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Connecticut Family Support Centers Erika Nowakowski Connecticut Judicial Branch: Court Support Services Division
Center for Best Practice
June 25, 2010
Systems Change for Status Offenders in Connecticut
Connecticut juvenile population Impetus for Change: legislative background and target population Family Support Center model
Services Screening and Assessment Interventions Implementation process: considerations and challenges
Measuring and monitoring outcomes Lessons learned
Definition of FWSN
Five (5) categories that constitute a FWSN referral to court for a child under the age of 16: Runaway without just cause Beyond control of a parent/guardian Engaged in indecent/immoral conduct Truant from school or overtly defies school rules Age 13 – 15 and has engaged in sexual intercourse with a person 2 years of his/her age
Before Legislative Change
Connecticut Juvenile Court FY 2006-2007
15,857 distinct juveniles referred to court
1,675 distinct juveniles admitted to detention
10,910 Delinquency 1,212 Youth in Crisis (status offenders age 16 & 17) 3,735 FWSN referrals (status offenders under 16)
Average daily population of 169 50% with FWSN history* 12% with FWSN and VOCO*
49% of FWSNs are female; 51% are male 34% of all referred juveniles are FWSN; 15% violate orders
After Legislative Change
Statewide FWSN Referrals Down
Calendar Year 2006
Calendar Year 2007
3,638 FWSN Referrals
3,263 FWSN Referrals
Calendar Year 2008
2,187 FWSN Referrals
10% reduction from 2006 40% reduction from 2006
3 year comparison of FWSN referrals 4000
3753
3500 3000 2403
2500
1872
2000 1500 1000 500 0 6/06-5/07
6/07-5/08
6/08-5/09
Decrease in Judicial Handling
10/1/06 to 4/30/07
10/1/07 to 4/30/08
1,397 non-judicial FWSN 89 judicial FWSN
10/1/08 to 4/30/09
1,222 non-judicial FWSN 1,309 judicial FWSN
1,341 non-judicial FWSN 47 judicial FWSN
0 FWSNs or FWSN Violators in Detention
Decreased Violations, Commitments
10/1/06 to 4/30/07
10/1/07 to 4/30/08
30 FWSN Commitments of 181 total commitments (17%) 263 violations for FWSN & Delinquent
6 FWSN Commitments of 134 total commitments (4%) 166 violations for FWSN & Delinquent
10/01/08 to 4/30/09
8 FWSN Commitments of 151 total commitments (5%)
How did we get there?
Legislative Changes
PA 05-250: Children of Families with Service Needs; effective October 1, 2007
Prohibits holding a child whose family has been
adjudicated as a FWSN in juvenile detention, and Prohibits adjudicating FWSNs delinquent solely for violating a court's FWSN order
PA 06-188: Establishes Families With Service Needs Advisory Board
Legislative Changes
Amendments of CGS §46b-149 included changes to:
Processing FWSN referrals Time a judge may permit the matter to be continued with no adjudication (up to 6 months with a 3 month extension for cause) DCF FWSN Commitment; requires assurance of least restrictive environment Services that must be available Process for adjudicated FWSNs who violate a court order Types of environments allowable for FWSN violators
New Court Referral Process
New Parent Complaint Notification Form Changed the School Truancy/Defiance of School Rules Complaint Form Considerable changes in requirements for Judicial handling High-need FWSNs diverted directly to services (to FSCs in 4 areas)
Role of Juvenile Probation
Supervisors Screen FWSN Referrals; focus is on court diversion Refer directly to FSC (high needs indicated) OR Assign a probation officer to assess needs and refer to services
All Cases Handled Non-judicially
Exceptions: Continued and escalating problem behavior in conjunction with community based services being exhausted
Family Support Center: Funding
Judicial Branch requested state funds for 10 centers to serve 13 juvenile courts Target Highest-Need FWSNs
Estimated 25% of all referred
FY 07/08 state budget funded four (4) of ten, remainder of funding requested for FY 08/09 and again for FY 09/10 Funding included process and outcome evaluation
Family Support Center: Referrals
Probation Supervisors receive and review referrals from complainant If risk/need indicators are moderate/high, referral is sent immediately to FSC and FSC must contact the family within 3 hours If risk/need indicators are mild/moderate, case is assigned to a probation officer for standard processing
If after meeting the child and/or family, probation officer uncovers more risk/needs indicators, referral to FSC can still be made
DCF liaison can/is also be consulted; 3 of 4 courts instituted a triage meeting with DCF 564 referred since 10/07; 506 with intakes
R eferrals and Intakes at F SC
140 120 120
111
111 103
100 85 80
72 67
71
60
40
20
0 7/ 08 - 9/ 08
10/ 08 - 12/ 08
1/ 09 - 3/ 09
4/ 09 - 6/ 09
Family Support Center: Goals
To divert FWSNs from further court involvement:
Offer a “one-stop,” multi-service model of care for children and their families Provide an array of services on-site Prioritize collaboration with systems, service providers and families
Family Support Center: Who are the Kids?
Cases are VERY Complex
Multiple system involvement: Many services have already been tried
Prior out of home placements Home-based services Outpatient substance abuse and mental health services
Significant mental health needs Have witnessed or been victims of abuse/violence Parents have untreated and significant needs Educational challenges Stressed families
Family Support Center: Client Demographics
Average age is 15 75% of FSC clients are minorities Gender distribution by FSC site Bridgeport 62% M, 38% F Hartford 25% M, 75% F New Haven 54% M, 46%F Waterbury 32% M, 68% F
Family Support Center: Model Underpinnings
Principles of effective practice Strengths-based Gender responsive Trauma sensitive Family focused Individualized
Family Support Center: Key Elements
Focus on initial engagement
Contact families within 3 hours of receiving the referral Must continue attempts until all options are exhausted
Provide comprehensive screening, assessment and case plan (called collaborative plan) Services needed are services offered; match the child/family to the services indicated through assessment Collaboration with systems and service providers
Family Support Center: Services
Crisis Intervention Family Mediation Case Management/Coordination Educational Consultation/Advocacy Aftercare Services Referrals to home-based programs Flex Funds for Pro-social Activities
Family Support Center: Groups
Trauma Services/ Intervention Cognitive Behavioral Interventions Female-specific services Parent/ Family Skill building
Family Support Center: Screening and Assessments According to the OJJDP, screening and assessment instruments are desirable if they are:
Easy to read Paper and Pencil Assess mental distress and disorder and/or substance use needs Culturally sensitive Reliable and Valid Age- and Gender-based norms
Family Support Center: Screening Instrument Screening instruments should:
Assess psychological or behavioral conditions Have low cost and fees Be brief and simple to administer Offer easy scoring Be quick and simple to interpret
Family Support Center: Assessments Assessment is defined as, “a more comprehensive and individualized examination of the psychosocial needs and problems identified during the initial screening, including the type and extent of mental health and substance abuse disorders, other issues associated with the disorders, and recommendations for treatment intervention”. (OJJDP, 2004)
Family Support Center: Screening and Assessments Tools
Comprehensive screening process
Juvenile Assessment Generic (JAG) Suicidal Ideation Questionnaire (SIQ) Massachusetts Youth Screening Instrument-2 (MAYSI-2)
If indicated, assessment is conducted
Child and Adolescent Needs and Strengths with Mental Health Challenges (CANS-MH) Traumatic Events Screening Inventory (TESI)
Family Support Center: Staffing & Training
Staff interview process must reflect the key underpinnings of the program model Each staff must have an individual development plan Staff must be held accountable to set standards and rewarded for model adherence Training (plus coaching) must begin with how you expect staff to treat the clients
Motivational interviewing Strengths-based practice Trauma sensitivity Cultural competence Gender responsivity
Training on practices and interventions
Process must include quality assurance and feedback to encourage improvement
Family Support Center: Measuring/Monitoring Outcomes
Utilize Contractor Data Collection System to collect data from FSCs Justice Research Center conducted process and outcome evaluation Quality assurance on select groups Compliance specialist ensures contract compliance CBP staff ensure model fidelity through coaching and support
Family Support Center: Outcome Measures
Client Level
Program Level
Recidivism; including referral for another FWSN Educational improvements Family functioning improvements Overall client functioning improvements Service completion rates Treatment matching Model fidelity
System Level
Reduction/elimination of FWSNs in detention Reduction of judicially handled FWSNs Reduction of repeat FWSNs/ FWSN delinquents Reduction of FWSN Commitments
C o mpletio ns and Successful C o mpletio ns by Quarter
100 89 90 79
77
80
72
70
63
60 51 50
complet ions
42
successf ul
40 30 19
17
20 10
8
7 0
0 1/ 08 - 3/ 08
4/ 08 - 6/ 08
7/ 08 - 9/ 08
10/ 08 - 12/ 08
1/ 09 - 3/ 09
4/ 09 - 6/ 09
P ercentage o f Successful C o mpletio ns by F SC
100%
90% 90% 92%
90%
90%
83%
81%
80%
80%
73% 68%
70%
61% 56% 56%
60% 50% 50%
44%
40% 25%
30% 20%
14%
10% 0% Wat erbury F.S.C.
Bridgeport F.S.C.
7/ 08 - 9/ 08
10/ 08 - 12/ 08
New Haven F.S.C.
1/ 09 - 3/ 09
4/ 09 - 6/ 09
Hart f ord F.S.C.
Lessons Learned
Implementation requires an active partnership between model developer and the agency implementing the model Process evaluation helps streamline program processes and activities Collaboration with referral source is paramount Must have established ties with other systems/ service providers Collect data that will help determine if outcome objectives are being met Detail processes and inform partners
Connecticut Contact Information
Erika Nowakowski 860-721-2199 ext 3141
[email protected]
Kimberly Selvaggi 860-721-2171
[email protected]
State of Connecticut, Judicial Branch Court Support Services Division 936 Silas Deane Highway Wethersfield, CT 06109