The initial Discretionary State Aid application process has concluded and by early August we will notify probation departments whether their applications were approved. This $1.8 million program was established by SB 1630 during the 84th Legislative Session to enhance existing programs or establish new performance-based programs at the local level. TJJD received 26 applications. TJJD staff worked with interested probation departments to develop applications to provide services through programs that are research-based, focused on positive outcomes, identify at-risk populations and reduce recidivism.
TJJD hosted its second site visit for the Youth In Custody Practice Model consultants the last week of July at Mart and I came away with renewed excitement about our future. I was particularly impressed by the candidness of the TJJD staff and their genuine desire to improve. This agency-wide effort will pay great dividends over the next few years as we continue implementing best practices and working to ensure the best days of our agency are ahead.
The 85th Texas Legislative Session is only a few short months away and our Legislative Appropriations Request (LAR) will be submitted later this month after review and approval by the Board. It consists of several parts, including the base request and exceptional items (a legislative wish list of sorts). In this cycle of preparing the LAR, all agencies were required to decrease their current expenses by 4% in their base request, with exceptions for some types of programs. Those cuts to our baseline would have a dramatic impact on state and county operations and our ability to treat and rehabilitate our growing youth population. Therefore, replacing that funding will be our highest priority exceptional item.
There has been considerable talk among State leadership offices about the potential decline in available funding for the 2018/2019 biennium (state-wide), the desire to reduce state spending, and the limited capacity to support new initiatives. This does not alter the agency’s approach to ask for what the system needs to continue supporting front end services that probation departments provide and improving the culture, safety and security of our facilities, to support our staff through training
and salary needs, to address our substantial IT needs, to enhance positive programing and re-entry services to reduce recidivism.
We recently completed a system-wide salary study to support requests in our LAR related to the current market. The findings of this study support requests on both the state and county side. On the state side, we are recommending JCO and parole officer salaries become and remain equitable with correctional officers and parole officers at TDCJ. In addition, the study findings represent a strong basis for requesting the adjustment of salaries for positions other than JCOs, parole officers and teachers (whose salaries are set by local school districts) to become more competitive in the market. On the county side, we are recommending an increase in funding equivalent to 3% of case-load carrying juvenile probation and supervision officers to all departments to use for salary increases.
On August 1, the first day of the new school year, we began a flexible block schedule that will transform the way educational services and rehabilitation services are provided to TJJD youth residing in our secure facilities. The purpose for the block schedule is to increase safety for students and staff, reduce class sizes, improve instruction for students and increase rehabilitative specialized treatment. This will free up time for additional treatment and activities while ensuring education is delivered in the most meaningful environment possible.
Since it will be a couple of months before the next edition of TJJD Today is published, I’d like to take this opportunity, in recognition of Labor Day coming up soon, to thank all of you who “toil in the vineyards” of our profession and for your dedicated commitment to our mission.