The voices program, an evidence- based wraparound modelwill address needs in a holistic, trauma-informed, culturally appropriate, and gender- responsive manner

The U.S. Department of Justice Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention awarded a $525,000 Project Grant under the Girls in the Juvenile Justice System program (CFDA 16.830) to Civic Heart Community Services, a minority-owned non-profit organization based in Houston, Texas. The grant will fund the VOICES Program, an evidence-based wraparound model that addresses the needs of justice-involved girls aged 17 and younger in Harris County, Texas in a holistic, trauma-informed, culturally appropriate, and gender-responsive manner. Key components of the program include gender-specific group sessions, wraparound case management, college and career preparedness workshops, family engagement, pro-social activities, mentorship matching, training for correctional officers, and systems-level interventions to reduce disproportionate minority contact. The program aims to reduce risks and increase protective factors for this population. The grant period runs from October 1, 2023 to September 30, 2026.

This program will target justice-involved girls (JIGS), aged 17 and younger, at risk of being involved in the system or those who are already involved in the juvenile justice system in harris county, houston, texas. The goal of the voices program is to reduce risks and increase protective factors of young girls. Change happens wrap-around model with a collaborative system of care is grouped into 8 components- 1) gender- specific group sessions for the girls through an evidence- based curriculum, voices lite (covington, 2017) developed for girls at risk of justice involvement, 2) wraparound case management, 3) college and career preparedness workshops, 4) family engagement, 5) pro-social activities, 6) mentorship matching, 7) multiple trainings for correctional officers, and 8) systems level intervention through the community engagement advisory board aimed at reducing disproportionate minority contact. This program uses a collaborative model of change that is strongly built on partnerships and networks, the main strategy to drive systemic change in the management of JIGS.