STRATEGIC PLAN 2013-2017 Protecting Texas by positively changing the lives of youth. This plan was prepared under the direction of the Legislative Budget Board and the Governor's Office of Budget, Policy, and Planning to comply with Texas Government Code Section 2056. “There is no greater insight into the future than recognizing... when we save our children, we save ourselves.” —Margaret Mead AGENCY STRATEGIC PLAN FISCAL YEARS 2013-2017 B Y Board Member Term Expires Hometown SCOTT W. FISHER, Chairman 02/01/2013 EULESS ROB KYKER, Vice Chairman 02/01/2017 RICHARDSON JOHN BRIEDEN III 02/01/2017 BRENHAM JOSEPH BROWN 02/01/2017 SHERMAN CAROL BUSH 02/01/2013 WAXAHACHIE JANE ANDERSON KING 02/01/2017 CANYON MICHAEL MEADE 02/01/2013 SIMONTON MARY LOU MENDOZA 02/01/2013 SAN ANTONIO RENE OLVERA 02/01/2017 SAN ANTONIO LAURA PARKER 02/01/2015 SAN ANTONIO JIMMY SMITH 02/01/2015 MIDLAND CALVIN STEPHENS 02/01/2015 DALLAS MELISSA WEISS 02/01/2015 BELLVILLE July 6, 2012 SIGNED: Scott W. Fisher, TJJD Board Chairman APPROVED: June 22, 2012 This page intentionally left blank. TEXAS JUVENILE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT 4 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Texas Juvenile Justice Department (TJJD) was created Collaboration and teamwork that builds on December 1, 2011, combining the functions of the Texas partnerships with youth, families and local Youth Commission (TYC) and the Texas Juvenile communities; and Probation Commission (TJPC). The following public purposes of the new agency include: Innovation and technology that results in efficient systems and services. Creating a unified state juvenile justice agency that works in partnership with local county governments, The way in which the agency accomplishes this mission the courts, and communities to promote public has changed dramatically. This strategic plan covering safety by providing a full continuum of effective the 2013 through 2017 time period presents the supports and services to youth from initial contact framework of services and strategies to ensure individual through termination of supervision; and treatment, public protection, and stronger Texas communities. Building on new youth programming, Creating a juvenile justice system that produces recent issues and past achievements, TJJD is rebuilding positive outcomes for youth, families, and its services to focus on safety and security, facilitate communities by: collaborative partnerships with local juvenile justice professionals, and improve rehabilitation opportunities - Assuring accountability, quality, consistency, for Texas’ most serious and violent youth offenders and and transparency through effective monitoring to increase their success upon re-entry. and the use of system wide performance measures; The core of the new TJJD is a unified state juvenile justice system that works in partnership with stakeholders to - Promoting the use of program and service build an effective and efficient continuum of services for designs and interventions proven to be most youth in Texas. This collaboration is nowhere more effective in rehabilitating youth; important than in the establishment of the agency’s strategic initiatives for the future. The foundation of the - Prioritizing the use of community-based or TJJD programs and services includes the following family-based programs and services for youth strategic priorities which were developed jointly over the placement or commitment of youth to between agency staff and stakeholders statewide: a secure facility; Strengthen and enhance the safety and security - Operating the state facilities to effectively house protocols, procedures, training, equipment and and rehabilitate the youthful offenders that technology in all state-operated secure institutions cannot be safely served in another setting; and and half-way houses to ensure the safety of youth, staff and the public. - Protecting and enhancing the cooperative agreements between state and local county Strengthen and enhance the continuum of effective governments. youth services provided by local juvenile probation departments and community-based juvenile justice The primary mission of the new Texas Juvenile Justice partners to address core services and specialty Department is to create a safer Texas through the population’s needs (mental and behavioral health, establishment of a continuum of services that promotes prevention and intervention). Identify gaps in positive youth outcomes through: services along the continuum and focus efforts to address the needs of juveniles and their families in Organizational excellence and integrity that earns the community. and promotes public trust; Strengthen and enhance the provision of effective Evidence-based performance and accountability that mental and behavioral health programs, services and produces results; treatment for youth being served in the community- based juvenile justice system through a collaborative project funded by TJJD in cooperation with STRATEGIC PLAN 2013 – 2017 i community partners including juvenile probation Training®, and positive behavior have provided more departments, mental health authorities, TCOOMI, balance to the safety continuum. schools and community based providers as appropriate. The vast majority of youth committed to TJJD have had multiple previous encounters with the juvenile justice Strengthen and enhance the positive outcomes system. Often, the youth have been failed by their expected from the continuum of juvenile justice parents, the education system, their peers, and their programs and services statewide through effective communities. For many, TJJD is the last opportunity at partnerships with local juvenile probation rehabilitation before entering the adult correctional departments and community providers. system. TJJD’s challenge is to re-engage youth, inspire them, restore their hope, and teach them to believe in Develop and implement a collaborative border themselves – a monumental task for youth who have counties initiative to effectively address the grown accustomed to failure. provision of programs and services in counties bordering Mexico that are facing unique problems Rehabilitating youth at this level is a costly and time- and financial difficulties serving Mexican national consuming effort. Nationally recognized best practices youth engaged in drug trafficking, human trafficking indicate that best results are realized when youth are and weapons offenses in border communities. treated in small-group settings close to their homes. However, given the variety of intensive and specialized Develop a state/local formalized collaboration and service needs of TJJD youth, this type of approach quickly communication plan that promotes effective becomes cost prohibitive. collaboration and communication between local juvenile probation departments, juvenile justice To maximize quality and cost of services, TJJD has practitioners and TJJD. developed a regionalized approach to youth placement, putting youth as close to their home and family as State facility youth today are far different from those possible. At the same time, the most specialized services committed three years ago. TJJD has a smaller youth are delivered at selected facilities in an effort to control population now but it represents a higher percentage of cost. The tension between best practices and cost violent offenders. In the first half of FY 2012, 95% of new effectiveness will continue into the foreseeable future as commitments were assessed as needing treatment by a the agency balances the delivery of treatment and licensed or specially trained provider (capital or serious programming in the most cost-effective manner. violent offense, chemical dependency, mental health related issue, or sexual offense). Emphasis on community based programs and services, a focus on safety and security, and specialized services and It is critical that the agency take into consideration the juvenile rehabilitation programs will continue to evolve characteristics of TJJD youth, since a key to effective as funding opportunities and best practices change. treatment and rehabilitation programs is a shared feeling Despite external factors, TJJD’s mission will continue to of safety among youth and staff. The agency’s ability to be focused on youth outcomes. With focused and monitor and maintain a safe environment for youth has consistent leadership and skilled professional staff, the greatly improved in recent years. Enhancements in agency is positioned to anticipate and respond to the dormitory configurations, video monitoring and challenges and opportunities that may occur during this recording systems, and the presence of law enforcement FY 2013-2017 strategic plan timeframe. officers provides greater safeguards for youth and staff than in previous years. Upgrades to training requirements for newly hired staff, coupled with an experienced and professional workforce, also contribute to an environment conducive to treatment and rehabilitation. Finally, professional development and the implementation of evidence-based programs that focus on trauma-informed care, Aggression Replacement TEXAS JUVENILE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT ii TABLE OF CONTENTS SECTION ONE: SECTION TWO continued GUIDING PRINCIPLES ........................................ 1 C. Geographic Location and Locations of Service Statewide Vision, Mission and Philosophy ....................... 1 Populations .......................................................... 72 Relevant Statewide Goals and Benchmarks ..................... 2 D. Human Resources Strengths and Challenges