Systems change across sectors to better meet the needs of juvenile reentry youth

Juvenile reentry systems nationally provide important services and supports for high-risk youth as they transition from residential placement or detention facilities back into their community and school settings, providing an opportunity for violence prevention, positive youth development, and a reduction in risky behaviors that lead to recidivism. Limited literature has emphasized that inter-agency collaboration, individualized case planning, and use of evidence-based best practices are important tenets of a successful juvenile reentry system. By utilizing these core practices, the Alameda County Juvenile Justice Center, health and human services and schools are working to improve outcomes for reentry youth in Oakland. Advancing current knowledge to better understand what works and how to build an effective reentry system of care, we have been engaged in a process evaluation in collaboration with City of Oakland, Alameda County Probation Department and Alameda County Health Care Services Agency, to identify system-level gaps and strengths from the perspective of all stakeholders across the system of care from intake to exit. We conducted focus groups, key informant interviews and a reentry system of care assessment/survey of probation officers, case managers, CBOs, school officials, medical and mental health providers. Initial findings suggest that specialized courts, increased involvement of probation officers, and case conferencing have served to improve the system overall, but further system-wide coordination, data-driven decision making, comprehensive youth-driven services, and individualized case planning is necessary. We will share with you lessons learned, tools, and processes/protocols Oakland is using to ensure successful and safe juvenile reentry.