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A Message From the Director

AUSTIN, Texas – The last newsletter we issued was around the time of Hurricane Harvey. For many, it is has been a long two months. I am particularly impressed with the preparedness of each of the affected counties. TJJD made contact with them and mostly heard, “We’ve got this!” Well done. One of my favorite things about being part of the Texas juvenile justice system is the support each corner of the system provides to the remainder. Harris, Victoria, Galveston and Hardin Counties each evacuated some of their kids. I know many counties offered bed space, transportation help, and other support. I am proud of our system and how we pull together as a team, especially when a critical series of events demands no less.

At TJJD, we sheltered in place. Evins Regional Juvenile Center was well prepared but enjoyed blue skies. Giddings State School received a lot of rain, some of which ended up in the gymnasium due to a damaged roof. Our Houston District Office was closed for just over a week due to the flooding in the surrounding area. I am grateful that was the worst of it. Many in our state faced and are facing much worse.

We are taking the opportunity to review our emergency management plans. I hope each county does the same. We can never be too prepared.

In other news, a new Grants Unit has been established as part of the Probation and Community Services Division. This is part of a larger reorganization of the department with Lou Serrano at the helm. Now both the fiscal and programmatic functions of county grants are part of the grants unit, which streamlines TJJD’s effectiveness for providing grant-related technical assistance. Additionally, the Division is filling two regional county program administrator positions, to support the Regionalization effort. In Fiscal Year 2017, 188 youth were placed through Regionalization. TJJD received 337 diversion applications, 224 of which were approved. At a time when commitments were higher than projected at TJJD, these diversions were particularly helpful.

TJJD and other agencies are gearing up for the 13th Annual Strengthening Youth and Families Conference in Georgetown on October 30 through November 2, 2017. I know many from the field and the agency will attend this conference. I am particularly excited for the Youth in Custody Practice Model (YICPM) presentation by our own Rebecca Walters, senior director of youth placement and Michael Umpierre, a senior research fellow at the Center for Juvenile Justice Reform at Georgetown University. This presentation will highlight the significant work the agency has done and continues to do to implement best practices at our state facilities.

I thank everyone for the work you do every day to continue to move us forward toward our mission. It is a noble mission and we are up to it because of the commitment of each of you.
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