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TJJD Advisory Council’s Standards Committee – Creation, Purpose, and Accomplishments

By Doug Vance, PhD
Chair, TJJD Advisory Council

The TJJD Advisory Council has for a number of years maintained several standing committees charged with addressing a specific area of importance to the field of juvenile justice. These committees focus on standards of care, performance measures, mental health, probation funding, and regionalization. For this article I wish to provide a general overview of the Standards Committee.

The Standards Committee was formally created on May 1, 2012 at a regular meeting of the TJJD Advisory Council. At that time the Advisory Council deemed it a top priority to initiate a systematic review of certain administrative rules (standards of care) impacting juvenile probation departments. After establishing the committee,  Brazos County Chief Doug Vance was appointed Committee Chair and Cass County Chief Philip Hayes as Vice-Chair.

In addition to Advisory Council membership on
the committee it was deemed prudent to solicit
additional representation from juvenile justice
professionals from across the state. As such,
membership on the committee soon expanded
to include representation from the following
organizations and or entities:
  • Juvenile Probation Regional Chiefs Associations
  • Texas Juvenile Justice Department
  • TJJD Advisory Council
  • Texas Juvenile Detention Association
  • Juvenile Justice Association of Texas
  • Texas Probation Association
  • Subject Matter Experts
To ensure the best chance for success the Standards Committee implemented a very distinct and uniquely strategic method of operation as outlined below:
  • Standards Committee Receives an Assignment
  • Chair Secures Committee Membership from Across the State
  • Project Parameters are Established
  • Committee Develops a Plan of Action
    . Goals
    . Guiding Principles
    . Time-Lines    . Methodology. Independent Research. Homework Assignments 
  • Committee Meetings Objectives:
    . Create Atmosphere that Encourages
    . Input & Debate
    . Provide for a Thorough Vetting Process
    . Keep Accurate Meeting Drafts
    . Solicit On-Going Feedback
    . Stay-on-Task
  • Seek TJJD Board Approval
  • Recommend an Effective Date
  • Provide State-Wide Training
Since 2012 the Standards Committee has been hard at work reviewing and revising multiple chapters of the Texas Administrative Code. Following is a list of projects completed by the Standards Committee.

2012 Elimination of the TAC 343 Compliance Resource Manual
2012 Creation of the TAC 343 Addendum
2012 Creation of Specific TJJD Auditing Procedures
2012 Revision of TAC 343 Mental Health Rules
2013 Creation of TAC 355 – Standards for Non-Secure Facilities
2014 Comprehensive Revision of TAC 343 - Secure Pre & Post-Adjudication Facilities
2014 Major Revision to How Seclusion is Administered in Texas Juvenile Detention.
2015 Revision of TAC 341 with Special Emphasis on Case Management.
2016 Revision of TAC 344 – Employment, Certification, & Training.

Each of these projects was very difficult and required extensive independent research as well as multiple meetings filled with debate and healthy discussion before completion was secured. If not for the dedication of a small group of juvenile justice professionals, these projects would have been impossible to undertake or complete.

The following list of individuals participated in one or more standards committee projects, either as a committee member, or as a subject matter expert. Their unselfish efforts will for many years to come provide the framework for the rules of engagement in juvenile probation as well as specify the modus operandi for how juvenile probation should operate. Finally, their work provides a seminal benchmark of excellence, for posterity’s sake, and will forever impact the scope, direction, and course of the Texas Juvenile Probation System.

Kristy Almager, Denise Askea, Josh Bauremiester, Linda Brooke, Darryl Beatty, Ed Cockrell, Jamie Coronado, Nekandra Coulter, Gerald Crain, Karol Davidson, Terri Dollar, Dr. Nicole Dorsey PhD, Kevin Dubose, Neil Edins, Lupita Fuentes, Dr. Jennifer Farnum. EdD, Scott Friedman, Richard Garza, Barry Gilbert, Carols Gonzales, Bruce Gusler, Kavita Gupta, Forrest Hanna, Darryl Harrison, Philip Hayes, Tom Hough, Bryan Jones, Susan Humphrey, Deborah James, Aris Johnson, Upendra Katrangadda, Monica Kelly, Ashley Kintzer, Diane Laffoon, David Lenington, Kathryn Lewis, Ron Lewis, Vicki Line, Sal Lopez, Virginia Martinez, Reba Moore, Jesse Murillo, Diana Norris, Susan Orendac, Dr. Delbert Price PhD, Leah Probst, Dr. Diana Quintana PhD, Steve Roman, Bryant Sears, Lou Serrano, Kaci Singer, James Smith, Chet Thomas, Laura Torres, Dr. Doug Vance PhD, Jim Vines, James Williams, Ross Worley.

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