(TJJD) Office of Inspector General - Texas Juvenile Justice Department

Texas Juvenile Justice DepartmentChief Juvenile Probation Officer Summit Focus Groups March 8, 2012Preliminary Synopsis of Key Issues and RecommendationsTopic 1: Prevention and Early Intervention‣ Main Issues/Problems:o Inadequate funding and local resources for prevention and early intervention along with fragmentedfunding streams.o Lack of collaboration, communication and effective cooperation among community stakeholders andcommunity organizations.o Lack of clarity on the authority and responsibility for prevention and early intervention programmingand services.o Inconsistent information on programs that work (evidence based or research based programs).‣ Key Recommendations:o Provide adequate and stable funding for prevention and early intervention along with flexiblespending guidelines and realistic performance and outcome measures.o Define “prevention and intervention” and “at-risk”, clarify the legal authority to serve youth under10, and clarify target service populations.o Increase access and knowledge of effective prevention and early intervention programs/services bycreating a compendium of effective programs and resources such as a centralized electronic databasewith website access.Topic 2: Mental Health‣ Main Issues/Problems:o Lack of adequate funding and resources for mental health services, especially in rural areas, includingthe high cost of services, lack of crisis intervention services, professional staff and service providers,and affordable residential treatment resources.o Quality of mental health services including improper or inaccurate diagnoses for youth, lack ofproviders with needed specialized training/qualifications, inadequate/ineffective assessments andover-medication/improper use of medication of youth.o Poor relationships, collaboration and communication with local mental health providers and MHMRand other stakeholders like schools.‣ Key Recommendations:o Provide additional or enhanced funding to local JPDs for needed mental health services and ensureflexibility in the funding.o Increase availability of community-based residential treatment services for youth with serious mentalhealth needso Enhance the quality of mental health services through staff training, training of general practitioners,use of telemedicine, better assessment instruments, and additional MH professionals.o Enhance effective communication between JPDs, mental health agencies/providers, schools, TEA andother stakeholders.1 | P age April 24, 2012