EVB/Resource Probation Perry Palumbo, Program Development Manager March 15, 2019

1. EVB/Resource Probation Perry Palumbo, Program Development Manager March 15, 2019

2. EVB Probation Services • All courts funding probation staff under the Subsidy Grant will need to incorporate one or more evidence based interventions (EPICS, Carey Guides, or Motivational interviewing) into their probation services by July 1, 2019. • Staff will need to have completed relevant training, the intervention(s) will need to be implemented, and quality assurance processes put in place by that time. • The Bureau of Courts and Community Services will be available to provide technical assistance to courts.

3. Requirements for Other Internal Court Programs/Services • Grant funded programs/services where court staff provide oversight and/or supervision of youth (not called “Probation”) also will need to incorporate an evidence-based or hybrid intervention. • Court operated programs/activities that will not be required to use an evidence-based/hybrid intervention include community service, monitoring/curfew visits, mediation, and any support activity – admission program. • A new category has been created for programs serving low-risk youth both adjudicated and non-adjudicated.

4. Youth Risk Assessment Requirements • In order to determine the risk level of youth placed on probation, all grant funded probation programs must use a risk assessment instrument to assess adjudicated youth. • OYAS is the preferred (but not required) assessment tool. Other youth risk assessment tools include GAIN, YLS/CMI, YASI, etc. • Courts that wish to use the OYAS but do not have staff currently certified, may use the OYAS-Diversion tool until their staff is certified to use the OYAS-Dispositional tool. • Moderate and high risk youth should receive the selected intervention services. Low risk youth may receive some limited services on a case by case basis.

5. Program Description Guidelines • Clearly describe how the selected intervention (EPICS, Carey Guides, Motivational Interviewing) is used by staff in working with the high and moderate risk youth. Provide a few examples. • What intervention services, if any, do low risk youth receive? • How are the intervention sessions documented (copies of exercises in youth file, case notes in management system, etc.)? • How does the court determine successful completion of probation? • Primary outcome must be a 12-month recidivism measure.

6. Program Description Guidelines • Include an overall description of what staff do on a regular basis with regard to managing their caseload. • Describe routine meetings with youth (how often, how long are typical meetings, where are they held). • How are parents/guardians involved? • What incentives/rewards are used with the youth? • What other functions, if any, do probation staff perform, such as electronic monitoring, supervise community service, facilitate groups, etc.?

7. Quality Assurance • Describe how the probation department conducts the QA processes required by the selected intervention (observations or recordings of staff sessions with youth, completion of observation checklists, supervisor review, completion of youth surveys, etc.). How often is the process conducted with each staff? • We have some tools/documents that we can share that will help you develop your QA processes. • Also describe the routine internal QA processes conducted by the probation department, such as staff meetings, annual staff reviews, case review meetings, etc.).

8. Questions?