TJJD News & Announcements

What led you to your career in juvenile justice? I grew up with a desire to help others and my college years were directed toward working with teenagers.  Subsequent to an internship with the Abilene Boys Club, one of my professors talked with me about juvenile probation.  After graduation, I applied with the late Lynn Ross at the Tarrant County Juvenile Probation Department and began my career on January 15, 1991. What types of facilities do you operate? While our department doesn’t operate any facilities, we do contract with several residential treatment programs both in- and out-of-state.  The juvenile supports our quest to place youth in residential programs that best meets their needs regardless of location. What programs do you feel have proven most successful? The substance abuse program is a favorite primarily due to the expertise and passion of Debbie Cashon, the remarkable lady who runs our program in Wise and Jack counties.  We also have life...

Submitted by the Harris County Juvenile Probation Department The Harris County Juvenile Probation Department has forged a partnership with Disability Rights Texas (DRTx) to help improve educational outcomes for youth involved with probation. Nationally, 60-70% of youth in the juvenile justice system have a diagnosable mental health condition and almost 30% have a serious disorder that requires immediate significant treatment (National Center for Mental Health and Juvenile Justice, 2006). These students are entitled to important protections and behavioral supports under either special education or 504 plans, depending on the severity of their disability.  Unfortunately, many students have never been properly identified, or received the services that allow them to make academic and behavioral progress. As a result, students with disabilities are more than twice as likely to be expelled than their typically developing classmates, and many students are referred to juvenile court due ...

AMIKids- Rio Grande Valley is a medium-restriction/non-secure residential program located in Los Fresnos, TX. AMIKids serve male youth 10-18 years of age. The program provides individual and group counseling services; alcohol and other drug (AOD) treatment (moderate); Aggression Replacement Training®; basic carpentry, welding, and basic maintenance. Education services are provided on-site by the local independent school district. In Fiscal Year 2015, AMIKids was among eight residential providers under contract with TJJD. AMIKids was selected as the provider of the year based on contract compliance and performance outcomes. The program is licensed by Department of Family & Protective Services and has been contracting with TJJD since 1985.

The focus of TJJD’s Family Liaison services is to increase the family involvement in the rehabilitation of youth by developing, organizing, implementing, and overseeing family engagement activities at each facility. The agency has moved from family-informed care to family-involved care and sees families as assets in rehabilitation efforts and successful community re-entry. Family Liaisons coach, educate, support, and encourage family members to participate in and help administer the rehabilitation plan for their youth. Opportunities for family participation come during regularly scheduled campus activities, family-focused seminars and forums, contact and web-based visitation, and multi-disciplinary team meetings. In March 2008, TJJD administered the first satisfaction survey to families regarding their perception of TJJD services. Those survey results established a baseline from which to measure improvements. In an effort to boost participation, this year’s survey was accessible ...

What led you to your career in education? Teaching is what I was born to do. I believe I was called to be a MOM and to TEACH… Why did you decide to enter the field of juvenile justice? My Bachelor’s degree is in Deaf Education and I started my career teaching the deaf and then moved to special needs kids. I loved working with these kids and organizing events such as the Special Olympics. About 10 years ago, I had the privilege of doing an internship for my master’s degree here at Gainesville State School. I was hooked! After completion of my master’s degree and principal certification, I waited patiently for a job to open here and as soon as it did, I applied and prayed it would be mine! What are the biggest differences between being an administrator in public education versus juvenile justice? Public administrators obviously have more interaction with parents and groups such as cheerleaders and band which bring a unique set of challenges. On the juvenile justice side, I would...

Human trafficking has been a prominent training topic in Texas and nationally for several years, a trend likely to continue as more information and statistics become available on trafficking and exploitation, especially related to children.  Over the last few years, TJJD and local juvenile probation departments have worked with a number of entities including the Attorney General’s Office, Department of Public Safety, Traffick911, Allies Against Slavery, and International Hope, to seek professional development in this area as a proactive measure for staff to enhance  awareness and responsivity to the needs of these youth in our system. State legislation mandated human trafficking training for all juvenile correctional officers, along with trauma informed care training.  TJJD curriculum developers recently completed a new 2-hour human trafficking course that will be implemented into the new hire schedule for all incoming juvenile correctional officers beginning in Febru...

TJJD’s PAWS (Pairing Achievement With Success) Program is in urgent need of large dog kennels.  Our youth trainers currently have a full house of canine companions that are in training for their American Kennel Club (AKC) Canine Good Citizenship certification.  This program began in January 2010 and we had an initial donation of crates that, through normal wear and tear, have become damaged and pose a safety risk for the dogs currently in the program.  Because there is no way to predict the size of dogs we get from our partners at the Corinne T. Smith Animal Shelter and Service Dogs Inc., the large crates are best suited for all the dogs coming into the program. Crates need to be large enough for the dog to stand up and turn around.  These have proven to be the best for the type of use the PAWS program needs in terms of durability and value.  They are also the best for safety.  The two-door model pictured here provides flexibility in how they are placed...

The El Paso County Juvenile Probation Department’s Challenge Academy is the department’s long-term residential program that provides evidence-based programming, substance abuse treatment and life skills for the overall growth and development of youth and their families. Since 2013, the Challenge Academy Explorers Post has been an active participant in the annual Sun Bowl Parade, building parade floats that have special meaning for the youth.  It all started with an idea to give back to the community and experience what the community has to offer to our youth.  The first float in 2013 drew on the motivation and dedication that fictional boxer Rocky Balboa displayed in not giving up and fighting to win.  It was titled “Eye of the Tiger” and received an honorable mention by parade judges.  In 2014, Challenge Academy youth and counselors drew from the fact that most of the youth have to learn to be adults before their time at the expense of their childhood. ...