Improving Outcomes for Minnesota’s Crossover Youth Implementation of the CYPM Minneapolis, MN January 30, 2012

Improving Outcomes for Minnesota’s Crossover YouthImplementation of the CYPM

Minneapolis, MNJanuary 30, 2012

Crossover Youth = Youth who have experienced maltreatment and engaged in delinquency.

Dually-Involved Youth = A subgroup of crossover youth who are simultaneously receiving services, at any level, from both the child welfare and juvenile justice systems.

Dually-Adjudicated Youth = A subgroup of dually involved youth, encompassing only those youth who are concurrently adjudicated by both the child welfare and juvenile justice systems.

Crossover Youth: Key Definitions

A youth who enters the child welfare system for placement following JJ confinement because no other option is available

A youth entering the delinquency system who is being maltreatedbut has no previous or current contact with the child welfare system

A youth entering the delinquency system with previous (but not current) contact with the child protective system

A youth in the child welfare system who is subsequently charged with delinquency

Identifying Dually-Involved Youth: At Least Four Different Pathways

Child Welfare..…………….……………………………………....Juvenile Justice

• At least five studies have examined crossover youth characteristics (Herz & Ryan 2008b; Widom & Maxfield 2001; Halemba, Siegel, Lord, & Zawacki 2004; Kelley, Thornberry, & Smith 1997; Saeturn & Swain, 2009).

• Although these studies are not identical in their methodology, they all examine characteristics of crossover youth and report a tremendous amount of similarity.

• All provide evidence that childhood abuse and neglect are associated with an increased risk of crime and violence; it is important to highlight though that this relationship is neither inevitable nor deterministic.

The Research & Characteristics of Crossover Youth

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• Approximately one-third of crossover youth appear to be female, which exceeds the representation of females in general delinquency statistics.

• African-American youth are overrepresented in the crossover numbers relative to the general population, child welfare referrals, and juvenile justice referrals (this finding was specific to Herz & Ryan, 2008 and Saeturn & Swain, 2009).

• Overall, crossover youth appear to enter the system when they are young children and remain in the system into (and sometimes through) adolescence.

Characteristics of Crossover Youth

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• Among crossover youth, there is a high prevalence of a family history of criminal behavior, mental health, and/or substance abuse problems.

• Crossover youth are often exposed to domestic violence (70% in Halemba et al).

• During their time in care, crossover youth experience numerous placements, often resulting in one or more placements in congregate care.

(NOTE: at least one-third of arrests for crossover youth are related to their placement, and most of these situations occur in a group home placement - this finding was specific to Herz & Ryan, 2008 and Saeturn & Swain, 2009)

• Crossover youth are often truant from school. When they do attend school, they often have poor academic performance and exhibit behavioral problems.

Characteristics of Crossover Youth (cont)

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Updating the Research Characteristics of Crossover Youth

www.ncjj.org


Missouri Study

Study group: 79,766 children/youth with Status & Delinquency referrals (between 2002 – 2009). Used a developmental pathways model to examine how certain risk factors could be associated with maltreatment and violence. The risk factors included mental health, social environment, and offending history as well as gender and race.

Purpose to examine how certain risk factors (mental health, social environment, offending history, gender and race) could be associated with violent delinquency

Results provide support that significant differences exist between youth with and without a history of child maltreatment in their tendency toward violent behavior and risk factors associated with reoffending.

13,709 (approximately 17%) had a history of child maltreatment.


Missouri Study

• History of child maltreatment was significantly associated with crossover: a referral to the juvenile justice system at a younger age (most likely at 12 and under), an assault history (especially felony assault), and a prior out-of-home placement.

• Crossover youth were likely to have one or two parent(s) with a history of mental disorders, substance abuse, prior incarceration, a severely ineffective parent management style, and were prone to having peers with a strongly negative influence and to have a strongly negative social support system.

• Crossover youth were more likely to experience mental health problems, especially at a severe level, including mental illness; learning disorders, impaired interpersonal skills, substance abuse, academic failure, and behavior problems (both in general and at school).

• Crossover youth were likely to have negative and defiant attitudes and to be resistant to change.


King County, WA

Study cohort: Youth referred to the King County Juvenile Court on one of more offender referrals during calendar year 2006. Included 4,475 youth and their history of court & child welfare involvement was tracked through the end of the 2008 calendar year.

Significant Findings: Two-thirds of youth referred to King County’s juvenile justice system on an offender matter in 2006 had some form of involvement in the WA child welfare system.

Involvement in child welfare is related to worse outcomes in the juvenile justice system in relation to time spent in detention & recidivism when compared to youth with no or limited involvement in the child welfare system.

These outcomes, particularly for youth of color and females, worsened if the youth had more extensive involvement in the child welfare system.


King County, WA

The more extensive the history of Children’s Administration (CA) involvement, the greater the proportion of females and minority youth (specifically, African-American and Native American youth).

Youth with multi-system involvement begin their delinquent activity earlier and are detained more frequently (and for longer periods of time) than youth without such involvement.

There is a strong correlation between recidivism & history of CA involvement.

Multi-system youth experience frequent placement changes and there are substantial costs associated with such placements.

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A practice model is a conceptual map and organizational

ideology that includes definitions and explanations regarding

how staff partner with families, service providers, and other

stakeholders in the delivery of services to achieve positive

outcomes for youth and their families.

Reduction in the number of youth placed in out-of-home care

Reduction in the use of congregate care

Reduction in the disproportionate representation of children of color

Reduction in the number of youth crossing over and/or becoming dually-adjudicated

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Overarching Goals of the CYPM

• Reduction of the use of pre-adjudication detention

• Increased use of diversion

• Reduction of the number of youth reentering child welfare from juvenile justice placements

• Improvement in pro-social bonds

• Reduction in recidivism

Supporting Practice Goals

• To increase the use of interagency information-sharing

• To increase the use of “joint” assessment • To increase the inclusion of youth and family voice

in decision-making

Supporting Process Goals

Practice Area 1: Arrest, Identification, & Detention

Practice Area 2: Decision Making Regarding Charges

Practice Area 3: Case Assignment, Assessment & Planning

Practice Area 4: Coordinated Case Management & Ongoing Assessment

Practice Area 5: Planning for Youth Permanency, Transition & Case Closure

The Crossover Youth Practice Model Phases & Practice Areas

The Crossover Youth Practice Model Guide can be retrieved at:http://cjjr.georgetown.edu/pm/practicemodel.html

Key Practice Concepts -Phase I

• Improving system practices that lead to youth crossing over

• Family Engagement throughout the life of the case starting at the point of arrest/intake

• Utilizing data to assess DMC/DMR in your target population

• Early identification to improve joint case management and youth outcomes

Phase I - General Practice

• Meet with the family at the point of identification to discuss how the systems will work together

• Ensure families are provided some form of documentation that describes how the two systems function

• Develop Family / MDT meetings to ensure active engagement of all person’s/agencies serving crossover youth

• Examine how the site has addressed disproportionality, with particular attention to the crossover population

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Practice Area 1: Arrest, Identification, & Detention

Practice Area 2: Decision Making Regarding Charges

Practice Area 3: Case Assignment, Assessment & Planning

Practice Area 4: Coordinated Case Management & Ongoing Assessment

Practice Area 5: Planning for Youth Permanency, Transition & Case Closure

The Crossover Youth Practice Model Phases & Practice Areas

The Crossover Youth Practice Model Guide can be retrieved at:http://cjjr.georgetown.edu/pm/practicemodel.html

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• Create protocols that specify how client information databases can be searched to identify crossover youth.

• Create a memorandum of agreement that describes the ability of child welfare and juvenile justice staff to share information about youth and families involved in both systems. These agreements may also include sharing of educational and behavioral health information.*

• Utilize validated screening and cross system assessment tools that can be used while the youth is in detention.

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Phase I – Arrest, Identification and Detention

* Attorney Protocols developed – see examples from CYPM sites

• Conduct diversion meetings and pursue strategies to reduce youth crossing over into the juvenile justice system.

• Partner on identifying and funding prevention services to ensure that crossover youth have access to services funded by both systems.

• Ensure the CW social worker is in attendance at any relevant JJ court hearings

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Phase I – Arrest, Identification and Detention

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Conduct an inventory of the assessment tools used in bothchild welfare and juvenile justice. (This will assist in thedevelopment of a consolidated assessment of the youth andfamily).

Upon notification of a new crossover youth case, the newlyassigned probation officer should immediately make contactwith the assigned social worker. This contact should be madewithin three to five days. This level of contact may happenpre- or post adjudication.

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Phase II: Practice Area 3: Case Assignment, Assessment & Case Planning

Complete a consolidated/joint assessment of the family and youth includingthe following:

• Review of behavior patterns over time;• Examination of the family strengths and protective factors;• Assessment of the overall needs of the youth and family that affect the

safety, permanency, and well-being of children and youth in the family;• Consideration of contributing factors (caregivers) such as domestic

violence, substance abuse, mental health, chronic health problems, and poverty;

• Assessment of criminogenic factors including peer group, school performance, family dynamics, substance abuse, self regulation, history of delinquent behaviors; and

• Review of information gathered through other assessments from partnering agencies (i.e. mental health, substance abuse)

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Development of an integrated case plan that:

• Creates a direct link between the identified need areas and the goals, tasks, interventions and services.

• Focuses interventions on assisting parents/caregivers to improve their parenting skills and the youth in changing his/her risk taking behaviors.

• Are focused, time limited, behaviorally specific, attainable, relevant, and understandable to all and agreed to by the parent(s).

• Provide the basis for understanding when the work is completed. Conversely, they provide the basis for deciding that sufficient change has not occurred so that permanency goals may be justified and pursued.

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Families should help guide the process of determining what interventionscould best address their situation, within the context of a sharedcommitment to making necessary changes. This process should betransparent – the CW social worker/JJ case worker team should share thetools and information being used to build the service plan.

There is an expectation that all jurisdictions will make a commitment toreduce its use of group care (including residential and institutional) forcrossover youth. Residing in a family setting is ideal for all youth regardlessof their current or past situation.

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Identify kin to care for crossover youth. • Strive to engage the family as soon as the youth is

identified to the system. • Ensure that kin are given the same level of support as

resource families.

Sites must implement one of the following Court models: • Dedicated court docket • One judge/one family• Multi-system planning and court reporting.

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Phase 3: Practice Area 4 - Coordinated Case Supervision & Ongoing Assessment

Consideration of the use of coordinated case supervision (between the agencies), specialized case management & supervision units, special qualifications and/or training of case managers, & use of CW or JJ liaisons

CW social worker and JJ case worker should make a determination as to which agency should take the lead in providing services on a case

Minimum of monthly contact regarding each case to ensure coordination of efforts the CW social worker & JJ case worker

Ensure the conducting of formal gatherings based on case dynamics; to include (but not limited to):

- Prior to court hearings- When significant changes in family dynamics occur- At the request of family member

Phase 3: Practice Area 5 - Planning for Permanency, Case Closure & Transition

Begin planning for permanency at the onset of a case

Ensure that concurrent planning is occurring throughout the life of a case

Embedding learning opportunities for independent skills throughout service delivery in all aspects of the case

Implementing the use of permanency pacts for all crossover youth

Building the Infrastructure for a Cross Systems Approach

• Organizational Change / System Collaboration

• Infrastructure

• Leadership

• Data

• Messaging

• Training

Considerations When ImplementingThe Crossover Youth Practice Model

The initiative must have a clear management structure to support the reform/change process through all of its phases.

The management structure should:

• establish the governance and decision-making processes• determine staffing and funding• designate working teams or committees, and• establish timelines

Initiating the Process

Who & what agencies/entities do we need as collaborators? Do we have them “at the table” with us?

Is there an agreement or MOU that articulates the goals and objectives & roles and responsibilities?

Are there data that supports our ability to effectively identify a target population?

Key Practical Initiation Issues

Documents

Improving Outcomes for Minnesota’s Crossover Youth Implementation of the CYPM Minneapolis, MN January 30, 2012