OJJDP FY 2023 Building Local Continuums of Care to Support Youth Success

JBS International, Inc., in collaboration with subrecipients Juvenile Justice Institute of the University of Nebraska Omaha and Social Current, will provide comprehensive training and technical assistance (TTA) to support the 2024 grantee cohort of states and localities funded under Categories 1 and 2 of this initiative. This TTA will build grantees’ knowledge and capacity and assist them in planning a comprehensive and right-sized youth continuum of care and opportunity that (1) prevents and diverts juvenile justice (JJ) system entry and (2) supports those already JJ-involved with effective services to prevent deeper and long-term penetration in the system. Project activities include deploying a Core Team of expert and experienced providers to deliver (1) continuous TTA to grantees (e.g., coaching; strengths/needs assessment); (2) multimodal TTA across all elements of a comprehensive continuum of care and opportunity planning process; and (3) intensive TTA, including live training and site visits (virtual and in person), an in-person grantee convening, Regional and other peer-to-peer learning opportunities, on-demand and live webinars, and other means. Additional project activities include engaging an Expert Advisor Panel, including youth with lived experience, to provide high-level TTA guidance; conducting literature reviews and environmental scans on topics across continuum planning activities to inform resource dissemination, training activities, and tool/resource development; disseminating tools/resources through listservs, posts, the Rethinkthevillage.org website, and the shared TTA provider CoC website; supporting a virtual grantee orientation; and collaborating with other TTA providers to share information across Office of Justice Programs projects. Expected outcomes and key deliverables include a replication toolkit, including information about the process, tools/resources, materials, and lessons learned that states and communities can use as a roadmap for this process to build similar systems, including guidance on economic impact strategies resulting in cost savings to reinvest in prevention and frontend services; an adapted Sustainability Toolkit capturing the intricacies of sustaining multidisciplinary youth-continuum planning for JJ systems; and others. While grantees are the primary beneficiaries of this project, the expectation is that continuum plans will result in improved outcomes and well-being for youth and families, with an emphasis on improving racial equity, removing barriers, and creating access and opportunity for youth and communities underserved, marginalized, and adversely affected by inequality. As integral collaborative partners, subrecipients’ activities include contributing to the planning, delivery, and reporting of all TTA activities, each leading efforts within their respective areas of expertise. Contracted subject matter experts will support TTA delivery, as needed.