Department of Youth Services' Newsletter | NOVEMBER 2021 Edition

COMMISSIONER'S CORNER

Dear Colleagues,   During this season of "thanks," let me say thank you to our staff. I am grateful for your commitment to the agency- but most importantly, to our youth.   The relationships between our staff and youth and their families are critical in supporting progress for DYS involved youth. Our Juvenile Justice Youth Development Specialists and Caseworkers create pathways to success and are dedicated to guiding youth and their families each step of the way.   A few updates: Recently, our Director of Communications, Katy Laverriere, and I were asked to participate in a nation-wide webinar through the Center for Juvenile Justice Reform (CJJR) at Georgetown University’s McCourt School of Public Policy to discuss Positive Youth Development with juvenile justice and child welfare professionals. About two years ago, Katy Laverriere was appointed as the representative for DYS with this group, and works with her fellow public information officers throughout the country to regularly discuss current events in the respective states and their communication efforts. During this webinar we explained how we work to effectively communicate, internally and externally, with our staff, families, and partners. We discussed the positive impact PYD activities have on our youth and their families, including the DYS Youth Art Rally, the DYS Youth Art Showcase, and family engagement activities.   Our team has worked hard on producing the Family Engagement Video Series. While putting these videos together, we listened to the families’ positive feedback regarding their relationship with the department, which includes how we have supported and built positive relationships with them. You will see more about the video further along in the newsletter.   I want to acknowledge the tremendous effort made by everyone towards getting almost everyone vaccinated. I realize that the mandatory vaccine for staff was challenging to a number of people. We worked through this difficult process and had 98.4% of DYS employees attest to being fully vaccinated. As a result of this effort our youth and staff are safer, particularly those in congregate care.   I appreciate what you do every day in these challenging times and wish you and your families an enjoyable holiday season.

Your Commissioner, Peter Forbes

DYS Welcomes, Announcements, & Reminders

Meet DYS' First Diversion Program Manager, Daniele Rose! Daniele has served DYS for over 20 years in several roles including Community Caseworker and most recently District Manager for the Roxbury office for the past four years. While working full time at DYS, Daniele received a Bachelor’s degree in Science from UMASS Boston and a Master’s degree in Business Administration from Curry College.  During her time here at DYS, she established positive relationships with committed youths and their families as well as established effective relationships with DYS partners to promote strong collaborations and outcomes. Daniele has served on the JDAI Panel to reduce the number of youth in secure facilities while examining racial disparities, the Chelsea Hub Core Group (a police-led initiative made up of designated staff from community and government agencies), as well as DYS’ Equity and Fairness work group. The Diversion Project Learning Lab is a new state-level Youth Diversion initiative being led by DYS in partnership with the OCA, to provide high-quality, evidence-based youth programming that can serve as an alternative to arresting the youth or prosecuting them through the Juvenile Court.    Daniele is responsible for coordinating and overseeing three “Diversion Learning Labs” operating in three counties, NFI Massachusetts in Middlesex County, Merrimack Valley Family Services in Essex County and Family Continuity in Worcester County. We are excited to have Daniele apply her experience, and education to lead this exciting new initiative! SKILLS UP! Request for Response DYS is pleased to announce a vocational funding opportunity that will be released soon.  Applicants may include employers, workforce service providers, vocational-technical high schools, community, grassroots and faith-based organizations. the Skill Up Request for Response has been posted by DYS on commbuys.com. For any questions, contact Sandra Stearns, Director of Purchase of Service Contracts at sandra.r.stearns@mass.gov.

Race, Equity, and Inclusion Training The Department of Youth Services (DYS) supports work committed to achieving racial and ethnic equity and inclusion. Knowing there is a long history of racial disparities in the juvenile justice system, DYS seeks to raise awareness of the causes of disparity and focus on finding solutions that promote more inclusive practices for our youth, families, and employees. DYS is rolling out the second round of the DYS Racial Equity Training that is designed to give all employees the same information on the definition of the types of racism; ways that racism is perpetuated; how to have productive conversations on racism; how our youth may be affected by racism and inequity; and, finally, how we can all as DYS employees ensure that we are doing what we can to ensure DYS youth and staff are treated equitably.   DYS hopes that this training will empower staff to demonstrate their commitment to equity and inclusion by engaging youth in a culturally responsive and inclusive way that will help create a respectful, fair environment for youth and staff throughout the DYS continuum.

Data Matters

Youth Engaged in Services (YES) is a DYS service that seeks to increase positive youth outcomes and reduce recidivism for youth committed to DYS post discharge. YES allows DYS to continue to provide support to youth during the highest risk period for recidivism—which is the first six months post-discharge.

Youth discharging from DYS are offered continuing case management and other transitional supports such as housing, clinical services, continued education, treatment and/or job training in exchange for their voluntary agreement to abide by the terms and conditions of the YES agreement. Youth who initially decline YES services have a 90-day window post discharge to change their minds and enroll in YES.  The percentage of discharged youth choosing to opt-in to YES continues to rise, except for a decrease in FY20 which may be attributed to the pandemic. Based on 1,360 youth discharged between 2015-2018 with available recidivism data, we found, from 2012-2018, YES participation is associated with lower recidivism (with the exception of 2017).

YES youth have a modest, but statistically significant, lower recidivism rate compared to their non-YES peers.

In FY13, the average YES duration was about 3 months, whereas in FY21, the average YES duration was 13 months. In 8 years, the average YES duration increased by 10 months.

Boston University's Youth Engaged in Services Study

The CERES Institute for Children & Youth at Boston University (CERES) has been examining the Massachusetts Department of Youth Services’ (DYS) Youth Engaged in Services Initiative (YES). This study provides initial insights into the YES Initiative’s implementation and impact on recidivism using: Quantitative data analysis of data from JJEMS for 1,627 youth discharged from DYS between 2015 and 2019. Qualitative interviews with 17 DYS caseworkers. Supplementary machine learning analysis of approximately 200,000 case notes from caseworkers who work with those 1,627 youth. This study found that: YES engagement appears to reach a broad array of youth Relationships with caseworkers appear to matter YES engagement relates to lower recidivism rates Educational attainment of YES youth is a robust predictor of lower recidivism and that youth who terminate YES at an older age were also less likely to recidivate.

Highlighted Articles: Family Engagement

Family Engagement in the Regions The Southeast's Fall River District office hosted a family engagement event, "Boo Bash." The bash included ceramic pumpkin painting, caramel apple making, and tie dye t-shirts! Every family left with a boo basket full of treats and real pumpkins to carve at home! Fall River District Office also brought the Boo Bash to the home of a family that was unable to make it. The little goblin in the home thought it was spooktacular! The Western Region's Springfield District Office hosted a trunk or treat for youth, families and the community in their parking lot. Staff decorated their cars and dressed up in costume while handing out candy.

Family Engagement Video Series By Yvonne Sparling, Ph.D, Director of Clinical Services The Department is pleased to share the Family Informational Videos produced for families and inspired by the Northeast Family Engagement Workgroup,  a volunteer group composed of families that have or had a child committed to DYS and DYS staff.  Hearing from families that they wanted a resource that they can reference about DYS, the processes and programming, the videos were specifically designed to give families information about DYS and what to expect when their child is committed to DYS custody. Barbara Richards, Director of Community Services in the Northeast, and Rachel Tuckman, Acting Director of Operations in the Northeast, worked on outlining the video content, and with the support of agency personnel across all five regions, identified staff and family members throughout the state who were willing to participate in the filming. Yvonne Sparling, Director of Clinical Services, and Luz Valverde, Assistant Commissioner, secured funding through a grant for Suicide Prevention sponsored by the Department of Public Safety.  The Family Video series contains 8 videos in English and 8 videos in English with Spanish sub-titles. These videos will be made available to families when their child is committed to the Department. The titles of the videos are listed below:  Video 1: My Child was committed to DYS, what happens now? english/spanish Video 2: Assessment, Staffing, and the Regional Review Team english/spanish Video 3: What to expect from treatment in DYS english/spanish Video 4: Your Child’s experience in DYS programs english/spanish Video 5: What will it be like when your child comes home from DYS programs english/spanish Video 6: How DYS holds youth in the community accountable english/spanish Video 7: How family members can benefit from being involved with DYS english/spanish Video 8: Suicide Prevention with DYS youth english/spanish

2021 Commissioner's Awards

On Friday October 1, 2021, the Department of Youth Services hosted the Agency’s 2021 Commissioner’s Awards ceremony. The event was held at the DYS Northeast Regional Youth Service Center in Middleton. The awards ceremony took place outdoors where guests enjoyed a youth performance, youth art, and comedienne Amy Tee of Haverhill. The annual Commissioner’s Awards formally recognizes staff members, as well as Community Partners for their volunteerism and dedication to the Department’s youth and employees.  Congratulations to all of the award recipients!

State Award Alan Simons of Beverly, MA Henry Ramos of Worcester, MA Jonathan McManus of Sterling, MA Jamal Ford of Brockton, MA Apollos Wade of Taunton, MA Thomas Scibelli of Somers, CT Nicholas Bound of Londonderry, NH Provider Partner Award Rachel Asam of Dorchester, MA Darrell Byas, Robert F. Kennedy Action Corps of Lawrence, MA The Statewide Regional Health Service Providers Helen Batista, Justice Resource Institute of Taunton, MA Carlos Marrero, The Commonwealth Corporation of Springfield, MA Youth Voice Award Rose Rivera of Southbridge, MA Philip Crump, Old Colony YMCA of Lowell, MA Renee Jones of Brockton, MA Keith “KT” Thomson of Hyde Park, MA Alicia Linton of Stoughton, MA Helder Silveira of Springfield, MA Community Partner Award Susan Cammett of Amesbury, MA Lauren Enos of Quincy, MA Agency Partner Josh Dohan, Director of Youth Advocacy Division of Committee for Public Counsel Services (CPCS) of Brookline, MA

See full press release here. See all pictures from the event here and 30 second slideshow here.

DEPARTMENT OF YOUTH SERVICES [www.mass.gov/dys]

Kathryn A Laverriere Director of Communications

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