2016 Implementation Sites Project Call for Applications

Transcription

1 2016 Implementation Sites Project Call for Applications The National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges (NCJFCJ) is inviting applications from dependency, abuse, and neglect courts to become new implementation sites within the NCJFCJ Implementation Sites Project. NCJFCJ, with funding from the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), has been partnering with courts across the country since 1992 to improve outcomes for abused and neglected children and their families. The NCJFCJ Implementation Sites Project is a three year project to provide child abuse and neglect courts with training, technical assistances, and support to guide program improvement, sustainability, and performance. As part of their involvement in this project, Implementation Sites are expected to implement meaningful change, evaluate progress, as well as share challenges and successes with other courts across the country. The Implementation Sites will integrate promising practices, as defined by the NCJFCJ s Enhanced Resource Guidelines: Improving Court Practices in Child Abuse and Neglect Cases to guide their system reform efforts. In 1995, the NCJFCJ published the Resource Guidelines: Improving Court Practice in Child Abuse and Neglect Cases to improve courts handling of child abuse and neglect cases. The Resource Guidelines focused on effective dependency court hearing practices, options for improved practice, and assessing and implementing improvements in the handling of child and abuse and neglect cases. Then in 2000, the NCJFCJ published the Adoption and Permanency Guidelines: Improving Court Practices in Child Abuse and Neglect Cases to address issues of adoption, as well as The Adoption and Safe Families Act ( ASFA ), which became law in November Despite their significant impact and fundamental information, the Resource Guidelines and the Adoption and Permanency Guidelines required revision due to new and constantly changing federal laws, as well as the addition of information and insights gained through empirical research and lessons learned by Model Courts. The new Enhanced Resource Guidelines were released in June 2016, and set the direction for the Implementation Site Project. The NCJFCJ supports courts by providing guidance and technical assistance to allow courts to focus on the adoption of recommended practices outlined in the recently released Enhanced Resource Guidelines: Improving Court Practices in Child Abuse & Neglect Cases and the Key Principles for Permanency Planning for Children. 1 The NCJFCJ will work with the new implementation sites by helping the sites identify impediments and challenges to improving their current court practices and the delivery of services to families and children. As part of this effort, judicial leadership and effective collaboration are viewed as essential for project success. 1 see also Page 1

2 Program Overview NCJFCJ will be selecting four new sites to participate in the Implementation Sites Project. There is no direct funding available to participating sites. However, the four selected sites will receive targeted training, technical assistance, and support from NCJFCJ staff, which will include on-site visits, a trauma assessment, and All-Sites Meetings. The Implementation Site Project is a three year commitment, divided into three phases. Each phase focuses on a different topic vital to building the foundation necessary for success in this project. Phase One Building A Foundation During Phase One, the selected implementation sites will focus on implementing the Enhanced Resource Guidelines practices, data collection, and building a better collaboration among court stakeholders. Phase Two Creating a Trauma-Informed Court Environment During Phase Two, the selected implementation sites will receive a trauma assessment and focus on becoming a trauma-informed and culturally responsive court. Phase Three Accomplishing New Goals By Phase Three, the selected implementation sites will have built a solid foundation, and will select a specific project to focus during their final stage in the project. Sample projects include creating a specialty docket, creating a dual-status youth docket, or implementing a mediation or alternative dispute resolution program. To help facilitate the success of the project, NCJFCJ staff will organize a cross-site visit to another court that has successfully implemented a similar program. Additionally, the selected implementation sites will receive training and support to create a transition plan to allow the court to continue its accomplishments after graduating the Implementation Site Project program and becoming a Senior Implementation Site Court, which serve as mentor courts to newer implementation sites. Program Benefits and Expectations The four selected implementation sites will receive individualized assessments, training, and technical assistance as they seek to implement the principles and recommendations set forth in the Enhanced Resource Guidelines and work toward improving practices and outcomes. As part of this effort, the new implementation sites will serve as laboratories for change as they will be participating in an ongoing assessment process of their performance and they will be expected to share their results with the NCJFCJ and other sites in order to inform and sustain a larger system improvement effort. The NCJFCJ will designate a Site Manager to work with and guide each Implementation Site. The Site Managers work closely with individual sites to help facilitate systems change efforts. The Site Managers commit to working closely with Implementation Sites through regular contact and communication to Page 2

3 develop, prioritize, and achieve goals; assist Lead Judges with critical analysis and feedback; and provide thorough, timely, and tailored technical assistance. Site Managers are the primary appraisers of the Implementation Sites participation in the program. The Site Managers determine the allocation of resources to the Implementation Sites related to their goals reflecting best practices of the Enhanced Resource Guidelines and court performance measurement. Site Manager utilize a variety of tools to assess Implementation Sites, including site visits, cross-site visits, multidisciplinary trainings, and technical assistance. Site Visits Site visits give Site Managers the opportunity to identify strengths, challenges, and technical assistance needs of the Implementation Sites, and to provide a seamless continuum of analysis and feedback to the courts. During site visits, Site Managers engage in a combination of the following activities: Court hearing observations Stakeholder interviews Court file review Providing constructive feedback and other forms of information-sharing Research, evaluation, and technical assistance Cross-Site Visits Cross-site visits are designed to facilitate the achievement of a current Implementation Site goal, and involve representatives from one or more Implementation Sites, or Mentor Model Courts, visiting another Implementation Site or Model Court to learn more about the host site s innovations and reforms, observe hearings, and meet with their professional counterparts in other jurisdictions. Multidisciplinary Training When appropriate to facilitate current Implementation Site goals, the NCJFCJ may help develop and fund or co-sponsor an on-site training with a defined topic area. Technical Assistance The Implementation Site Lead Judges and multidisciplinary collaborative team members regularly turn to their Site Managers for information on a wide range of topics related to court and social service agency reform initiatives, including legal issues, policy issues, programmatic and practice issues, and resource and funding issues. NCJFCJ s Research Team also provides access to information about court performance measurement and achievement of court improvement goals. Program Expectations Lead Judge Commitments o The Lead Judge must commit for the entire three year period o The Lead Judge must commit to monthly phone calls with other Implementation Sites and NCJFCJ Staff to share and exchange progress, challenges, and successes o The Lead Judge must commit to regular communication with the assigned Site Manager o The Lead Judge must commit to participating in Enhanced Resource Guidelines webinar training in January 2017 Page 3

4 o If the Lead Judge has not attended an NCJFCJ Child Abuse and Neglect Institute (CANI), the Lead Judge is strongly encouraged to participate in the 2017 CANI program Site Commitments o Implementation of the Enhanced Resource Guidelines and Key Principles for Permanency Planning for Children o Active development, facilitation, and participation in site visits, cross-site visits, and onsite trainings and meetings; o Promptly meeting NCJFCJ deadlines, including responding to surveys and requests for information o Attending in All-Site Conferences and Lead Judges Meetings; o Making good faith efforts to promote the Implementation Site Project by sharing information about the project at meetings, conferences, trainings, etc. o Coordinating with and participating in Court Improvement Project (CIP) initiatives o Participating in national projects defined by the NCJFCJ o Serving as a mentor court to other courts across the nation Eligibility The NCJFCJ will select the four new implementation sites based on the following criteria: Region or location (a mix of rural, suburban, and urban courts) Size of jurisdiction (a mix of small, medium, and large) Readiness for change (ability to assess current court practices and infrastructure; the existence of collaborative efforts and/or a willingness to form collaborative structures; and the readiness of the court and stakeholders to participate in the change process) The ability to access and analyze data and the willingness to examine current data systems and processes. Courts that have not previously been a part of the Model Court Project will be given preference Informational Conference Calls The NCJFCJ will host two (2) informational conference calls before the application deadline. During these calls, NCJFCJ staff will review basic information regarding the Implementation Site Project and speak about the general expectations and benefits of becoming a new implementation site. The calls will also allow for a brief question and answer session. Participation in these calls is optional and will not impact the application process. The conference calls are scheduled for: Tuesday, August 30, 2016 at 12:00pm EST / 9:00am PST Thursday, September 8, 2016 at 3:00pm EST / 12:00pm PST Page 4

5 Anyone interested in submitting an application to be selected as one of the Implementation Sites may register to participate in the calls. The total number of participants for each call is limited to 20 individuals. To register, please send an to and write Conference Call Registration in the subject of the . In the body of the , please identify your full name, your role with the court, your and telephone number, and what session you would like to join. Your registration must be received at least 24 hours prior to the start of the call. Year One Activities and Timeframe Orientation Webinar December 2016 Introductory Enhanced Resource Guidelines January 2017 Webinar for Lead Judges Initial Individual Site Visits January 2017 February 2017 Implementation Site Group Calls Calls will begin in March and occur every other month Individual Site Conference Calls Calls will begin in April and occur every other month All-Sites Meeting To Be Announced Individual Site Visits Site visits will continue throughout 2017 as coordinated by the Lead Judge and the Site manager Application Guidelines and Timelines Courts applying to become one of the new Implementation Sites should complete the online application housed by Survey Monkey at: The application is comprehensive and requires current and accurate data on many aspects of court operation. Applicants will be able to re-enter the application at any time up until the application deadline or until the application has been finalized. In addition, it is important to note that each site submitting an application may need to work as team to complete the application because there are questions that may require expertise outside of one individual. Please note that a letter of support from the Presiding Judge of the jurisdiction is required as part of the application. The application has an essay component and each court should specifically identify the strengths and the challenges of their site. The essay should discuss why the court should be selected, why the court is interested in participating in the project, as well as the strengths of the court team, and areas the court could improve in. Additionally, the essay should provide details regarding the court s readiness and willingness to conduct self-assessments, evaluate program components, and participate in an intensive systems improvement process. Page 5

6 Application Timelines The application opens on Monday, August 15, 2016 The application closes on Friday, September 30, 2016 at 6:00pm PST Follow-Up Interviews for selected applications will take place October 10-21, 2016 Applicants will be notified of the selected Implementation Sites by Friday, November 11, Page 6