JRB / LIST Conference
6.6.2016
Connecticut Youth Services Association announces:
CYSA's Juvenile Review Board / LIST Conference
Monday, June 6, 2016
Sponsored by CSSD, DCF, and SBDI
Location: CCSU’s Institute of Technology and Business Development (ITBD), 185 Main St, New Britain, CT
Fee: $25 includes validated parking, light breakfast, and lunch (note no charge to employees of our sponsors CSSD, DCF, SBDI who actively serve on a JRB or LIST. Please note, this option is for sponsor employees only, not contractors, not funded agencies. Thank you)
To Register: This program is full with a wait list. To register for the wait list Click Here
CONFERENCE AGENDA:
8:15 – 8:45 a.m. – Registration
8:45 – 9:45 a.m. – “Keynote” – JRB Policies and Procedures Guide
9:45 - 11:00 a.m. – Breakout Session I
11:15 - 12:30 a.m. – Breakout Session II
12:30 - 1:00 p.m. – Lunch
1:00 - 2:00 p.m. – “Burning Bridges” Documentary Screening and Discussion
2:15 - 3:30 p.m. – Breakout Session III
3:30 - 4:00 p.m. – Optional Cross Town/Cross JRB discussions
BREAKOUT SESSION I (9:45 A.M. – 11:00 A.M.)
Connecticut’s Juvenile Justice System in 2016
Francis J. Carino, Supervisory Assistant State's Attorney
This workshop will look at the changes made by the 2016 legislature that will impact the children, families, police, judges and court staff, as well as the service providers, involved in the juvenile justice system starting this year and beyond. It it is critical that we all understand what’s new and understand the direction that juvenile justice is trending in our state. While you may walk away from this workshop wondering how we will get this all done, you will be prepared to begin to work in a manner that is consistent with the new face of juvenile justice in CT.
Screening for Mental Health and Substance Abuse in JRBs
Steve Smith, Program Manager, Juvenile Services Community Programming, DCF and Daisy Ortiz, Court Planner, CSSD
Many youth who come into contact with the juvenile justice system have mental health and substance use related needs that are driving delinquency behaviors. Availability of appropriate screening options to assist JRBs with the identification of underlying causes for delinquency behaviors will be explored through literature review and discussion.
Color of Justice
Lara Herscovitch, Deputy Director, CT Juvenile Justice Alliance and Michaelangelo Palmieri, Juvenile Matters Supervisor, CSSD
Children of color are over-represented in our juvenile justice system and can receive harsher treatment than their white peers charged with the same offenses. This persistent problem harms children and families, and wastes public safety resources. The Color of Justice workshop will focus on how we can help stop this injustice. Workshop participants will watch the Juvenile Justice Advisory Committee-sponsored, Connecticut Public Television documentary, The Color of Justice, learn about related justice system elements, discuss implicit bias in decision-making, and learn about how to continue the conversation. http://ctjja.org/colorofjustice.
Restorative Practices and School-Community Strategies
Jo Ann Frieberg, PhD, Education Consultant, CT State Department of Education
This session provides an overview of Restorative Practices. Working restoratively is a social/relational rather than a behaviorist model. Embracing restorative practices is not a program but rather a way of thinking, being and operating. They establish the conditions for developing and nurturing a culture based on high quality relationships among all school community members and positive community building. This is accomplished by focusing not on rules broken and punitive consequences but rather on the harms done and providing appropriate restorative consequences and the systems that are necessary to repair and support strong relationships. This interactive overview includes concrete and practical strategies for establishing the appropriate classroom and school-based routines as well as conducting circles and conferences in primary prevention as well as intervention contexts.
BREAKOUT SESSION II - 11:15 -12:30 a.m.
Before You Text - Sexting Curriculum Training
J. Leon Smith, JD, Director Racial Justice Project, Center for Children’s Advocacy and Francis J. Carino, Supervisory Assistant State's Attorney
This new Connecticut-specific curriculum entitled "Before You Text” is a multi-module tool used to address the issues regarding sexting, use of social media, and related CT law. It is intended for youth and parents and can be taught by anyone. It can be taught as an entire program or module by module, depending on the need of the audience. This curriculum can be used in a variety of venues to fit a variety of needs such as part of a JRB case plan, a YSB program, in the schools, and in other community agencies. This training is an opportunity to review the modules, ask questions and review CT specific law.
Not Just a Little Weed: The Reality of Today's Marijuana
Kristen Granatek, Director of Prevention Initiatives, Governor’s Prevention Partnership and Jennifer Gardner, LMSW, ACR-A Therapist, Community Health Resources
Marijuana is among the most commonly used substances among youth in Connecticut, with 26% of our high schoolers reporting recent use. Marijuana is more dangerous than ever, with more and more young people experiencing significant harm as a result of their use. In this session, we'll explore current trends in marijuana use, the latest research into the impact of the harms of marijuana, effective prevention and treatment strategies.
School Based Diversion Initiative (SBDI)
Jeff Vanderploeg, PhD, Vice President for Mental Health Initiatives, Child Health and Development Institute
This presentation aims to increase participants’ knowledge of the School-Based Diversion Initiative (SBDI) as a school-level intervention that reduces discretionary in-school arrests, suspensions, and expulsions, and links youth with behavioral health needs to appropriate community-based services and supports. SBDI achieves this by engaging directly with school administrators, staff, and school resource officers through: 1) professional development on key mental health/juvenile justice competencies, 2) consultation on enhancing school disciplinary policies and incorporating restorative practices, and 3) enhanced utilization of community-based services and supports. Presenters will guide participants through The SBDI Toolkit: A Community Resource for Reducing School-Based Arrests (Bracey, Arzubi, Plourd, & Vanderploeg, 2013), developed as a self-guided, step-by-step resource for implementing some of the core activities of the full SBDI initiative into local schools and communities.
Understanding The Adolescent Brain
Alicia Farrell, PhD, Cognitive Psychologist
Teens can be impulsive, pleasure seeking and less likely to consider the big picture impact of their choices. In order to understand why we must look into their brains. This talk will do just that while answering questions like: What is really going on in a teen’s brain? Why are these goings-on important? What are the most powerful influences, both good and bad, to adolescent brain development? How do we use this information to better parent, educate and mentor our teens?
LUNCH SESSION (for everyone) 12:30-1:00 P.M.
Screening of "Burning Bridges"
Burning Bridges is a documentary created by the International Institute of Restorative Practices to show how use of restorative conference was used to bring a small Pennsylvania community back together after a tragic arson event. Centered around the burning down of the historic Mood's Bridge in Bucks County, PA, the documentary shows how the IIRP stepped in to help a community move through grief and anger towards healing and to ensure that the five young men involved could have the best possible outcome moving forward……. A brief Q & A will follow the screening.
BREAKOUT SESSION III 2:00 - 3:15 P.M.
Infusing Restorative Practices into Juvenile Review Boards
Justin Carbonella, Director Middletown Youth Service Bureau
We'll examine a variety of restorative practices and philosophies and how their use can strengthen the process of Juvenile Review Boards. The discussion will include a primer of the restorative framework and its foundational theories while using the evolution of the Middletown Juvenile Review Board as an example of change. The goal will be for participants to identify both small scale and large scale change opportunities for their community and their JRB process.
In School and Engaged!
Kari Sullivan, Physical Activity, Nutrition and Wrap Around Consultant, SDE and Barbara Lockhart, Director Montville Youth Service Bureau
Learn ways to identify and support students before they miss too much school or become truant. This presentation will provide an overview of chronic absenteeism including the causes and steps that can be taken to increase attendance. In addition, learn about what JRBs and other community organizations can do to prevent and intervene when school absence becomes a problem.
Crossover Youth from a Juvenile Review Board Lens
Mark Irons, CSSD Juvenile Probation Services Regional Manager and Tammy Algar, DCF Community Court Liaison
This session will focus on the identification and best practice for working with Crossover Youth, youth who are moving through both the child welfare system and juvenile justice system or are known to both concurrently, in a Juvenile Review Board (JRB) venue. Best practices will be highlighted which aim to improve the inter-agency communication and collaboration as well as keeping the meeting format youth and family centric; all of which are critical for this population of youth. The goal is to prevent the youth from further penetrating the juvenile justice and child welfare systems.
Social Media Trends Taking Over Our Teens & Tips to Regain Control
Officer Tina Roy, School Resource Officer, South Windsor Police Department
A look into some the current trending apps our kids are using on their devices, dangers of social media and discussion about some recommended practices and recommended practices to help adults take back control and keep their kids safe. Learn more about the roots of the problem and how to help parents navigate and safeguard their youth.
