seven steps for saving kids while saving money

8/8/2019 Seven Steps for Saving Kids While Saving Money

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Department of Juvenile Justice

Seven Steps for Saving Kids While Saving Money: Prevention, Intervention and

Diversion within the Department of Juvenile Justice

1. Thinking in silos, of departments of juvenile justice, children and families,education and health is counterproductive to the needs of at risk youth

and economically inefficient. Lets face it: its the 6% of at risk youth who

can and should be targeted as 94% of Florida youth never break the law.

Technology allows us to break down silos and asses and manage at risk

youth in a wrap-around, individualized, case management style, but DJJ has

largely failed to do that. Therefore, the new Secretary of the Departmentof Juvenile Justice should immediately replace the existing chief deputy

position with an Assistant Secretary of Service Coordination to move in this

direction. We know what works with kids; we certainly know what doesnt

work. We need a coordinated response to address the significant

delinquency problems caused by a very small percentage of Florida youth

who cost the taxpayers an excessive amount of money.

Key elements:

y Recruit a well-respected, highly motivated person with broadexperience across the continuum of services in Florida. ( Judy L. Estren,

Esq., Vice-President of Support Services at AMI kids, Inc., has the

necessary experience, energy, insight and political skills as well as

national recognition. There are other capable people for this position,

second only in importance to the Secretary.)

y Appoint that person to the Childrens Cabinet and other inter-agencyforums and give that person great autonomy to develop an action plan

to integrate services across agencies.

y Require that person to target duplication of services, provider contractsand personnel within agencies and to recommend technology that

would improve communication and cut costs significantly, within the

first year.


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Fiscal Impact: None initially as the new position would replace the

current Deputy Secretary position. After a year, if the right person is

chosen, I believe significant savings across agencies will be achieved.

Legislative Requirements: None, I believe.

Legislative Opposition: None, I believe

Pros: Efficiency, improved and more immediate services for kids,

taxpayer savings.

Cons: None, I believe, except for a change within the DJJ structure.

Future Research: The Blueprint Commission Report, Recommendations

46, 28, 28, 30 and 7, January 2008; Community-Based Solutions for

Delinquent Youth: A guide of Advocates, by Judy L. Estren, Esq. with

Kristin Winokur, Ph d., found in the ABA Child Law Practice, Vol.29, No.

4, June 2010, page49; Child Welfare and Juvenile Justice: Two Sides of

the Same Coin, Parts I and II, published in the fall 2008 and winter 2009

issues of Juvenile and Family Justice Today, a quarterly magazine

published by the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges;

Chapter 22, Crossover Kids: Fewer Silos, More Legal Representation, in

Raised by the Courts: One Judges Insight into Juvenile Justice by Judge

Irene Sullivan.

2. Prevention, Intervention and Diversion represent a continuum of servicesfor needy youth that precede juvenile court, probation and incarceration

but belong under the same umbrella of juvenile justice. Evidence-based

outcomes are critically important for each area. We have the research

capability in Tallahassee to determine the cost effectiveness of each area,

and the value to the taxpayer. A long-range cost effectiveness study of the

programs in those categories should be undertaken, preferably by a highly

qualified, private research firm, such as The Justice Research Center inTallahassee in partnership with OPAGA. Only then can we determine which

programs really work in the long term to turn at risk kids into productive

citizens, thus allowing Florida to close prisons and save substantial taxpayer

money while increasing revenues.


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y Washington State undertook such a study a decade ago with terrificeconomic results. We find that if Washington successfully implements a

moderate-to-aggressive portfolio of evidence-based options, a

significant level of future prison construction can be avoided, taxpayers

can save about two billion dollars and crime rates can be reduced.

(Presentation made to the Blueprint Commission in 2008, contemplated

in the commissions Recommendation 45, and further described in

Chapter 19, Raised by the Courts: One Judges Insight into Juvenile

Justice by Judge Irene Sullivan.)

y The goal and scope of such a study obviously should be tailored to 2011Florida, rather than following the Washing State model. The Assistant

Secretary for Coordination should work closely with the research team

to assure that programs from all agencies that serve children are

included in the study as well as considering privatizing the work of the

Departments in research and planning, at an estimated savings of

$150,000 annual, according to the Justice Research Center.

y While the Washington State study emphasizes long-term taxpayersavings, the Florida research team should be charged with identifying

immediate, mid and long term savings, bearing in mind that cutting

costs and increasing the productivity of youth are equally important ifachievable. For example, in the 6

thCircuit, our Juvenile Arrest Avoidance

Project, less than two years old, has saved over 1500 kids from having

an arrest record and court involvement. Taking DJJs average cost per

youth of $5,500, and cutting that in half, conservatively we have saved

over $1.3 million in county/DJJ costs.

Fiscal Impact: Competitive bidding will determine the cost of the study,

which will be recovered in short and long-term savings to the taxpayer.

Operational Impact: Out of my area of expertiseLegislative Requirements: Legislation authorizing the study and

allocating the funds to pay for it.

Legislative Opposition: From those who are short-sighted and regard it

as too expensive, instead of seeing it as an incredible tool to reduce


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delinquency, increase productivity in youth and young adults, while

saving taxpayer dollars.

Pros and Cons: Summarized above.

Future Research: General Ideas from the Justice Research Center and

JRC Cost Savings Plan, available from the Justice Research Center in

Tallahassee. Otherwise, beyond my expertise, other than the

Washington State study. However, bidders should be required to list all

current research that supports the study and their method of achieving

similar results.

3. The most effective way to reduce delinquency is to prevent child abuse,abandonment and neglect, as statistics show that most serious delinquents

are themselves victims of childhood trauma. Instead of competing for

funding, DJJ and DCF should join in supporting programs like Healthy

Families, a proven success in reducing child abuse and thus reducing the

costs of juvenile delinquency. The $11 million reduction in Healthy Families

funding in 2010 is a glaring, shameful, foolish example of penny wise,

pound foolish, as juvenile delinquency will increase following a certain

increase in child abuse due to those spending cuts. The Healthy Families

funding should be restored and if necessary paid for by savings identified by

the Assistant Secretary for Service Coordination in eliminating duplicationin employees and services.

y DJJ has already recognized the proven connection between child abuseand delinquency by beginning trauma informed care training in

community and residential programs. That training needs to be

continued and expanded to all detention staff, juvenile probation

officers and aftercare workers, perhaps on a circuit-wide basis.

Prosecutors, public defenders and juvenile judges can be added to the

training to provide funding and/or encourage the financial support ofthe Florida Bar and local non-profit foundations.

y Again and again, the Blueprint Commission recommended coordination,cooperation and revised inter-agency agreements for dually-served

youth as well as increased emphasis on the mental health needs of

delinquent children. This would be a key role for the Assistant Secretary


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for Service Coordination. Dr. Shairee Turner was a vigorous advocate for

better mental health services for DJJ youth. Bringing her back from the

Department of Health, to work with the Assistant Secretary for Service

Coordination would be invaluable.

y Healthy Families Florida is a well-established, proven programadministered by the Ounce of Prevention Fund of Florida, Inc.in fact, a

leader in the nation in the area of in-home services for at-risk children.

DJJ should be required to support and work with this program to reduce

the delinquency that research has proven results from abuse,

abandonment and neglect. According to national studies, 27% of

abused or neglected children become delinquent. Flipping the statistic,

in my experience in court and what the research would support, is that

over 50% of delinquents have been abused, abandoned or neglected in

some manner. In 2008, the average cost to the state for a delinquent

child was $5,200. An independent study of Healthy Families found a

58% reduction in child abuse some two years after services. Therefore,

the costs of delinquency could be cut in half if proven programs like

Health Families were expanded. It makes absolute sense.

Fiscal Impact: $11to $13 million initially to restore and expand Healthy

Families services. In the long term, a major reduction in delinquencycosts by reducing child abuse in Florida.

Operational Impact: Outside my area of expertise

Legislative Requirements: Legislation to restore and expand funds to

Healthy Families.

Legislative Opposition: From those ignorant of the proven connection

between child abuse and delinquency, and those focused on short term

budget reductions.

Pros and Cons: Stated above.Future Research: We have a wealth of experts in this area in Florida

who can provide up-to-date research and evidence of what works: Doug

Sessions and Carole McNally from the Ounce of Prevention Fund of

Florida, Inc.; Mimi Graham from Florida State University, Lynne Katz

from the University of Miami; Judge Cindy Lederman from Miami-Dade


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mentioned above that do provide good outcomes and save back-end

prison costs. A highly-skilled, cost-motivated, outcome- oriented

Assistant Secretary for Prevention should be appointed to oversee this

important task.

y A number of long-standing DJJ programs will undergo this scrutiny. Twothat come to mind for re-evaluation are the following: DJJs efforts at

reducing the number of minority youth in the delinquency systemthe

DMC issue- and low risk residential programs. Consideration should be

given to outsourcing the entire DMC effort, which is critical as such a

large proportion of the departments budget is spent on minority youth

on probation and in commitment programs. Recidivism is high, the

numbers arent improving, whats been done to date hasnt worked. The

project should be outsourced via competitive bidding from well-

recognized diversity training experts in Florida. We have the talent, we

lack the will. Low-risk residential programs should be analyzed in terms

of per child costs, recidivism and alternatives in the community. Some

juvenile judges and child psychologists regard them as a poor substitute

for intensive family therapy in the community, such as with Re-

Directions.

y It is beyond the scope of this report to describe in depth all of thesuccessful programs referred to above, where Florida is a leader in the

nation. Transition team members and/or DJJ employees or consultants

should divide the work, thoughtfully interview the CEOs or EDs, gather

the statistics and be prepared to prove to the legislature that these

programs save substantial taxpayer dollars while keeping kids safe and

from DJJ involvement.

Fiscal Impact: Unknown at this time. Will require more analysis

depending on the cost savings from eliminating ineffective programs.Operational Impact: Beyond my expertise.

Legislative Requirements: A full-blown, evidence-based, success-story-

laden presentation to the legislature to convince them of the

importance of front-end prevention and intervention to reducing the

high costs of probation and commitment throughout DJJ.


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Legislative Opposition: From those who apply tough on crime to

juveniles, and those fiscally short-sighted lawmakers; however, this

should be minimized by a dramatic, evidence-based presentation by the

key players in Florida, who are nationally known for the efforts.

Pros and Cons: Stated above

Future Research: I have detailed research on all the successful

programs. However, I suggest the transition team contact these folks

directly, for up to date research and evidence: Mary Marx at PACE; Joe

Clark at the Eckerd Family Foundation for civil citation information;

Judge Frank Orlando for JADAI/Annie E. Casey detention reform

information, as well as team member Wansley Walters for her

internationally-recognized Juvenile Services Department in Miami-Dade

County; Stacey Gromatski and Jane Harper for Cins/Fins Network

information; Dan Edwards at Evidence-Based Associates and Kristin

Winokur at the Justice Research Institute for Re-Directions information;

Jack Levine and Katie Self and information on the National Association of

Youth Courts and the Florida Association of Teen Courts; the various

sheriffs for information about their diversion and prevention programs;

Judy Estren for Associated Marine Industries information, and the

organizations Connected by 25 in Tampa and Ready for Life in St.Petersburg for information about transitioning successfully out of foster

care. Thats just a sample! Furthermore, diverting youth from detention

and commitment and strengthening and supporting evidence-based,

successfully programs in the community was a key goal of the Blueprint

Commissions many recommendations.

5. Prevention includes prevention of recidivism. You cant fix the child untilyou fix the family. Floridas recidivism from a juvenile commitment

program is discouraging: 39% of the youth released from a commitmentprogram recidivate within one year. However, Florida is fortunate here in

that it has a nationally-recognized leader in Scott Sells, Ph d., creator of

Parenting with Love and Limits (PLL), paid through Redirections dollars to

pilot a number of very effective family-involvement/aftercare programs for

committed youth that will dramatically shorten the length of stay in a


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residential program while protecting public safety and reducing recidivism.

The program has saved other states such as Indiana millions of dollars in

residential costs while increasing bed capacity by shortening stays. More

youth are served at reduced costs. Instead of a few pilots, the PLL program

should be expanded statewide. It would pay for itself and generate

additional savings, if just one large residential facility could be closed. The

very capable Assistant Secretary Rex Uberman recognizes the potential of

this program, in terms of huge taxpayer savings and better outcomes for

kids. This should be a priority of the new Secretary of Juvenile Justice.

y Mark A. Greenwald, DJJs Chief ofResearch and Planning, has compiledTime to Failure data and a chart that shows that 59% of those getting

re-arrested do some within 120 days of being released. This is obviously

a critical transition period that Scott Sells and PLL address in their pilot

programs.

y By beginning re-entry planning and preparation at the time of thedisposition and actively engaging the parents or caregiver and other

stakeholders, PLL shortens the length of stay and thus increases bed

capacity by a third for the same cost, thus allowing faster closure of

residential programs and significant cost savings.

y PLL can demonstrate a potential cost savings of $2.12 million inresidential care in Florida through comparisons in Indiana and in the

positive results beginning to come out of its pilot programs at

Falkenberg in Tampa and Britt House in St. Petersburg. PLLs costs are

lower than multi-systemic family therapy or functional family therapy.

Fiscal impact: $2.2 million in savings within DJJ, and potential for more.

Operational Impact: Works best if residential facilities are closer to

home; will require closing of some facilities.

Legislative Requirements: Adjustment in residential dollar allocationsLegislative Opposition: Should be none if fully informed and a statistical

presentation is made.

Pros, stated above. Cons, none.


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Future Research: Scott Sells is a very research minded person and has

documented his success in readily-understandable, graphic format. He

is an incredible asset to the state in this area of reducing recidivism.

6. Children with mental health needs should be treated in mental healthfacilities and not in juvenile jails. Those juveniles who receive criminal

charges while in residential care are those most in need of mental health

treatment. Without treatment, they dramatically drive up the cost of

juvenile justice. Community based mental health treatment must be

increased by DJJ and DCF working jointly to use therapeutic residential care

for these children instead of a more expensive, locked-down delinquency

commitment. Again, if the silos are broken down and coordination occurs,

the savings to the taxpayer will be significant. Blueprint commissioners

considered this to be an urgent need in many of the recommendations

made.

y The Assistant Secretary for Coordination should work with DCF toidentify un-used therapeutic foster beds, for potential placement for

delinquent kids in need of intensive mental health treatment outside of

an expensive, hard- to- come- by residential psychiatric (SIPPS)placement. Both DJJ and DCF would be maximizing capacity and

lowering costs, if this was successful.

y Child psychologists working with juvenile judges in the Sixth Circuitrecommend community support teams, consisting of a mental health

provider, DJJ representative, school social worker and family therapist to

solve difficult mental health issues together in a way that makes the

child and family feel supported. Some feel that this would be more

effective and should take the place of low risk residential programswhich are located away from the community.

y Services that begin in detention and that rapidly connect the youth andfamily to community-based mental health services upon leaving

detention are proven to be valuable. One example is the Sixth Circuits


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PEMHS Post Detention program, initiated by Public Defender Bob

Dillinger.

Fiscal impact: Unknown, but expected to come from reduced recidivism

and fewer commitments.

Operational Impact: Beyond my expertise

Legislative Requirements: Beyond my expertise

Legislative Opposition: Other than to any up-front funding, none

imaginable as the savings are inherent in reduced need for residential

facilities, psychiatric and criminal.

Pros and cons: Stated above.

Future research: Drs. Cindy Zarling, Christine Jaggi and Adele Solazzo

are the three child psychologists who work with the juvenile judges in

the 6th

Circuit, providing behavioral evaluations, making

recommendations for dispositions, and connecting the families to

services. That is unique in Florida, and the 6th

Circuit is well-known and

envied for such a resource. They themselves know the literature and

research in the area and would be an invaluable contact for the

transition team or DJJ. Their work is detailed somewhat in Chapter 5,

Juvenile Judges and Mental Health Issues, in Raised by the Courts: One

Judges Insight into Juvenile Justice by Judge Irene Sullivan.7. Disproportionate minority contact (DMC) is the biggest problem in juvenile

justice in Florida and the most difficult to frankly address. DJJ has made

statewide efforts to bring recognition to the problem, but little or nothing

has changed or occurred. Shockingly, according to DJJ consultant Randy

Nelson, Ph d, president of 21st

Century Research and Evaluations, Inc., 40%

of present DJJ costs in Florida are attributed to young black males. Even

worse, as Dr. Nelson states, Black males mature onto corrections, driving

the costs immensely. The schools, communities, law enforcement and thecourts are affected. Frankly, Florida is far behind other states and national

initiatives. This is a very, very difficult problem, without an easy solution.

One positive note, however, is that under DJJs Andy Hindman, Director,

Faith and Community Based Partnerships, a network of 1200 congregations

statewide has been developed to provide mentoring, tutoring, GED


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programs in the neighborhoods using their own money and resources, with

guidance from DJJ. That should provide a good base to include in a DMC

action plan and Mr. Hindman deserves continued support for his effort.

y First, we have to be honest and identify the significance of the DMCproblem is in terms of DJJ dollars, loss of a productive citizen to prison,

prison costs, etc. The whole pipeline. This task could be outsourced to

the Justice Research Institute or another bidder, for greater honesty,

accuracy and less bias that might occur within the department. We have

to know the extent of the problem before we can move the state and

communities into action. In bold, brash, often frightening statistics.

y Next, consider outsourcing the development of a bold, evidence-based,outcome-oriented response and action plan to a private provider with

proven experience who will then be responsible for presenting the

response and action plan to the Secretary, key legislators, members of

law enforcement and the Childrens Cabinet. The provider should have a

track record of success or potential for successful in training law

enforcement, school resource officers and behavior specialists, juvenile

probation officers and court personnel, including judges, prosecutors

and public defenders. Something needs to happen quickly and

effectively in this area, as Florida is bleeding. If we know the actual costof the problem, and see proven results, the savings could be the largest

ever realized in a juvenile justice program.

y Barbara Cheives, the owner of Converge & Associates Consulting, anexpert in race and human relations consulting, cultural competency and

diversity training, and well-regarded member of the Blueprint

Commission, is someone with the personality, experience, connections

and energy for this task. She is the chair of the Palm Beach County

Criminal Justice Commission and has provided diversity training for over25 years. She, along with Dr. Nelson, should be offered an opportunity

to bid for the project, taking it out of the department for greater

effectiveness. She or someone with her expertise would take us from

over and over again asking why? we have the problem, to what we


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can do to dramatically reduce it. Its possible that payment could be

tied to success, as its easy to measure the DMC numbers within juvenile

justice.

Fiscal impact: None or little, if DJJs DMC budget reduced by the cost of

the outsourced provider. Potential for huge positive savings if the DMC

problem is resolved, even partially.

Operational impact: Outside my area of expertise.

Legislative Requirements: Adjustments in DJJ functions and allocations

Legislative Opposition: None anticipated, except from opponents of

outsourcing.

Pros and Cons: Stated above

Research: Ms. Chieves, Dr. Nelson and Kristin Winokur of the Justice

Research Institute have abundant research. Also, see the annual report

of the W. Haywood Burns Institute, as well as its paper on the DMC

issue. www.burnsinstitute.org . Also, chapters 1, 8, 11 and 28 in Raised

by the Courts: One Judges Insight into Juvenile Justice, by Judge Irene

Sullivan.

seven steps for saving kids while saving money

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