1. Improving The Lives of Maryland’s
Dually Involved Girls
June 11, 2014 A project generously funded by the Abell Foundation &
the Jewish Women’s Giving Foundation.
2. CHILD WELFAREHEALTH
EDUCATIONJUVENILE JUSTICE
• Every child’s ally
• Improving the lives of children
for generations to come
• Independent research and
proven best practices
• Conveners and leaders
ADVOCATES FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH (ACY)
4. Crossover Youth
Youth who experience maltreatment & engage in delinquency. They may or
may not be known to the child welfare and/or juvenile justice systems.
Dually-Involved Youth
Youth with some level of concurrent involvement with the child welfare and/or
juvenile justice systems.
Dually-Adjudicated Youth
Youth with formal involvement in the child welfare system and juvenile justice
systems.
Herz, et. al. (2012). Addressing the Needs of Multi-System Youth: Strengthening the Connection Between Child
Welfare & Juvenile Justice. Washington, DC: Center for Juvenile Justice Reform
WHAT IS “DUAL INVOLVEMENT”?
5. UNIQUE RISK FACTORS SIGNAL DUAL INVOLVEMENT
FOR FEMALE YOUTH
Out of Home
Placements
History of
Trauma &
Maltreatment
Environmental
& Social
Instability
Abuse During
Adolescence
Three or more out of home
placements double offending
behavior in boys.
ANY out of home placements
doubles offending behavior in
girls.
Girls in DJS out of home
placements report experiencing
physical or sexual abuse at
three times the rate of boys.
90% of girls in DJS out of home
placements have “high family-
related needs.”
6. PERSPECTIVES FROM MARYLAND'S DUALLY
INVOLVED FEMALE YOUTH
▪ Interviewed 20 young women, aged 18 – 24
▪ Histories of involvement in the child welfare and juvenile justice systems
? WHAT WERE YOUR EXPERIENCES IN THE CHILD WELFARE SYSTEM?
? WHAT WERE YOUR EXPERIENCES IN THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM?
? HOW CAN WE BETTER SERVE DUALLY INVOLVED GIRLS?
8. PERSPECTIVES FROM MARYLAND'S DUALLY
INVOLVED FEMALE YOUTH
% WITH MULTIPLE
OUT OF HOME
PLACEMENTS
80
percent
% THAT RAN AWAY
TO BE W/FRIENDS
OR FAMILY
50
percent
% THAT
SELF REPORTED
SUBSTANCE ABUSE
30
percent
10. PERSPECTIVES FROM MARYLAND'S DUALLY
INVOLVED FEMALE YOUTH
% THAT REPORTED
MENTAL HEALTH
NEEDS
55
percent
% THAT FELT UNHEARD
BY THE ADULTS IN
THEIR LIVES
70
percent
% THAT WANTED
INCREASED ACCESS TO
SUPPORTIVE SERVICES
75
percent
11. DUALLY INVOLVED GIRLS STRATEGY SESSIONS
PARTICIPANTS
Advocates for Children & Youth Staff and
Board Members
Baltimore City Public Defender’s Office
Baltimore City School Police
Baltimore County DSS
Baltimore County LMB/DMC
Community Law in Action
Court Appointed Special Advocates
The Family League
Jewish Women’s Giving Foundation
Juvenile Justice Monitoring Unit
MD Assoc. of Resources for Families &
Youth
MD Department of Juvenile Services
MD Chap. of the National Assoc. of Social
Workers
MD Disability Law Center
MD Foster Youth Resource Center
MD JDAI/DMC Initiative
MD Legal Aid Bureau
MD Police Training Commission
New Lens
▪ October 14th, October 16th, & December 9th of 2013
▪ Collaborative process guided by a variety of stakeholders
▪ Identify the needs of dually involved girls in Maryland
▪ Develop recommendations
12. RECOMMENDATIONS
IMPROVED DATA COLLECTION
CROSS-SYSTEMS COLLABORATION
TRAUMA INFORMED POLICY, PRACTICE, & PROGRAMS
PLACEMENT STABILITY & PERMANENT RELATIONSHIPS
AGE & GENDER APPROPRIATE SERVICES
INCREASE TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES
14. WHAT’S NEXTWRITE &
PUBLISH
REPORT
ADVOCATE
& EDUCATE
•State agencies
•Elected officials
•Public
IMPROVED
OUTCOMES
FOR GIRLS
•Fewer referrals to DJS
•Increased access to
girls’ services
•Improved treatment
delivery
15. “ ”WE ARE RESILIENT & YOU SHOULD NEVER GIVE UP ON US.
16. 8 Market Place, Suite 500
Baltimore, Maryland 21202
410-547-9200
www.acy.org
We are every child’s ally.
Megan Lucy
mlucy@acy.org
Melissa Rock
mrock@acy.org
A project generously funded by the Abell Foundation &
the Jewish Women’s Giving Foundation.
