TJJD News & Announcements

SAN ANTONIO – Ayres Halfway House youth participated in a two-day Ministries Of the Third Cross Retreat on Dec. 17, 2017. Members of the MOTTC group treated the youth to uplifting fellowship, music, and worship. The retreat members volunteered their time to cook for, serve and lift up our young men in an incredibly powerful way, that even brought the shyest youth out of their shell. At the end of the retreat the group members surprised the youth with Christmas gifts for each young man in the house.  All youth in the program participated and even lead prayers and songs. Many MOTTC members asked to sign on to volunteer with our agency to mentor in the future. It was a wonderful experience for all and they have already began the process of returning for a full, four-day retreat in the summer.

AUSTIN, Texas – The National Technical Assistance Center for the Education of Neglected or Delinquent Children and Youth (NDTAC), in conjunction with the American Institute for Research, just released The Mentoring Toolkit 2.0: Resources for Developing Programs for Incarcerated Youth, and it features TJJD’s Mentoring Program. NDTAC serves as a national resource center to provide direct assistance to states, schools, communities, and parents seeking information on the education of children and youth who are considered neglected, delinquent, or at-risk. Tammy Holland, TJJD’s manager of community, family, and chaplaincy programs, helped launch the Toolkit during a nationwide webinar for juvenile justice officials on August 31, entitled “Designing Effective Mentoring Programs for Neglected, Delinquent, and Incarcerated Youth.” Mentoring can provide the opportunity for at-risk youth and youthful offenders, who often have limited contact with positive adult role models, to form and susta...

The following article was first published in GM Financial’s Inside GMF. Adrian Terry, AVP Process Excellence, works with teens at McFadden Ranch. ROANOKE, Texas – When Adrian Terry, AVP Process Excellence, starting mentoring at McFadden Ranch in 2015, he never imagined the impact he would make on the young men in the facility. McFadden Ranch is a community-based residential program located in Roanoke, Texas, which provides for the care and treatment of juvenile offenders. The approach to treatment at McFadden Ranch, a 48-bed facility, focuses on making lasting lifestyle changes. While at the Ranch, these young men obtain vocational and social skills training, individual and group mentoring, GED tutoring, and a variety of transitional support planning services. Youth at McFadden are referred to community service projects and can be streamlined into job placement on and off campus. The residents, ages 13-18, usually stay at McFadden Ranch for six to 18 months. “Every time I mento...