El Paso County Juvenile Probation Department Clinical Services Unit

EL PASO, Texas – Through collaborative efforts in 2011, between the Texas Juvenile Justice Department (TJJD) and the Office of Acquired Brain Injury (OABI), the El Paso County Juvenile Probation Department began the process of identifying justice-involved youth who may have sustained or acquired a traumatic brain injury (TBI).

The El Paso County Juvenile Probation Department has established protocol to screen eligible clients for brain injury. The Brain Injury Screening Questionnaire (BISQ) is used to identify youth who have suffered a brain injury and note if there were any residual effects of the injury on the child’s physical abilities, cognition and/or emotional or behavioral states.

The grant TJJD secured allowed the El Paso County Juvenile Probation Department to develop a partnership with Dr. Wayne Gordon of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and supported Injury Control Research at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mt. Sinai in New York. Through this collaboration, the Youth Short Term Executive Plus Program (YSTEP) was developed and implemented at the El Paso County Juvenile Probation Department, to address TBI symptoms exhibited by youth who were screened with the BISQ. The application of YSTEP, a unique program designed to address TBI in youth, reaches a traditionally underserved population with regard to services offered to work on emotional and behavioral changes documented after a TBI has occurred.

Since 2011, youth identified and receiving services through YSTEP have been tracked and recidivism data compiled. Preliminary findings, basedonscoresfrompre/postresults, show that the program appears to positively impact participants with regard to recidivism reduction and enhancement to cognition and selfregulating abilities.

These promising, initial findings have led to interest in replicating the program in other states. The State of Alabama requested training on implementing the YSTEP program for their juvenile justice system and programs. Officials from that state’s Department of Youth Services, Rehabilitation and Human Services were trained in the application of the YSTEP program with a projected start of September 2017 to replicate these services through their state agencies.

McFadden Sends Youth Home with Backpack of 'Hope'

By Y. Denise Caldwell Community Resource Coordinator, Northern District Parole Office FLOWER MOUND, Texas - Larry Bossaler, McFadden volunteer McFadden Ranch Volunteer Larry Bossaler enjoys his assignment: Making sure that every youth who leaves the McFadden halfway house knows that people are praying for him and wishing him the best in his future. He is the man who brings them their “Good-Bye” backpack. When he delivers the backpacks, he makes sure to do three things – visit with the youth, show the contents of the backpack (because staff put them in the lockers until the youth leaves), and lastly close the visit with a heartfelt prayer. The youth enjoy and appreciate the backpack, the visit and the prayer. Many are a little anxious and scared to leave but knowing that the McFadden volunteers care enough to send them off in this special way, helps them feel a bit less worried. “I always bring an extra backpack,” Larry said. “In case a youth i

McFadden Ranch High School Graduates Honored

DENTON, Texas -- The Kiwanis Club of Denton recognized nine youth from McFadden Ranch who earned their high school diploma or equivalency by inviting them to their April 17 noon meeting and luncheon where they were awarded $50 each for their trust fund. Spearheaded by JCO IV Gregory Winn, a longstanding member of the Kiwanis Club of Denton, the event was truly memorable for the youth who attended. They heard a motivational and moving presentation by Texas Rep. Pat Fallon, who completed the Greatest Endurance Challenge – the World Marathon Challenge – tackling seven marathons in seven days on seven continents. He took the challenge after being inspired by Jonny Wade, a 7-year-old boy who battled pediatric cancer and had only one wish – ‘that no other kid ever gets cancer.’ Wade’s death led to the creation of Pediatric Cancer Foundation for which Fallon raised over $250,000 so far. Fallon, who represents a portion of Denton County, said the takeaway from his experience is that we

IN MEMORY AND APPRECIATION: Trayce Haynes Alexander

Trayce Haynes Alexander, of Cat Spring, Texas passed away in April. She was a JCO IV at the Giddings State School and began her employment with the Texas Youth Commission on January 5, 2009, as a JCO III. She was promoted to a JCO IV on April 1, 2010. Trayce was a hardworking, loyal and dedicated staff member and friend. Her number one priority was the youth in her dorm and she would drive one hour and forty minutes everyday (even in ill health) to try to make a difference in the lives of the youth she worked with. She was well respected by both staff and youth due to her extraordinary work ethic. The boys could always depend on her to hold them accountable. She is survived by her husband Geoff Alexander and two daughters, Kristyn and Robyn Alexander. Trayce was born on September 3, 1952. She earned a BS from Southwest Texas State University in Law Enforcement.

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