Performance-based Standards (PbS) is very pleased to announce Juvenile Corrections Center- St. Anthony (JCCSA) in St. Anthony, ID as one of the finalists for the 2020 PbS Barbara Allen-Hagen Award in the correction category. JCCSA was selected as a finalist for their impressive plan to improve mental health programming.nThe PbS team’s strategy focused on mental health programming due to an increased need for mental health services within the youth population. They developed a process with more individualized programming to address the impact of mental health issues with youths and reversed the historic approach: rather than make the youth “fit” the facility’s behavioral management program, the team adapted the programming to “fit” the youth.nBy sharing behavioral health information with the staff at the beginning of a youth’s stay at the program staff were better able to adapt treatment interventions based on the individual needs of the youths. This resulted in a positive impact and more effective utilization of time spent in programming. Staff and peer groups were better able to focus on the root of the behavioral issues before a problem arose rather than figuring out how to intervene with the youth afterward. As this was a paradigm shift for staff, treatment staff were educated and trained on individual needs of youths. Rather than imposing program components on the youths, staff were able to match the youths to offered program components. The team at JCCSA continues to prioritize the work of this improvement plan.nStay tuned for more blogs about the 2020 finalists.nThe PbS Barbara Allen-Hagen Award was established in 2007 to honor Barbara Allen-Hagen and her retirement from the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP). Her dedication to improving the quality of life in facilities for young offenders has helped drive PbS to its current success. The award is given to a correction, detention/assessment and community program who best exemplify PbS’ commitment to treating all youths as one of our own by developing and implementing strategic plans to change practices that results in positive outcomes for youths, staff and families.
