William Johnson, Duval RJDC
Gene Jones, Duval RJDC
Kendrickus Mackie, Volusia RJDC
Steve McGriff, Leon RJDC
Christina Miles, Volusia RJDC
Marcell Mitchell, Bay RJDC
Myra Mitchell, Duval RJDC
David Rodriguez, Southwest RJDC
Amber Russ, St. Lucie RJDC
Christopher Seagrist, St. Lucie RJDC
Aaron Shoemaker Volusia RJDC
Monica Strickland, Alachua RJDC
Steven Tomasino, Collier RJDC
Neremy Toussaint, St. Lucie RJDC
Tamesha Walker, St. Lucie RJDC
Brandie Zackery, St. Lucie RJDC

RESIDENTIAL KUDOS: Today youth at the Marion Juvenile Correctional Facility welcomed the grand opening of a new building where they will have the opportunity to develop hands-on vocational skills in construction-related jobs. I firmly believe education is the key to keeping at-risk youth out of trouble and helping those who are already in DJJ avoid going any deeper into the system. Developing employment training programs is a critical component of the DJJ Roadmap to System Excellence and is in line with the public feedback we have received from communities during the Roadmap tour. Many thanks to D & D Asphalt, Marion County Public Schools, Oldcastle Materials and Youth Services International for building this facility to enhance job readiness among youth. For details, please click here.

RESIDENTIAL KUDOS II: The rate for physical protective action response (PAR), which measures the frequency that youth are physically restrained by staff, continues to drop. This decline is especially significant in light of a change in the PAR calculation. Beginning in July 2012 a more stringent measure in calculating the protective action response (PAR) rate was implemented to increase the accuracy and comparability between programs. The statewide PAR rate for first quarter was 1.62 and for second quarter 1.55. The six-month rate was 1.58. The FY 12-13 six-month rate of 1.58 is down from the FY 11-12 annual rate of 1.71.

Congratulations to the five currently-operating programs that had no physical PARs in the past six months:

• Okeechobee Girls Academy / Okeechobee Girls Academy Low
• Okeechobee JOCC Sex Offender Maximum Risk
• Impact Halfway House (HWH) / Impact HWH Low Risk
• Okaloosa Borderline / Okaloosa BDD Low
• Les Peters Transition

There were only 2 Level 3 PARs that occurred during the past six months – both in the second quarter. This is a significant reduction from a total of 56 level 3 PARs during FY 11-12.

Thanks to all staff in residential programs for your continued efforts to provide a restraint-free environment!

QUALITY IMPROVEMENT KUDOS: The latest edition of the Bureau of Quality Improvement’s (QI) quarterly newsletter, The Evidence, has been posted to the Department’s website. Among the highlights from the letter, QI has conducted 61 program reviews during the first six months of fiscal year 2012-13, and QI staff has completed train-the-trainer certifications for Motivational Interviewing and Life Skills Training. Having staff with these training skills extends our agency’s ability to provide training to direct-care facilities without incurring the cost to contract for these services. The statewide training calendar for Motivational Interviewing and Life Skills Training is available in this issue of The Evidence.

Congratulations are in order for Juvenile Probation Officer (JPO) Darrell Barfield, pictured above with Deputy Secretary Christy Daly. Darrell was honored as a finalist for the Public Service Award at the Florida Juvenile Justice Association’s Adolescent Conference during "FJJA Recognizes Excellence 2013." Great job, Darrell!

FJJA ADOLESCENT CONFERENCE: Congratulations to the individuals who were honored at the FJJA’s 2013 Adolescent Conference Feb. 19-20. The awardees are shown below.

Congratulations also to the runners-up:

Public Service Award – DJJ Circuit 2 JPO Darrell Barfield

Creativity/Innovation Award - Allen Hazellief, Home Builders Institute

Client Services Award - Elizabeth Marden, Bay Area Youth Services

Unsung Hero Award - Anthony Garcia, Okeechobee Juvenile Offender Correction Center, A G4S Youth Services, LLC program

PROBATION KUDOS I: On Feb. 19, nine youth – eight from DJJ and one from the local community – completed a class called “Welcome to the Real World” that is offered through the Lake County DJJ Probation Office. Youth can be court-ordered or volunteer to take the three-hour class that is offered approximately three times per year. Julie England, a Family and Consumer Sciences extension agent with the University of Florida has partnered with DJJ to provide the class to troubled and at-risk youth since July 2008. Julie discusses decision-making, goals and careers with youth in a group discussion, then the teens exercise the skills in an activity that simulates the choices and responsibilities they would be faced with as adults. During the exercise, the kids choose a career, estimate their income and budget for their expenses. Julie keeps the mood light as she teaches the class, giving teens an opportunity to start considering their future in practical terms, while introducing skills such as check writing and budgeting. JPOs and JPO supervisors facilitate the class, allowing them to engage with the kids in a fun learning experience. Altogether, 15 Welcome to the Real World classes have been held, with 129 DJJ probation and diversion youth participating. JPO supervisor Julie Vest says, “Youth always learn something from the class. Some realize they may need a roommate to split expenses, others decide they may want to stay at home instead of moving out when they turn 18. All of them learn that their expectations and the things they want cost more than they can afford. That’s an important step to becoming independent.”

PROBATION KUDOS II: Circuit 6 JPO Jeff Brouillard was nominated by members of his community for Evidence Based Associates’ (EBA) Lee Ann Thomas Innovative Champion Award. The award was created to recognize a community leader who is passionate about children and families in Florida, believes in community-based care and advocates for evidence-based programs. The award is named for the late Lee Ann Thomas who whose commitment to at-risk and troubled youth illustrates the power one person has to bring about positive change. A civil servant for 18 years, Lee Ann worked for DJJ until her passing in 2007. Although Jeff was not chosen by EBA for the award, his nomination letter describes his dedication to helping youth and working with families: “Mr. Brouillard puts everything he has into his work, including advocating for FFT and making himself available to meet with therapists and families for discharge meetings consistently. He goes out into the community to locate a runaway or reach families that do not have telephones so they can receive FFT services.”

FAITH NETWORK UPDATE: On Feb. 18, Circuit 18 held its first Faith Community Network/Chaplaincy and Volunteer Appreciation Dinner. The event was hosted by Celebration Tabernacle Church in Cocoa. With representatives from 14 different faith affiliations and churches and several young men from the Brevard Group Treatment Home, the evening was filled with inspirational stories and words of encouragement. To volunteer or for more information, please email faithnetwork18@gmail.com.

SPECIAL COMPENSATION EXPIRES SOON: Many employees still have special compensation hours that accumulated between October 9, 2012 and January 21, 2013 (Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday. These special compensation hours must be used by April 30, 2013, or they will be forfeited. If you have questions, please contact your supervisor.

Thanks to all staff for the professionalism you show to one another and your caring dedication to the youth we serve and their families.

Sincerely,

Wansley Walters

Secretary

PS: Please send any noteworthy or newsworthy items for consideration in my weekly letter to the Communications Office at News@djj.state.fl.us or call 850.921.5900. Submissions are considered on a space-available basis and may be edited for clarity and length. Thank you for your cooperation.