Appendix K Case Management Manual - Posted.pdf

Peter Forbes, Commissioner

October 6, 2017

DEPARTMENT OF YOUTH SERVICES

Case Management Practice and Procedure Manual

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 - Introduction Massachusetts General Law Page 1 Strategic Plan Page 1

Chapter 2 – Community Services Network Mission Page 6

Objectives Page 6 The Model Page 7 Primary and Supplemental Support Services Page 9

Positive Youth Development Page 10 Roles and Responsibilities District Manager Page 11 Caseworker Page 14 Apprehension Officer Page 16 Education and Career Counselor Page 18 Provider Agency Casework Support Staff Provider Contract Manager Page 19

Community Clinical Coordinator Page 20 Family Engagement Specialist Page 23 Youth Service Coordinator Page 24 MassSTART Worker Page 27

Chapter 3 – Casework Commitment to the Custody of the Department of Youth Services Page 30 New Commitments Page 31 Assessment Page 31 Youth Level of Service/Case Management Inventory (YLS/CMI) Page 32 Staffings Page 34

Initial Staffing Page 34 Review Staffing Page 35 Emergency Staffing Page 35 Administrative Staffing Page 36 Transfer Staffing/Inter-Regional Transfer Page 36 Monthly Treatment Review Meetings Page 36 Classification/Regional Review Team Page 36 RRT Referral Documentation Page 37 Placement Options Page 38 Empower Your Future (EYF): Career Readiness Curriculum for Page 39 Residential Education Programs and Community Settings

Community Re-entry/Transition Planning Page 40 Short Term Track Page 40

Long Term Track Page 42 Substance Abuse Services Page 44 Treatment Track Page 44 Prevention Track Page 44 Medical Health Page 45 Interstate Compact on Juveniles Page 45 Out of State Pass Requests Page 46 Transportation Page 48 Safety and Security Page 48

Chapter 4 – Community Supervision Levels of Community Supervision Page 49

Community Re-entry Reviews Page 51 Case Management Plan Page 51

Youth Contacts Page 52 Private Youth Interviews [residential placement] Page 53 Family Contact/Involvement Page 54 Graduated Responses Page 55

Chapter 5- High Priority Cases “Bartley-Fox” Firearm Offenses Page 56 Youthful Offender Page 56 Submission of DNA Samples Page 57 Chief of Police Notification Page 57 Sex Offender Classification Process & Registration Requirements Page 58 Sexually Dangerous Person Page 59 Victim Services Unit Notification Page 63

Chapter 6 - Outcome Performance Measures, Documentation and Confidentiality Record Maintenance and Documentation Page 66 File Reviews Page 66 Confidentiality of Youth Records Page 67 Media Communications Page 68

Chapter 7 – Revocation Procedure Page 69 Revocation Review and Redesign Page 69 Revocation Counsel Program Page 77

Chapter 8 - Grants of Conditional Liberty Violation/Escape Warrants and Lodged

Warrants Process Page 82 Apprehension Page 83 Lodged Warrant Page 83

Chapter 9 – Discharge Planning and Youth Engaged in Services (YES)

Discharge Planning Process Page 86 Types of Discharge Page 87 Mandatory Discharge Page 88 Discretionary Discharge Page 88 Youth Engaged in Services Page 90

Chapter 10 - Community Development/Partnering

Detention Diversion Specialist Page 94 Interagency Involvement Page 95 Executive Office of Health and Human Services Page 95 Children’s Behavioral Health Initiative (CBHI) Page 95 Department of Children and Families Page 96 Mandated Reporting of Suspected Abuse or Neglect Page 97 Department of Mental Health Page 99 Community-Based Juvenile Justice Initiatives Page 101

Chapter 1

Introduction

The Massachusetts Department of Youth Services’ (“DYS” or “the Department”) Case Management Practice and Procedure Manual provides a set of guidelines, operating procedures, and standards for DYS District Managers, Caseworkers, and contracted providers. The purpose of this manual is to establish guidelines and assist the Department’s case management staff in complying with law and Departmental procedures. We seek to ensure case management integrity and enhance public protection, while providing quality services to youth in the custody of the Department of Youth Services to promote their success in placement and in the community.

Massachusetts General Law

DYS’ Enabling Statute, Chapter 18A, Section 2

The Department shall provide a comprehensive and coordinated program of delinquency prevention and services to delinquent children and youth referred or committed to the Department by the courts; community services for the prevention of juvenile delinquency through the efforts of its own staff; through grants-in-aid to cities, towns and other public agencies; and through the purchase of services from private nonprofit agencies; services and facilities for the study, diagnosis, care, and treatment, including physical and mental health and social services, education, training and rehabilitation of all children and youth referred or committed. The Department shall maintain a program of research into the causes, treatment and prevention of juvenile delinquency including new methods of service and treatment. The Department shall cooperate with other state and local agencies, both public and private, serving children and youth.

Strategic Plan

In 2012, the Department of Youth Services developed a comprehensive, multi-year strategic plan. Our initial plan was published on August 15, 2012 and offered a holistic view of the Commonwealth’s juvenile justice system and how the Department could best maximize its capacity to support positive outcomes for youth while ensuring the safety of the public.

In our initial 2012-2014 Strategic Plan, the Department established a vision (our hopes for the youth we serve) and set its values (what drives and guides our work) as the foundation for the DYS mission, goals and strategies (how we achieve the vision). The 2016-2017 Strategic Plan follows this same approach and focuses on four additional strategic priorities.

Vision

Every young person served by DYS will become a valued, productive, and law-abiding adult who contributes to the safety of their community and leads a fulfilling life.

Mission

As the juvenile justice agency for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, the Department of Youth Services promotes positive change in the youth in our care and custody. Our mission is to make communities safer by improving the life outcomes for youth in our care. We achieve our mission through investing in highly qualified staff and a service continuum that engages youth, families, and communities in strategies that support positive youth development.

Values

We are unwavering and determined in the pursuit of the positive development of youth in our care.

We believe all youth have the capacity for positive change. We are committed to providing positive opportunities, supports and experiences to change the trajectory of their lives.

We actively support a safe and healthy environment for our diversified and highly skilled workforce.

We are committed to ensuring that staff work in a safe and secure environment, and we promote continuous learning by offering training and career development opportunities for all staff.

We promote safer communities by providing prevention, intervention, and rehabilitation services.

We believe that when youth have the prevention, intervention, and rehabilitation services they need, they can become constructive and productive members of their communities who are no longer a risk to themselves and others.

We actively engage and support youth, families, and communities as our partners. We believe families are youth’s most important teachers, care givers, and role models. We engage families and communities to provide the environment and support every youth needs to succeed. We collaborate with youth and their families in the development of the youths’ individual service plans in a manner is that culturally competent.

We promote fairness as a foundational expectation for our interactions with youth and their families.

We acknowledge the critical role fairness plays in the positive change process and its significance for healthy development. We recognize the challenge of racial and ethnic disparity for DYS-involved youth. Treating youth fairly means avoiding bias and stereotypes and looking at the individual strengths and weaknesses of each youth in the system.

We work collaboratively with our public and private partners.

We believe that collaboration with public and private partners will build the effective continuum of services that youth need to succeed in school, work, and life.

We adhere to the highest ethical and professional standards in all our work.

We conduct our work with the greatest respect for the public’s trust and interest. We perform our duties guided by the most current science, evidence and promising practices.

We respect and embrace diversity.

We conduct our work and fulfill our mission in a manner that demonstrates respect for the values, preferences, beliefs, culture, and identity of youth, families, staff and community in all that we do.

We embrace resilience and independence as indicators of the positive development of the youth in our care.

We believe that with the necessary supports and guidance, young people are capable of moving beyond the circumstances that brought them into the justice system and can make valuable contributions to their communities.

The key strategic goals for the Department in its 2017-2018 Strategic Plan include:

• Youth and staff safety

• Doing what works: Use of best and evidence-based practices

• Positive Youth Development

• Communication improvements

• Reduce racial and ethnic disparity in our work

Throughout 2017-2018, DYS will continue to invest in its strategic priorities and achieve its goals as organized under what we have identified as the “Five R’s” - Realign, Rehabilitate, Reintegrate, Respect and Report.

REALIGN

Realign agency resources with more effective services across the continuum in order to achieve optimal youth and community safety outcomes by:

� Reviewing and improving current assessment tools � Increasing fidelity and expanding JDAI to reduce the number of low-risk youth in secure detention � Enhancing agency communication procedures, protocols, and policies � Investing in resources to implement effective, proven strategies � Implementing supervisor and leadership skills development for DYS staff � Ensuring that our training resources support critical operational needs � Enhancing and expanding technology for improved communication

� Assessing equity throughout our youth service continuum

REHABILITATE

Employ effective rehabilitative strategies for youth by:

� Enhancing staff training for broader implementation of Positive Youth Development

(PYD)

� Implementing PYD program components using best practices � Implementing a PYD coaching strategy � Engaging families in DBT and other skill-development opportunities with youth � Increasing youth educational attainment, life skills, and job skills � Assisting youth to increase insight and improve personal decision-making � Expanding youth civic engagement as a PYD program component � Measuring progress on critical youth skill attainment indicators � Treating youth fairly by avoiding bias and stereotypes and looking at the individual strengths and weaknesses of each youth in the system

REINTEGRATE

Successfully reintegrate youth into the community through enhancing current release planning and community supervision practices by:

� Increasing the Average Length of Stay for DYS youth who reside safely in the community � Ensuring that DYS revocation practices are fair and are guided by youth risk and community safety � Continuing to measure and prioritize outcomes related to recidivism, educational and vocational attainment and to evaluate the effectiveness of the DYS Youth Engaged in Services (YES) program

RESPECT

Create a respectful, fair and safe environment for youth and staff throughout the DYS continuum of service by:

� Increasing youth voice and youth input into service planning � Ensuring that DYS practices are fair for all youth and prioritize feedback from youth in this regard � Enhancing and expanding meaningful partnerships with families to address the best interests of youth in our care � Training all staff in trauma-informed care � Implementing mediation training and other restorative practices

REPORT

Improve the quality and utilization of data and management reports to track and monitor youth and community safety outcomes staff, by:

� Developing an enhanced communications strategy � Ensuring that a high level of cross-disciplinary effort is included in all work plans � Improving effective communication among Central Office, regions, providers, programs and all staff � Enhancing the monitoring of revocation and education outcomes

� Expanding JJEMS & JASPER reporting capacity and staff training � Improving demographic data collection for all youth served through the continuum in alignment with national best practices � Further strengthening the ability to improve data integrity across all aspects of DYS operations

Chapter 2

Community Services Network

Mission

The mission of the Community Services Network is to advance public safety and prevent crime by promoting the acquisition of pro-social skills and providing positive opportunities for committed youth through community collaboration and linkages. The Community Services Network is part of a service continuum that recognizes and complements work completed in the residential phase for youth. Community Services Network staff accomplish this by supporting families and collaborating with communities and locally based providers to access and develop resources. Community Services Network staff safely and effectively support and reintegrate DYS involved or committed youth as law abiding, productive and contributing citizens of the community.

Objectives

• Support and engage the individual youth to become an integral member of the community through role modeling, skill development and pro-social activities.

• Promote behavioral and attitudinal change that begins in the residential treatment phase of the youth’s commitment.

• Support an effective transition for youth who are leaving residential and secure facility locations as they return to their home communities.

• Strengthen and engage the family in their primary responsibilities to instill moral values and provide guidance and support to their children.

• Support core social institutions in their roles as developers of capable, mature and responsible youth.

• Promote delinquency prevention as the most cost-effective approach to dealing with juvenile delinquency.

• Hold youth accountable for their behavior in the community through the consistent application of supervision, support, interventions and treatment.

• Actively engage communities to take the lead in designing and building comprehensive prevention approaches that address known risk factors and target youth at risk for delinquency.

• Intervene immediately and effectively when unacceptable or risky behavior occurs, to prevent DYS involved youth from becoming chronic offenders, or progressively committing more serious and violent crimes. Initial intervention attempts should be centered on the family and other core social institutions.

• Provide secure placement for the small group of youth with more serious and chronic histories of court and police involvement who have demonstrated that they are not receptive or able to engage in less restrictive community-based treatment and rehabilitation services offered by the Department.

The Model

Foundation and Goal of the Community Services Network

The primary purpose of the Community Services Network is to provide DYS youth with the support, supervision and services they need in order to succeed in the community. The core features of the model include:

• increasing contact and engagement with DYS youth and caring, responsible adults;

• emphasizing pro social development;

• building life skills and social competencies;

• supporting stronger connections between the youth and community, family engagement, resource development, service access; and

• maintaining consistent and engaged support and supervision with DYS staff and providers.

The evolution of the Community Services Network is built on improved Departmental practices around the following:

• enhanced application and utilization of a validated risk assessment tool (the Youth Level of Service / Case Management Inventory or YLS/CMI) throughout the continuum;

• the development of a community-based case management plan and level of supervision which is aligned with the youth’s level of risk;

• the strategic integration of a Positive Youth Development model aimed at enhancing protective factors; and

• the consideration of recent research in adolescent brain development suggesting that the adolescent brain is not fully developed until approximately 24 years old and that higher-level cognitive abilities (e.g. impulse control) are in flux during adolescence.

These improved practices represent a merging of valuable insight and input from our juvenile justice service providers, our staff, and experts from the field of juvenile justice with lessons learned from the past model and an emerging body of promising practices in directly related and relevant fields.

The overarching goal of this effort is to go beyond accountability and recidivism reduction and to help DYS youth thrive as adolescents and young adults in a way that will sustain them beyond their affiliation with the agency.

Case Management Team

The Community Services Network model calls for a case management team that focuses on DYS youth in a specific geographic area or district. The district may be a neighborhood, a city or town or, more commonly, a number of cities or towns. The emphasis is on supporting and supervising youth on an individualized basis in the context of their families and their community through a local District or Satellite Office.

The Community Services Network is comprised of state and provider staff including Caseworkers, District Managers, Youth Service Coordinators and Administrative Support stationed at either District Offices or Satellite Offices statewide as well as regionally-based staff including Directors of Community Services, Provider Contract Managers, Community Clinical Coordinators, Family Engagement Specialists, Education and Career Counselors and Apprehension Officers.

The DYS Caseworker is the primary point of contact for all youth and their families from the time of commitment through discharge from the Department. Under the supervision of DYS District Managers, Caseworkers have direct supervisory and case decision-making responsibility as well as primary authority for the coordination and delivery of individual services to committed youth. In an effort to provide the most comprehensive care and supervision, a Caseworker’s role commences during the initial residential treatment phase to provide ongoing support for youth as they progress through treatment and eventually transition to the community.

A Case Management Plan (CMP) and a Relapse Prevention Plan (RPP) identify the youth’s strengths and needs during the Department’s graduated reentry process. The reentry process and the development and implementation of these two plans begins at least 90 days in advance of the youth’s release to the community. The CMP and RPP may include connections to services in the areas of behavioral health, medical care, education and employment. It may also include establishing connections for youths and their families to mentoring, recreation, civic engagement activities, housing and family supports. Finally, it includes accountability provisions, supervision expectations and attends to the personal safety issues of the youth.

While youth are assigned to a primary Caseworker who is responsible for all of the coordination and delivery of services, the community case management team work in a coordinated fashion to ensure that the array of service needs as identified in the youth’s CMP are met and maintained. Using a team allows for youth as well as their families to feel supported and connected to the Department. Additionally, using a team allows for a collaborative approach that draws upon varied skill sets and levels of expertise when issues arise as well as the capacity of the team to deliver on the features of the youth’s CMP.

The Community Services Network’s case management approach focuses on providing support, supervision and individualized core and pro-social services to assist committed youth in their ability to thrive in areas such as education, employment, civic engagement, physical and behavioral health, inter-personal relationships and pro-social skill development in order to maximize their ability to assume personal responsibility for their actions, demonstrate law-abiding behavior and develop appropriate support networks that promote long term success.

Primary and Supplemental Support Services

The Department believes that a wide variety of accessible programming options is necessary to meet the diverse and individual needs of each youth. The Community Services Network team considers a youth’s specific risk factors and develops specific types of interventions and pro-social options aimed at enhancing a youth’s protective factors. The Community Services Network focuses on connecting youth and families to these services in off-site community settings versus on-site services at the District Office. The need may arise to have services on-site programming; however, the Department seeks to promote involvement in off-site activities and services as much as possible.

Support services and activities are considered primary and supplemental and align with the principles of positive youth development, the youth’s assessed level of risk, and include culturally responsive and developmentally appropriate considerations.

Access to all primary and supplemental services as outlined below should be available consistently to youth. Through the 90-60-30 transition planning process, DYS Caseworkers develop community-based case management plans outlining all necessary services to be delivered to youth and ensure compliance with designated services. The Youth Service Coordinator establishes a viable menu of these services and maintains relationships with community partners who can provide primary and supplemental support services at all times.

The Community Clinical Coordinator also assists in this effort with regard to accessing and establishing outlets to meet the behavioral health needs of all youth.

Primary Services - Primary services include but are not limited to:

Education Employment and Career Readiness Individual, Group and Family Behavioral Health Services Substance Abuse Services Medical Services Housing Supportive Services Insurance and other benefits

Supplemental Support Services- Supplemental support services are ancillary, specified services that shall be made available to meet the individual needs of youth often in an effort to enhance protective factors. Such services include but are not limited to:

Driver’s Education Psychoeducational Groups Gang Interventions Mentoring Recreation Arts and culture Support Services (e.g. school supplies, interview attire, etc.)

Transportation (e.g. physical transports, bus passes) Pro-social events and activities Community Service Civic Engagement Faith-based activities Gender-responsive services

Positive Youth Development

A primary focus of the Community Services Network is the implementation of a Positive Youth Development (PYD) approach in conjunction with a team approach to case management services. The combination of these two approaches allows for better communication of issues, needs and/or services for youth and their families.

A Positive Youth Development approach promotes the identification of Supports, Opportunities and Quality Services, which are defined below.

Supports are motivational, emotional or strategic in nature and help youth to succeed in life.

Supports can take many different forms, but they must be affirming, respectful, and ongoing.

Supports are most powerful when they are offered by a variety of people involved in the lives of young people, such as parents and close relatives, community social networks, teachers, youth workers, employers, health providers, and peers.

Opportunities are chances for young people to learn how to act in the world around them, to explore, express, earn, belong, and influence. Opportunities give young people the chance to test ideas and behaviors and to experiment with different roles. It is important to stress that young people, just like adults, learn best through active participation and that learning occurs in all types of settings and situations. DYS caseworkers must be ready and available when opportunities for change arise for DYS committed youth.

Quality Services are services in such areas as education, health, and employment which provide: (1) relevant instruction and information; (2) challenging opportunities for youth to express themselves, to contribute, to take on new roles, and be part of a group; and (3) involve supportive adults and peers who respect young people, set high standards and expectations, and provide guidance and affirmation to young people.

Creating a culture of opportunity and possibility for youth in DYS care is a primary challenge that DYS seeks to address. The goal of the Community Services Network is to develop a community service model that allows DYS youth to thrive. To achieve this goal, DYS has aligned its efforts and made a commitment to a positive youth development framework. This approach, endorsed by the Massachusetts Executive Office of Health and Human Services, when implemented effectively, significantly increases the likelihood that youth will realize their full potential. DYS seeks to apply this framework across our programming continuum.

This definition, consistent with others in the field, is far reaching. The following essential features of a Positive Youth Development approach are aligned with Department values:

• Efforts to improve youth outcomes are grounded in their strengths

• Youth are active participants in their learning and growth - they have a voice

• Educational programming, broadly interpreted, promotes multiple areas of growth and development

• Adults and the services they provide engage youth as resources

• Caring and respectful relationships are nurtured and valued

Positive Youth Development is not a highly sophisticated and complicated prescription for "fixing those troubled kids." It is a simple framework that acknowledges that all youth have areas of strengths that can be developed and that all youth can thrive if they have an adult who recognizes and encourages their positive potential. Positive Youth Development is about people, programs, institutions and systems that provide all youth—"troubled" or not—with the supports and opportunities they need to empower themselves and healthy developmental outcomes.

Roles and Responsibilities of the Community Services Network

District Manager

Summary

District Managers are responsible for the daily operation of the District and Satellite Offices.

They have direct supervisory responsibility for DYS staff at the District and Satellite Offices and assign job tasks and duties to the on-site provider agency staff. District Managers act as the DYS representative to the communities in which they serve.

The District and Satellite Office provide support, accountability and intervention services to youth that are committed to DYS or under a Youth Engaged in Services (YES) agreement, and reside in the respective community or geographical area. The District Managers are also responsible for promoting effective casework that adheres to the DYS mission to protect the public, prevent crime and foster positive opportunities for committed youth.

Examples of Duties

• Implement primary site components including accountability measures and service delivery as a comprehensive approach to youth supervision within a targeted city or defined geographical area.

• Forge partnerships and coalitions between the Department of Youth Services and other stakeholders including courts, police departments, district attorney’s offices, parents, schools, state agencies and community resources.

• Assign committed youth to DYS Caseworkers within two (2) business days of commitment.

• Ensure that DYS Caseworkers are prepared and trained in compiling youth Case Histories and that initial Case Histories are completed within twenty-one (21) days of a youth’s commitment. Ensure that Caseworkers complete Case History Updates every six (6) months.

• Review and approve the initial YLS/CMI following a youth’s Initial Staffing and prior to initial classification at RRT. Review all subsequent YLS/CMI’s within seven (7) calendar days of administration.

• Attend all Initial Staffings and all 30-day meetings at the District or Satellite Office for youth transitioning from placement and encouraged to attend 60-day meetings held at the youth’s placement.

• Implement and oversee the three (3) Levels of Community Supervision system for youth residing in the community.

• Oversee the coordination and delivery of individualized Primary and Supplemental Support services and activities in areas such as education, employment, civic engagement, physical and behavioral health, inter-personal relationships and pro-social skill development.

• Oversee youth community accountability via a supervision regimen, which includes electronic monitoring; school, daily itinerary, employment and curfew checks;

community and home visits; family contact; and self-reporting.

• Coordinate and facilitate weekly Community Supervision/Casework Team meetings at the District Office.

• Attend all weekly Regional Population meetings to discuss youth movement.

• Ensure the adherence to proper standards, protocols and precautions regarding safety and security of the District and Satellite Offices, youth and staff.

• Supervise the performance and accountability of all District and Satellite Office staff.

• Prioritize staff work efforts and assign additional duties as required.

• Oversee the Case Management Plan development for DYS committed youth ensuring that service coordination is aligned with both the heightened risk domains as indicated by the YLS/CMI and the responsivity needs of the youth while accounting for the reinforcement of strength areas and the promotion of involvement in pro-social activities based on the youth’s interests.

• Establish and adhere to a regular system of case documentation reviews.

• Ensure that appropriate youth and District or Satellite Office documentation is complete and submitted in a timely manner.

• Perform duties related to youth placement, community re-entry planning and Youth Engaged in Services (YES) service coordination.

• Coordinate team schedules to ensure appropriate youth service coverage.

• Participate in Regional administrative and management meetings.

• Monitor of the District and Satellite Office budgets.

• Ensure that family involvement is initiated and promoted via family home visits and family support groups.

• Demonstrate and integrate cultural competence and responsiveness while working with a diverse committed youth population and their families.

• Interview, hire, train, supervise, develop and evaluate of employees.

• Attempt to recruit staff and interns/volunteers that mirror the target city’s/region’s cultural makeup.

• Ensure all youth receive quality services that comply with DYS standards, policies and procedures.

• Authorize the issuance of Warrants; approve initiation of Revocation process.

• Process District or Satellite Office Serious Incident Reports.

• Work in conjunction with the Regional Director, Director of Operations and Director of Community Services in the development of new systems, policies and procedures pertaining to the Community Services Network and its District and Satellite Offices.

• Identify, coordinate and monitor new and existing community resources and liaisons with the community.

• Evaluate program effectiveness and cost efficiency; review monthly statistics.

• Provide crisis intervention for and direct service to address programmatic issues as needed.

• Provide twenty-four hour, on-call coverage as determined by the Regional Director.

• Review residential treatment progress notes and must attend the 30-day discharge staffing conducted at the District or Satellite Offices to confirm a youth’s readiness to return to the community.

• Conduct case file reviews every six months to ensure DYS youth’s case files are complete and up to date including youth information recorded in the Juvenile Justice Enterprise Management System (JJEMS).

• Review three (3) entries per youth per month by the Caseworker in the JJEMS Case Management Notes e-file for each youth on a Caseworker’s caseload.

Caseworker

Summary

The Caseworker is responsible for the case management, support and community supervision of assigned DYS committed youth and Youth Engaged in Services (YES) youth involved with the District and Satellite Offices in a specified target city or geographical area. The District and Satellite Offices provide accountability, support and intervention to youth who are committed to DYS or are Youth Engaged in Services (YES) and reside in its respective communities. The DYS Caseworker plays a central role in DYS’ mission to protect the public, prevent crime and promote positive opportunities for committed youth by closely supervising youth in the community. The DYS Caseworker is uniquely positioned to establish a strong and effective working relationship with the youth assigned to their caseload that is a key to the rehabilitative process.

• Provide case management for DYS committed youth as assigned by the District Manager.

• Provide support and service coordination for all assigned youth under Youth Engaged in Services (YES) status.

• Meet face-to-face with each newly assigned youth within three (3) business days of commitment.

• Actively participate in service planning for assigned youth who are in residential placement.

• Compile youth Case Histories ensuring that initial Case Histories are completed within twenty-one (21) days of a youth’s commitment. Responsible for completing Case History Updates every six (6) months.

• Administer the YLS/CMI for all youth as part of the assessment process and in accordance with reassessment procedures and in consultation with clinical staff. The Caseworker utilizes the results from the YLS/CMI to coordinate appropriate community services for each youth via the Case Management Plan.

• Schedule 90-, 60-, 30-day transition planning meetings for all committed youth.

• Provide a comprehensive approach to the direct supervision of youth in the community including accountability practices and Case Management Plan coordination and implementation.

• Develop the initial Case Management Plan during the youth’s 90-, 60-, 30-day transition planning phase. Update the Case Management Plan each month via a Monthly Progress Review and with each YLS/CMI reassessment.

• Conduct 30-, 60-, 90-day post-release Community Re-Entry Reviews for all committed youth.

• Develop and maintain professional relationships and open communication with stakeholders including Courts, Police Departments, District Attorney’s Offices, Parents, Schools, State Agencies, Community Resources and the youth’s attorney.

• Participate in the coordination and delivery of individualized Primary and Supplemental Support services and activities to youth in areas such as education, employment, civic engagement, physical and behavioral health, inter-personal relationships and pro-social skill development.

• Participate in monitoring youth community accountability via community supervision which may include electronic monitoring; school, daily itinerary, employment and curfew checks; community and home visits; family contact; and self-reporting.

• Recommend appropriate interventions for GCL Violators in conjunction with District Manager. Comply with duties outlined for caseworkers in Chapter 7 - Revocation, including ensuring that required documentation is provided within the time frames required.

• Adhere to safety and security standards, protocols and precautions.

• Act as a positive role model at all times.

• Provide location coverage as determined by the District Manager.

• Chair and/or participate in case conferences on youth and attends a youth’s ongoing court appearances to provide support and assistance.

• Complete all necessary youth and District and Satellite Office documentation and enters data in a timely fashion.

• Participate in a team system to ensure appropriate youth coverage.

• Assist in the transportation of youth and their families to ongoing court appearances, scheduled appointments or meetings as determined by the District Manager.

• Conduct family visits and promotes family engagement and involvement in case management and decision making by enlisting families as partners.

• Demonstrate and integrate cultural responsiveness while working with a diverse population and their families.

• Attend required supervision, staff meetings and training, i.e., CPR/First Aid, as determined by the District Manager.

• Follow and promote the DYS Code of Employee Responsibility, particularly as the code applies to work habits, reliability and punctuality.

• Use established communication and reporting systems.

• Provide crisis intervention for youth and programmatic issues as needed.

• Work a flexible schedule, which includes evenings and may involve weekends.

• Complete comprehensive youth case management notes within established timelines and inputs all required youth information to the Juvenile Justice Enterprise

Management System (JJEMS).

• Maintain youth, family and collateral contact in accordance with the Department’s procedures regarding supervision in the community and conduct Monthly Progress Reviews for each youth. At a minimum, review each youth’s Level of Supervision with each YLS/CMI reassessment.

Apprehension Officer

Apprehension Officers are responsible for the apprehension of youth on DYS Parole Violation and/or Escape status. Duties include investigating youth on Parole Violation/Escape Warrants; arresting, detaining, and transporting of Parole Violators, when necessary; and identifying and using resources from local and state law enforcement agencies.

Additionally, duties also include the sharing of gang information on a regular basis with law enforcement agencies and providing training to DYS staff in District and Satellite Offices and Residential and Secure programs as well as local law enforcement agencies, schools, and communities.

• Maintain liaison with local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies.

• Respond to security issues in any District or Satellite Office and at all DYS facilities in respective Regions.

• Respond to Parole Violation/Escape Warrants and conduct investigations to ensure violators are returned safely to the Department’s custody utilizing various resources, e.g., Department staff and law enforcement agencies. Investigations with law enforcement entities and the preparation and participation in any court hearings will be conducted in consultation with the DYS Central Office Legal Unit.

• Conduct complex investigations to find alleged Parole Violators/Escapees, submit timely written reports with recommendations to local District and Satellite Offices to aid in their decisions regarding violations.

• Maintain accurate documentation of all activities pertaining to apprehension as well as attempted apprehension and provide this documentation to the respective Regional Director of Community Services and Regional Director on a weekly basis.

• Per the Interstate Compact on Juveniles (ICJ) rules and regulations, arrange and complete the out of state rendition/extraditions of Parole Violators/Escapees with the Department’s Interstate Compact Administrator.

• Maintain files and records on each Parole Violator/Escapee for District Managers and Caseworkers. Complete comprehensive notes within the Case Management Notes e-file in the Juvenile Justice Enterprise Management System (JJEMS) within established timelines.

• Participate in community-based juvenile justice meetings as requested.

• Conduct Annual Cell Inspections within local/state juvenile holding cells and complete appropriate reports.

• Ensure that every committed youth is photographed and coordinates annual updates of photographs in respective facilities.

• Provide photographs to law enforcement agencies when requested to assist in the apprehension of juveniles.

• Maintain a Regional record for gang involved youth.

• Provide Gang Training to Department staff, provider staff, and various agencies throughout the Commonwealth to enhance knowledge of the current gang situation.

• Maintain complete records for the Budget Department including maintenance, mileage, and toll records for vehicle(s) assigned to Apprehension Unit.

• Maintain Department issued equipment such as vehicles, handcuffs, waist chains, shackles, flashlights, cell phones, and protective vests.

Education and Career Counselor

Education and Career Counselors provide an array of educational and re-entry services designed to meet the needs of DYS committed youth. Education and Career Counselors are hired through a provider agency and are assigned to work on behalf of the youth who reside in specified geographic locations. It is the intent of DYS that education and career services facilitate the successful transition of youth to public school, alternative education settings, GED preparation, skills training, post-secondary education and/or entry level employment.

• Develop, coordinate and plan for delivery of educational services to youth committed to DYS.

• Work closely with DYS Caseworkers, provider staff, and District Managers to share caseload information and to identify and prioritize the individual educational needs of each youth.

• Work closely with Regional Office personnel and youth to ensure that regular education and special education needs are met and that school services or alternative services are in place when youth return to the community.

• Work in partnership with Teachers and Teaching Coordinators to ensure quality educational services are delivered.

• Plan in advance for a youth’s re-integration into the community through coordination with Caseworkers and Teaching Coordinators including attendance at 90-60-30 day re-entry meetings when possible and appropriate.

• Ensure eligible youth are identified for mandatory statewide testing, e.g. MCAS, and proper testing procedures are followed

• Provide technical assistance, consultation and in-service training to DYS and education provider personnel concerning state and federal regulations, policies, and procedures.

• Follow established procedures and timelines for the request of school records and notice to Local Education Authorities (LEA) regarding newly assigned and committed youth.

• Establish and maintain updated files and current computerized records for each youth in accordance with DYS procedures.

• Prepare DYS school transcripts for all applicable youth and forward each transcript to the appropriate LEA for determination of credits and grade placement.

• Refer all appropriate youth for Chapter 766 evaluations, Educational Team Meetings, and LEA assignments as necessary.

• Facilitate the development of Individual Educational Plans (IEP’s) for DYS special needs youth.

• Coordinate records and information, advocates for, and attend hearings regarding suspension or expulsion of youth from LEA’s.

• Assist DYS in resolving non-compliance issues by the LEA or issues involving mediation or special education appeals.

Provider Agency Casework Support Staff

The Community Services Network consists of the provider agency casework support positions outlined in the following pages. Each of these critical positions has its own targeted and specific duties and areas of responsibility and is aimed at assisting DYS Caseworkers in the delivery of individualized, case-specific services to each youth on their caseload as identified in each youth's respective service and relapse plans.

Provider Contract Manager

The primary role of the Provider Contract Manager is to ensure that all DYS contractual obligations are being met. The Provider Contract Manager shall work closely with the DYS Regional Director of Community Services and contribute to the efforts of the regional team charged with the execution of the DYS community services network through effective oversight and management of the expectations under this contract. To ensure that all contractual requirements are being met, the Provider Contract Manager will regularly meet with the DYS Regional Director of Community Services and the various DYS District Managers throughout the region as well as closely supervise the Community Services

Network (CSN) staff including the Community Clinical Coordinator, Family Engagement Specialist, Youth Service Coordinator and, at select sites, Administrative Support Staff. The Provider Contract Manager will provide direct oversight to all positions, including those funded under any regional subcontracts.

• Maintain effective relationships with DYS regional senior management team, communicating and meeting regularly with the Regional Director of Community Services. Participate regularly in District Office team meetings to receive and provide updated information regarding contracted services being delivered and to address and identify any concerns regarding the delivery of said services.

• Work together with the DYS District Manager to ensure compliance with expected job performance of all CSN staff; it is expected that the Provider Contract Manager will hold their staff accountable and report issues or concerns to the DYS District Manager and it is expected that the DYS District Manager will also directly hold CSN provider agency staff accountable and report any issues or concerns to the Provider Contract Manager in a timely fashion to ensure effective resolution.

• Conduct weekly visits to all District Offices to ensure regular, in-person communication with both CSN provider agency staff and DYS casework staff located at the District Office.

• Provide oversight of the effective implementation of community-based initiatives in the region as directed by DYS.

• Responsible for the coordination of all physical plant and vehicle-specific maintenance and repair; establishes an effective notification system to ensure real time reporting by the Youth Service Coordinator of physical plant and/or vehicle related issues or concerns.

Community Clinical Coordinator

The primary role of the Community Clinical Coordinator (CCC) is to assist DYS casework staff in accessing and maintaining the delivery of behavioral health services identified in each youth’s community-based case management plan. The CCC is expected to support the delivery of behavioral health services at the regional, District Office and youth-specific level.

The primary focus will be the support of the specific region’s several District Office case management teams. The Community Clinical Coordinator shall work collaboratively with service providers, state agencies and DYS staff to ensure that district and regional based behavioral health service delivery is coordinated and consistent with and responsive to the Department’s community services network.

• Act as a consultant to DYS casework staff on “stuck” cases; assisting staff in exploring new or different options in addressing the individual clinical needs of the youth.

• Under the direction of the Regional Clinical Coordinator, work with the DYS casework team on identified complex cases.

• Work to broaden the community-based clinical services network; maintains an up-to-date Community Behavioral Health Services Providers’ list of local community-based providers and the services offered which shall be updated (at a minimum) each quarter and provided to the District Office case management team. The Community

Behavioral Health Services Providers’ list shall be aligned with the YLS/CMI Service Matrix – aligning the YLS/CMI domains with needed services which match the youth’s level of risk.

• Assist DYS Caseworkers in skill building related to working with youth with specific behavioral health diagnoses. This will be accomplished through case consultation, participation in weekly District Office team meetings and group learning opportunities.

• Under the direction of the Regional Clinical Coordinator, support DYS casework staff as needed in the coordination of emergency or mobile crisis response and hospitalizations.

• Assist in developing and implementing regional service management strategy under the direction of DYS Regional Directors, Clinical Coordinators, Directors of Community Services and in coordination with District Office case management teams.

• As requested by DYS, consult directly with youth and families to help ensure each youth’s success through the continuum of services in the community.

• Assist DYS caseworkers in identifying individual clinical services for youth. The Community Clinical Coordinator may assist in making referrals in collaboration with DYS and/or if clinically necessary but shall not serve as the primary referral agent for a District Office.

• Improve youth and family clinical services planning and implementation identifying service gaps at the regional and District Office level and supports the DYS Regional Director of Community Services in developing or modifying programs to meet specific service delivery needs.

• Maintain effective relationships with key clinical and administrative leadership within the region and DYS Central Office.

• Knowledgeable of, and has linkages to, the Massachusetts’ Behavioral Health Partnership’s (MBHP) managed care entities and providers within the region. Work with the DYS regional senior management team to manage access, responsiveness and quality assurance to ensure the individual clinical needs of DYS youth in the community are met.

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