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TJJD Implements New Training Curricula for Upcoming Fiscal Year

AUSTIN, Texas – TJJD will be implementing a series of new courses on September 1 designed to assist staff with additional tools to aid in the successful performance of their jobs. The Juvenile Justice Training Academy (JJTA) will provide the following courses to all new hire staff as well as tenured staff: Understanding Professional Liability; Cultural Equity; Gender and Sexuality; Engaging Families in the Juvenile Justice System; and IT Security Awareness Training. In addition, a new curriculum on Suicide Prevention was developed for tenured staff that will be included in annual training.

Understanding Professional Liability was developed by the JJTA to establish a foundational understanding of TJJD job-related legal liabilities, consequences, and protections. During the course, staff will review some of the most common liabilities that may cause legal issues for staff; look at the criminal, civil, and administrative consequences staff face when they do not follow law and policy; and discuss things staff can do to avoid these legal issues.

Cultural Equity was developed by the JJTA in partnership with the Youth in Custody Practice Model’s subgroup on reducing racial and ethnic disparities. How people individually view culture is molded and shaped by their life experiences, and no two life experiences are the same. Shared backgrounds may draw groups of people together, but different ones often push people apart. This course is designed to define culture, discuss its impact on our communities and agency, and determine ways to cultivate equitable, or fair, treatment in our professional role regardless of our cultural differences.

Gender and Sexuality: A Changing Perspective was developed by the JJTA in partnership with Treatment Services and Youth Placement and Re-Entry. This course is designed to examine sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression (SOGIE) related issues in the juvenile justice system, along with defining strategies needed to create safe and nurturing environments for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender youth are described.

Bringing It Home: Engaging Families in the Juvenile Justice System was developed by the JJTA in partnership with TJJD’s Family Liaison staff. This course was originally implemented in September 2015 for Case Managers, Parole Officers and Family Liaisons; however, the work with the Youth in Custody Practice Model further supports the agency’s effort in creating a foundation for all staff to be equipped with the knowledge of supporting a youth’s rehabilitation efforts for the entire duration of their stay at TJJD. This course explores the important role of family in achieving optimal outcomes for our youth including the signs of high and low family engagement, the challenges and barriers that families face when their youth is involved with the juvenile justice system, and how the juvenile justice system impacts the family are examined.

IT Security Awareness Training was developed by the JJTA in partnership with Information Technology. This course is designed to provide individuals that use, rely on, or manage TJJD’s information and information technology systems to understand their security responsibilities and bring an awareness to the risks associated with the use of technology while using work-related resources.

Suicide Prevention was developed by the JJTA in partnership with Treatment Services for tenured staff. This course builds off of the components learned from the revised training provided to all staff beginning September 1, 2016, and is designed to examine the five important points to help prevent youth suicide attempts using problem-based learning concepts.

Beginning in September, JJTA will also be offering these courses to Central Office staff. Variations of these courses will be available to community-based programs and facilities upon request.

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