Jan 25, 2013

Dear DJJ team members:

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

Miami-Dade Town Hall meeting, Dec. 20, 2012

ROADMAP UPDATE: After a brief hiatus for the holidays, the Panhandle is the next stop for Roadmap to System Excellence Town Hall meetings. On Wednesday, Jan. 30 I will be at the Bay County Government Center and on Thursday, Jan. 31 I will be in Escambia County at the John and Paul Amos Performance Studio, Building 23, Pensacola State College. All Town Hall meetings start at 6:00 pm and are open to the public, employees and anyone else who has an interest in juvenile justice reform. I encourage you to attend if your schedule permits. If you haven’t yet had an opportunity, please take a moment to browse the videos, media coverage and endorsements of the Roadmap to learn more.

LEGISLATIVE UPDATE: Though it was a short work week due to the Martin Luther King Jr. Day holiday, it certainly was a busy one. On Wednesday, Jan. 23, I joined Department of Children and Families Secretary David Wilkins before the Senate Children, Families and Elder Affairs Committee to discuss the Florida Safe Harbor Act, which helps ensure the safety of child victims of human trafficking. Florida is the first state in the country to attempt to identify victims immediately upon arrest. DJJ’s victim identification pilot project – which has been operational since last year in Broward and Miami-Dade counties and will begin operating in Orange County on Jan. 31 – identifies youth victims of human trafficking as soon as they are referred to our agency. I also discussed juvenile justice reform and our Roadmap to System Excellence with members of the Legislative Black Caucus.

On Thursday, Jan. 24, I participated in a panel discussion on mental health in the House Healthy Families Subcommittee. This is an important issue for DJJ because at least 80 percent of youth in the juvenile justice system may have histories of neglect, trauma, and/or mental health issues.

Today, Jan. 25, DJJ staff participated in a second workshop on the issue of detention cost share. The workshop is being held with the Florida Association of Counties and the Florida Sheriffs Association.

The State Advisory Group will meet in Tampa on Jan. 29 to discuss DJJ’s 2013 legislative initiatives.

HONORING MARY JANE MARTINEZ: On Tuesday, Jan. 22, I was privileged to join Gov. Rick Scott, First Lady Ann Scott, Attorney General Pam Bondi and House Speaker Will Weatherford at a reception honoring Mary Jane Martinez hosted by the Florida Network of Youth and Family Services at the Capitol. Mary Jane, the wife of former Gov. Bob Martinez and a strong advocate for at-risk youth, was effective in bringing attention to the needs of teens in crisis. Her efforts led to groundbreaking legislation that mandated a network of organizations to provide crisis intervention, counseling and shelter to runaways and other troubled youth. As a result, children all over Florida received the right help at the right time, and were able to avoid the path to juvenile delinquency. There are now 28 shelters in Florida, all operated by community based non-profits. With a 90 percent success rate of returning youth to their homes, the Florida Network of Youth and Family Services has been a valuable partner with DJJ in giving young people every chance at success while keeping communities safe.

With Gov. Scott’s leadership and the support of the Legislature, we continue to expand upon Mary Jane’s groundbreaking work. Just as the legislation that created the Florida Network's youth shelters now serves as a model for many other states, DJJ is working to become a national model for the humane and effective care of our young people. I was proud to attend on behalf of DJJ and offer our sincere gratitude to Mary Jane Martinez for her pivotal work that continues to help troubled children and their families throughout Florida and across the country.

Thanking former First Lady of Florida Mary Jane Martinez at the Capitol

FALKENBURG KUDOS: On Thursday, Jan. 24, I had the pleasure of personally thanking Dr. Phyllis Anderson, nurses Chantal Trinidad, Gratien Celestin and Peter Stoyanov and supervisor Tyrone Roman, whose conscientious attention and caring attitude may have saved the life of a youth at Falkenburg Juvenile Correctional Facility on Jan. 15. The youth sought medical attention for abdominal pain, which the medical staff determined to be appendicitis. Through their team work, these individuals recognized the child’s medical needs and provided him with proper care. Thanks also to the supervisor Darron Singleton and juvenile residential officer Stanley McFadden, who transported the youth to the hospital. He is progressing well in his recovery.

Miami-Dade Regional Juvenile Detention Center therapy dog, “Justice”

DETENTION KUDOS: I am delighted to introduce “Justice,” the newest staff member and “leader of the pack” at Miami-Dade Regional Juvenile Detention Center (RJDC). Justice is an 11-month-old Great Dane/Lab mix adopted from the Big Dog Ranch Rescue in Wellington. Youth at Miami-Dade RJDC benefit from interacting with Justice, who is being professionally trained as a therapy dog, as he helps them overcome trauma and learn productive skills that could later enhance their employment opportunities. The youth will also receive professional assistance with dog-training skills and educational workshops to build awareness about animal abuse. Justice will be integrated into the Behavior Management System in a structured manner that will include module visits, planned positive recreational time, grooming sessions and training practice.

Superintendent Daryl Wolf has given Justice a home on weekends and after work. “I strongly believe this is an asset to the kids,” she says. “Dogs and other pets, even fish and lizards, have a calming effect on kids. The unconditional love pets offer helps youth in decreasing their tension and anxiety, and teaches them responsibility as they learn how to care for the animal.” I also want to recognize Dr. Gladys Negron, detention regional director in South Florida, for her support and leadership in bringing Justice on board. Many thanks to Gladys and Daryl for making this opportunity available to youth!

DETENTION KUDOS II: Thanks to Carrie Young, a mental health and substance abuse counselor at Southwest RJDC for her recent letter detailing efforts that were made to support the success of a teen who was detained at the facility. Carrie connected the boy with mentoring services from the Big Brothers/Big Sisters program through Lee County School guidance counselor John Bontly. John helped the youth, who is of foreign descent and deeply interested in learning more about his native culture, to find a mentor who shares the same cultural heritage. Their attention to the teen’s special circumstances has given the child a better chance at a successful future.

DETENTION KUDOS III: Orange RJDC was honored to host Ralph Martin as a guest speaker on Jan. 16. He shared his life story, describing his struggles as a young man growing up in low income family in a poor community with a violent environment, and being confined as juvenile youth offender. Many of the youth expressed that they identified with the issues he faced. “Your actions now can affect your future as an adult,” he told the kids. He also explained how his juvenile offender record led to adult convictions and problems with law enforcement. By speaking passionately about his experiences and establishing a rapport with the youth, he gripped their attention as he explained how they can change their lives for the better. “You young people are not bad kids; you just do bad things, which lead you to places that lock you down and keep you away from your real family and friends,” said Ralph. “You have to stop allowing others to think for you and start thinking for yourselves. Stop following your ‘homeboys’ and ‘home girls’. Be yourself and find positive role models.”

Ralph now works professionally to help youth offenders find shelter and employment assistance, and continues to mentor teens and encourage them to take part in positive activities. Both the youth and staff at Orange RJDC appreciate Ralph for taking the time to visit the facility and share his experiences and the lessons he learned, and for his dedication in working with troubled youth.

PROBATION: It’s always encouraging to learn that others say nice things about you when you aren’t present. Thanks to Circuit 6 (Pinellas and Pasco counties) juvenile probation officer (JPO) William “Bill” Mecklenburg, who recently sent an email (reprinted below) to JPO Richard “Rick” Christie, in which he shares an anecdote about Circuit Judge Stanley R. Mills’ high opinion of Rick.

Rick: Judge Stanley Mills held detention hearings today. He told (youth name redacted) what a wonderful JPO you are. The juvenile and his mother acknowledged this and then Judge Mills continued to sing your praises. Once court was no longer in session and only the public defender and I remained, Judge Mills continued to say how much he appreciated you. Just thought you’d like to know. – Bill

To all employees, thank you for the professionalism, care and concern you demonstrate as you work with youth and one another.

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.