Strength-based Service Delivery for Youth

Strength-based Service Delivery for Youth:Theory, Research, Practice and ResultsBuilding on Family StrengthsResearch PlenaryJune 24, 2005
Strength-based Service Delivery for Youth:Theory, Research, Practice and ResultsLaura Nissen, Ph.D., Program DirectorReclaiming FuturesPortland State UniversityGraduate School of Social WorkP.O. Box 751, Portland, OR 97207-0751(503) 725-8914nissen@pdx.eduJuliette Mackin, Ph.D., Senior Research AssociateNPC Research4380 SW Macadam Ave., Ste. 530Portland, OR 97239-6408(503) 243-2436 x 114mackin@npcresearch.comLaurie Rice, M.A., L.P.C., CADC III, Licensed Psychologist AssociateProgram CoordinatorWashington County Juvenile DepartmentSubstance Abuse Program and Drug Court222 N. First, Hillsboro, OR 97124(503) 846-3487 laurie_rice@co.washington.or.us
RECLAIMING THE FUTURES OF YOUTH IN THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEMLaura Nissen, Ph.D.National ProgramDirector
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
Overarching Questions That Guide Community Change1. What do youth struggling with substanceuse disorders, as well as related andoverlapping life challenges most need tobe successful?2. What would community-institutional partnerships look like if they were able to provide that?3. How can we move the system in this direction?
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
What is Reclaiming Futures?|A new approach to helping teenagers who are caught in the cycle of drugs, alcohol and crime|A $21-million, five-year initiative of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation|Vision: Communities that reclaim youth involved in the juvenile justice system through appropriate, comprehensive and individualized responses to substance abuse and delinquency.
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
Why it?s needed|America?s juvenile justice system faces a public health crisis|As many as four in five teens in trouble with the law are abusing drugs and alcohol|Yet as many as 80 percent receive NO treatment|Research shows treating drug and alcohol abuse reduces crime, saves money and builds safer communities
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
Reclaiming FuturesMore Treatmentand RelatedServicesMore ThanTreatmentBetterTreatment andRelatedServices
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
Reclaiming Futures|Reclaiming Future?s accomplishments?Launched program on national and local levels?Organized the evidence base and made it accessible to groups nationally?Conducted research to establish benchmark?Created the national six-step model?Built various tool kits to address key aspects of community and organizational change
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
Reclaiming Futures
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
Reclaiming Futures
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
Reclaiming Futures
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
Reclaiming Futures
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
Reclaiming Futures
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
Reclaiming Futures
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
Reclaiming Futures|Our accomplishments?Ten sites chosen with diverse communities?Three years into their projects|Have designed tailored approaches|Are seeing kids and seeing change
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
Reclaiming Futures|What we have learned as a national program?Leadership ?Systems change?Communications|More treatment, better treatment, more than treatment|Community involvement is long term solution|Focus on common ground between treatment and justice, and community safety and ownership
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
Preliminary Findings -Reclaiming Futures National Evaluation|Surveys of juvenile justice and substance abuse treatment systems?10 Reclaiming Futures sites?Several times between 2003 and 2005?20 to 30 respondents per community?13 indices of system effectiveness (AgencyCollaboration, Information Sharing, Systems/Services Integration, Cultural Competence, Treatment Effectiveness, Family Involvement, etc.)
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
Preliminary Findings -Reclaiming Futures National Evaluation (cont.)|Results?12 of 13 indices increased over the first two years of the initiative acrossall 10 communities ?Only the index measuring respondent satisfaction with agency partnerships declined slightly, and this could easily be due to heightened expectationsrather than declining performance
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
Communities Reporting Significant Improvements|Number of Reclaiming Futures Communities Reporting Statistically Significant Improvements Between Nov 2003 and Jan 2005:Resource Management -5 Communities (of 10 total)Data Sharing -5 Communities Systems Integration -6 CommunitiesUse of Client Information -7 CommunitiesAvailability of Targeted Treatment -7 CommunitiesPerceived Treatment Effectiveness -9 CommunitiesFamily Involvement in Services -7 Communities
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
Reclaiming Futures|What?s next for us?Evaluation?Long term changes|What?s next for the field?Keep issue visible?Coordinate local, state, national efforts?Get involved!
Youth Competency Assessment: Integration of a Strengths Approach into Juvenile Justice
What is it?|A strength-based assessment tool and protocol|For professionals working with youth and families|Developed for use in the juvenile justice system|Also appropriate for other treatment providers or prevention program staff
Who developed it?|NPC Research, Portland, Oregon|Funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation|Developed and tested in collaboration with three county juvenile justice agencies in Oregon|National Advisory Board also provided expertise
Why was it developed?|To address a critical gap in the juvenile justice system and adolescent treatment systems: Inclusion of strengths in the assessment process
What areas are covered?|The domains of the YCA address three primary goals:?Support efforts to repair harm and support development of pro-social norms and values?Provide specific indicators for pathways toward a healthy identity?Connect youthto community, family, and peers
A. Repairing Harm, Developing Pro-Social Norms and Values|Learn important lessons from their behavior/choices|Facilitate moral development|Reduce antisocial attitude: a major criminogenic risk factor|Increase public safety and restitution for victims|Modify behavior
B. Creating a Healthy Identity|Identity development is a central task of adolescence|Identification of skills, competencies, interests, and goals for the future|Identification of resources to support this growth|Help others in youth?s environment recognize and confirm youth?s positive identity|Positive psychology and positive reinforcement
C. Connecting to Family, Peers, and Community|Strong connections with families, positive peers, and community are protective: ?Less likely to commit crimes and more respectful of others?Greater health?Increased positive social control|There may be a need to advocate for community support for youth
Youth Competency Assessment (YCA) ModelA. Repairing HarmWhat personal strengths does the youthhave that she/he can useto make up for past mistakes?B. Creating a Healthy IdentityWhat positive skills & qualities does theyouth have thatwill help her/him succeed?C. Connecting with Family,Peers, and CommunityAre there positive people in the youth'slife who can serve as a resourcefor her/him?
Results: Staff focus groups|Helps gather more and different information|Helps youth and family feel more comfortable, share more, and buy into the process (motivates changes)|Helps identify ideas and resources|Makes follow-up appointments more enjoyable|Facilitates quicker completion of court requirements and reduced need for sanctions
Results: Youth self-report|Rated the first few meetings with the department as more positive than comparison site youth|Were more likely to say that their counselor/probation officer cared about their point of view
Results: Youth self-report|Were more than twice as likely to report that their counselor/probation officer asked them about their (youths?) strengths|Were less likely to report that their counselor/probation officer talked about what they did wrong
Results: Ratings of videotaped interviews|Increased use of strengths-based practice (compared to non-YCA interviews)|Improved use of positive non-verbal cues and more positive interview atmosphere (compared to non-YCA interviews)
Results: Coding of case materials|Pilot site assessments (83% = ?a lot?) included more information about ?Creating a Healthy Identity? than the comparison site (52% = ?a lot?)|None of the pilot sites lacked information in this area, though 10% of the comparison assessments did
Results: Coding of case materials|77% of pilot assessments included ?a lot? of information about ?Connecting with family, peers, and community,? but none (0%) of the comparison assessments did|61% of comparison assessments had no information about this domain, but none of the pilot counties lacked this information
Results: Coding of case materials|49% of pilot assessments included ?a lot? of information about ?Repairing Harm? and none (0%) of the comparison counties did|23% of comparison assessments included no information about this domain compared to 10% of pilot assessments
Results: Coding of case materials|Creating a Healthy Identity: 76% of pilot and 32% of comparison plans included this domain|Connecting with Family, Peers, & Community: 65% of pilot and 42% of comparison plans included this domain|Repairing Harm: 38% of pilot and 67% of comparison plans included this domain
For more information|Go to www.npcresearch.com|Click on ?Materials?|Go to section on ?Youth Competency Assessment? for the training manual and trainer?s guide