Demonstration site coaches provide guidance on effective strategies to meet the goals and objectives as proposed in the sites' grant applications. The coaches provide the sites with a direct link to the National PREA Resource Center.
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PRC TTA coaching staff initiated outreach via e-mail correspondence to this grant site's designated point of contact to coordinate and schedule a conference call. A call was held on March 27, 2015 with the Virginia DOC team for the purpose of identifying their training and technical assistance needs and determining how the PRC can best support this site's implementation of their grant. During this call, the PRC TA coaches reviewed the key program aspects of the grant and asked clarifying questions about site-specific priorities and implementation challenges. This needs assessment process will help the PRC TTA coaching staff to better understand the range of proposed activities and to identify core technical assistance needs shared across multiple sites. This process will also inform the development of a TTA plan for the BJA FY '14 PREA demonstration grant sites. The PRC TTA coaches also described the range of materials and support available to the agency.
Dallas County Juvenile Department December 17, 2016 Quarterly Coaching Update Attendees: Dr. Danny Pirtle, Director of Research, (Allison Harrison resigned for a new position), Peg Ritchie, PRC Coach On December 17, 2015 the PREA Grant Coach, Peg Ritchie, conducted a quarterly phone call with the Dallas County Juvenile Department staff to discuss updates on the Goals and Objectives for their grant. Dr. Pirtle attended the meeting. Allison Harrison, Grant Coordinator has resigned for a new position that starts in two weeks. The main focus of their grant is the funding of a Research Assistant positon to improve data gathering of PREA related information for decision making, training and improvement of policies and procedures. Objective Updates: Data Collection and Analysis: Dr. Pirtle indicated that he currently has two researchers in his Office and one of them has been collecting data since they completed their Audit. Research Position: Dr. Pirtle indicated that the Research Assistant positon, which is the focus of the grant funding, has been hired. The researcher will start in January of 2016. Community Partners to deliver training for deficiencies: Dr. Pirtle indicated that this is ongoing at this time and there are no updates. Develop and Implement Objective Screening Tools: They have implemented an objective screening tool. Revise procedures so Probation Offices conduct PREA Screening: They have trained Probation Officers and they are conducting the PREA screenings to date. He has not received any feedback on this process to date. Other Notes: The need for LGBTI training was discussed during the initial needs assessment conference call and recent follow up calls. Dr. Pirtle indicated that they would like TA from PRC to conduct a T4T on LGBTI offenders. I again provided the information for him to Request Assistance on our website. Dr. Pirtle indicated that their Audit was so successful that the Texas Juvenile Justice Department is posting their outputs on their website as a guide for others. Mr. Williams (Jerome), their auditor provided useful information and was a great resource for them during the process. The remainder of their juvenile detention facilities in the County are scheduled for the summer of 2016. Our next meeting will be in March, 2016.
A new Grant Coordinator will most likely be appointed in the future.
They have not gathered enough data to influence operational or policy changes to date. The recent audit has helped them to shape their data gathering. They are in the process of hiring a new PREA Coordinator and hope to announce this person within two weeks. They will notify me of the name so I can pass it along to Beth Layman for her list. They passed their audit and there were a few minor recommendations. In 2016 four juvenile facilities will be audited. LGBTI training needs include requesting a T4T from PRC TTA. Staff did watch a webinar sponsored by the Coalition for Juvenile Justice, however it was not focused on the Standards. Dr. Pirtle indicated that a T4T would benefit their system. I indicated that I could help him with the TA request if needed. They are interviewing for the PREA Research position next week.
Dr. Pirtle or Allison Harris will send me a copy of their Objective Screening Instrument.
Scheduled and held call with Dallas Cty to introduce them to their designated PRC coach while providing quarterly outreach to the site for the purpose of check-in and progress monitoring.
Dallas County Juvenile Department
March 16, 2016
Quarterly Coaching Update
Attendees: Dr. Danny Pirtle, Director of Research, Amen Oyegun, Research Assistant, Christian Yost, Research Manager, Stephanie Bays, new Grant Service Manager), Peg Ritchie, PRC Coach
On March 16, 2016 the PREA Grant Coach, Peg Ritchie, conducted a quarterly phone call with the Dallas County Juvenile Department staff to discuss updates on the Goals and Objectives for their grant. The main focus of their grant funding was the funding of a Research Assistant positon to improve data gathering of PREA related information for decision making, training and improvement of policies and procedures.
Objective Updates:
The Research Assistance for PREA data analysis began her work on December 28 2015. She is working with the Research Manager to support PREA data and analysis. They will use the data for research related to improvements for their risk assessment tool and policies. Christian-Yost, Manager for Research and general statistics has been in this role since July, 2015. He is still getting oriented to PREA and is also the “go to” person for all internal and external requests for data related to requests for juvenile information. Mr. Yost indicated that incident reports/victim/perpetrator etc. are tied into the CRM data base; Tech Share is their main data source with demographics and classification information; the intake PREA screening tool is a separate module in the database (3 separate data places). The Research Department is working with the Information Technology staff to get all the data points into one location so they can look for PREA related trends. They think they can accomplish this by the end of the grant cycle. Once the data points are integrated and baseline data is established, they will be able to fine tune the risk screening tool for PREA. This data may also allow for designing weighted scores for the PREA related variables. Dr. Pirtle indicated without data and analysis of the data, they can’t make changes to the Screening tool. Once they have enough data, they can use the information to assist facility staff in developing best practices for youth; can train staff to address areas to enhance safety.
Next Three Months:
The objective related to training and collaboration with Parkland Health and Hospital/Rape Crisis Center will be a focus areas in the next three months. The Parkland Health and Hospital/Rape Crisis Center have a presence in all facilities. They will establish a meeting with them to include refresher training on critical standards and basic PREA information. They will survey this partner to identify what their needs are for this meeting.
Web Meeting Update:
Several staff attended the recent Web Meeting for grantees on Risk Tools and Assessment Instruments. Christian and Stephanie indicated that the Web Meeting was useful for idea sharing; they are at the beginning with data gathering, but just to hear others i.e., Wisconsin Department of Corrections use of weighted factors in their Assessment Instrument as well as the development of gender specific PREA Instruments. The staff indicated that they liked the format with the expert topic focus area on how to evaluate a Risk Instrument followed up by the other grantees sharing information.
What is working well?
Getting the Research Assistant was a great help in meeting the full intent of the data related objectives as stated by Dr. Pirtle.
What are challenges?
They are currently reviewing staffing ratios to meet the PREA requirements which they indicated was a big issue.
They have completed all of their objectives to date with continuation work related to data and collaboration with Parkland Health and Hospital System’s Victim Intervention Program Rape Crisis Center.
Other:
The staff indicated that to date all of the coaching support has been helpful but there is not anything additional they need at this time. The coach provided information on what is needed to submit a GAN for a budget modification and that the funds for travel to Washington D.C. for meetings is now available for a budget modification (the current travel funds available are $12,858). The coach also indicated that “trauma informed vignettes” are not available for staff training on the PRC website.
The need for LGBTI training was again discussed during the initial needs assessment conference call and recent follow up calls. Dr. Pirtle indicated that they would discuss TA from PRC to conduct a T4T on LGBTI offenders or the possibility of using the travel money for LGBTI training. I again provided the information for him to Request Assistance on our website.
Dr. Pirtle indicated that their pre and post adjudication facilities will be audited in August of 2016 by the Texas Juvenile Justice Department.
Our next meeting will be in early June, 2016.
Dallas County Juvenile Department
June 9, 2016
Quarterly Coaching Update
Attendees: Stephanie Bays, (new Grant Service Manager), Nekandra Coulter, PREA Coordinator (absent) Research Assistant Aenaghawon (Amen) Oycgun (absent) and Peg Ritchie, PRC Coach (Dr. Pirtle no longer there; they have hired a new Research Director)
On June 9, 2016 the PREA Grant Coach, Peg Ritchie, conducted a quarterly phone call with a Dallas County Juvenile Department staff member, Stephanie Bays, to discuss updates on the Goals and Objectives for their grant. The main focus of their grant funding was the funding of a Research Assistant positon to improve data gathering of PREA related information for decision making, training and improvement of policies and procedures.
Objective Updates:
Hire Research Assistant (December, 2015 hired)
The Research Assistance for PREA funded by the grant is Aenaghawon (Amen) Oycgun. Her role is to analyze data for research related improvements for the risk assessment tool and policies.
Collect and Analyze Data:
Data being collected includes: incident reports/victim/perpetrator to determine changes for policies and practice. The data is tied to the CRM data base; Tech Share is their main data source with demographics and classification information; the intake PREA screening tool is a separate module in the database (3 separate data places).
The last report to BJA from January- March of 2016 indicated 4 incidents of inmate: inmate sexual abuse incidents and one staff: inmate abuse incident. The Coach requested that Stephanie review the data, determine if it is in the database and provide any high level outcomes that can be used to meet their objectives.
DATA Trends for Updating Policies and Risk Assessment Tool/Train Probation Officers to administer Assessment Tool:
The Research Department is working with the Information Technology staff to get all the data points into one location related to the risk assessment instrument so they can look for PREA related trends. They think they can accomplish this by the end of the grant cycle. Once the data points are integrated and baseline data is established, they will be able to fine tune the risk screening tool for PREA. This data may also allow for designing weighted scores for the PREA related variables and allow for changes to the Screening tool. Once they have enough data, they can use the information to assist facility staff in developing best practices for youth; can train staff to address areas to enhance safety and revise policies. There is not any updated information in this area.
Training:
The objective related to training and collaboration with Parkland Health and Hospital/Rape Crisis Center continues to be a challenge due to the turnover in Research Directors.
The Parkland Health and Hospital/Rape Crisis Center continue to have a presence in all facilities. They will establish a meeting with them to include refresher training on critical standards and basic PREA information.
What is working well?
Amen continues to make progress working and coordinating with the PREA Coordinator and IT staff. Staff turnover creates timing gaps for some of the objectives.
What are challenges?
They have completed most of their objectives to date with continuation work related to data and collaboration with Parkland Health and Hospital System’s Victim Intervention Program Rape Crisis Center.
Other:
Stephanie’s contact information was provided to BJA. She indicated that the Travel funds were part of “in kind monies.”
The need for LGBTI training was again discussed and Stephanie will talk to Ms. Coulter, PREA Coordinator and the training coordinator to determine if there is still an interest. They would apply for regular Technical Assistance in the future as LGBTI training is not included in their grant.
The pre and post adjudication facilities will be audited in August of 2016 by the Texas Juvenile Justice Department.
Our next meeting will be in August, 2016.
Dallas County Juvenile Department, Texas
August 10, 2016
Quarterly Coaching Update
Attendees: Stephanie Bays, (new Grant Service Manager), Research Assistant Amenaghawon (Amen) Oycgun, Christian Yost (Research Manager) and Peg Ritchie, PRC Coach
On August 10, 2016 the PREA Grant Coach, Peg Ritchie, conducted a final quarterly phone call with a Dallas County Juvenile Department to discuss updates on the Goals and Objectives for their grant ending September 30, 2016. The main focus of their grant was the funding of a Research Assistant positon to improve data gathering for PREA related information which will enhance decision making, training and improvement of policies and procedures.
Objective Updates:
Collect and Analyze Data to Determine Trends:
Christian Yost indicated preliminary data runs did not demonstrate any statistically significant outcomes related to those residents reporting sexual harassment or abuse. The general population is 81 residents in total. They have added a couple of variables to assist with future predicative patterns.
Ongoing data collection assist them in developing weighted scores for the PREA Risk Instrument. Once they have more data they can use the information to assist facility staff in developing best practices for youth, train staff to address areas that will enhance safety, and revise policies accordingly.
Training:
The objective related to training and collaboration with Parkland Health and Hospital/Rape Crisis Center are in process. Stephanie will look at how many training events have occurred during the length of the grant. They recently provided PREA general training at four facilities for staff.
Note:
Stephanie indicated she is reviewing objectives and assuring they were all met as they close out the grant (90 days for close out of fiscal and final reporting to BJA.
Benefits of the Grant Expressed by the Staff:
The data improvements assisted with IT integration and provided the staff with knowledge and understanding that “data is necessary.” “The integration of PREA Standards into all facilities ensures that all youth are being placed safely and treated fair. The PREA Standards assist in the reduction of stress for the youth and provide situational responses to youth as they transition in their life. Sexual safety will “improve interactions with youth and their families and eventually the community.”
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