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HomeMy WebLinkAboutJuvenile Services 2022-23 Budget Narrative and Org Chart2022-2023 PROPOSED BUDGET JUVENILE AND FAMILY COURT SERVICES Budget Narrative and Organizational Chart Submitted: September 7, 2021 FUND/DEPARTMENT: JUVENILE AND FAMILY COURT SERVICES All services and duties performed by the Juvenile and Family Court are those set forth in RCW Title 13. They range from probation and diversion matters detention management, as well as civil cases such as truancy, at -risk youth, and child in need of services petitions. Duties also encompass involvement In child welfare matters in the coordination and management of the volunteer guardian ad litem program, the Family Court Improvement Project, and the BUDGET / Parent for Parent advocacy program. PROGRAM h,nd/Progran, Description RCWs Jefferson County Juvenile and Family Court Services A Better Way Forward EXPLORE— DEVELOP --- ACHIEVE Core Values: MISSION Contact with the Jefferson County Juvenile and Family Court is usually a significant experience for the youth and families that we serve. It is our intention to ensure that this experience Is constructive and positive in nature. Our department acknowledges the inherent worth of all individuals with whom we interact and we STATEMENT envision a departmental culture committed to: Unbiased advocacy, hope and resilience Collaboration , accountability and support Respect, Integrity and excellence Innovation, research and responsiveness Prevention. restoration and rehabilitation GOALS & GOALS: Provide assistance and support to youth and their families pursuant to our core values; OBJECTIVES Collaborate with other stakeholders in the community to create multiple pathways for youth to achieve their goals; Creatively problem solve to achieve new ways of supporting accountability and resilience for youth; OBJECTIVES: Implement new diversion protocols to promote responsivity in the diversion population; Create new steps for service delivery to at risk youth and their families; Fully implement the Parent for Parent program now that funding has been secured for two years; Reinstitute regular family court improvement meetings and associated projects; Assist schools in encouraging students to participate fully in their educational goals; Provide evidence based and promising approaches and programs to court -involved youth. 2020 - 2021 Biennial Budget V SUMMARY Key Funding Issue #1 - Filling of vacant juvenile probation counselor position. Darrell Thomas left the Department in August of 2021. 1 do not have the immediate intent to fill this position based on overall reduction in referrals Key Funding as a result of COVID policies in schools, law enforcement etc. Darrell was a JPC II, Grade 33, Step 4/5 and worked a 40 hour week. I do not intend to Service Issues request this position be posted in 2022-23 unless Key Funding Issue #2 comes to pass. In the meantime, the programming responsibilities that Mr. Thomas had for evidence based programming has been shifted to be performed by Proctor staff as we incorporate their current availability. Key Funding Issue #2 - Legislature otenti ally extending juvenile jurisdiction to age 20. Currently, the juvenile court has jurisdicion over individuals for criminal matters for individuals age 12 through 17. In legislative session 2021, a bill was proposed that would modify juvenile jurisdiction to include the ages 13 through 19. Senator Darneille, the sponsoring senator, indicates that she will bring forth this bill again. There was much support for this shift in policy, but some issues remained unresolved which resulted in the bill dying last session. Until there is a clearer indication about what ages this department will ultimately serve, I plan to keep the JPC II position unfilled so that I can plan to fill it after we know for certain what type of population we would be serving. NOTE: Passage of such legislation would impact other entities such as jail, district court, superior court, prosecution, defense, etc. There would be a significant fiscal impact to the juvenile courts which we would expect that legislature would address. Key Funding Issue #3 - One Remaining JPC ll position remains at 32 hours per week. Kurt Munnich, JPC 11, is requesting that his 32 hour week be considered less "trial' and more "permanent" I have indicated to him that I am willing to keep his position at 32 hours per week as long as the probation caseload remains manageable for he and Ms. Burns (and myself as a backup). While this, coupled with not replacing Darrell Thomas, puts the probation unit at fewer staff than I have seen during my tenure, we would plan to train our Family Program Assistant to participate more fully in ARY cases, and train Mr. Munnich to replace Darrell in mediation and restorative justice programs (Kurt previously served as our mediator but needs to be re -certified), as well as incorporate staff from Proctor House as much as possible in the area of programming. Key Funding Issue #4 - Broader allowance for case management and services in status cases. Status cases are those that address behaviors that except for the age of the individual, would not be considered unlawful. Examples are running away from home, failing to attend school, refusing to comply with civil court orders etc.. In cases such as truancies and at risk youth, the involvement of the juvenile court staff has been expanded by proviso to include case management and associated services, if necessary. This requires working with stakeholders to enhance our responses to these "less than criminal" situations that occur within schools and/or families. Key Funding Issue #5 - Implementation of Parent for Parent Pro ram We have received funding for implementation of the Parent for Parent Program (see "Adds"). This program will fall into the responsibility bucket of our civil and dependency division as it provides advocacy for parents at entry into the child welfare system. The lead coordinator for volunteer parent allies must be a successful graduate of the child welfare system, having earned the return of his/her children. Key Funding Issue #6 - Reduction in Detention_ Contract with Kltsap County Based on trends in detention, I will be modifying my contract with Kitsap County to an "as -need" contract for detention beds instead of paying for 2 guaranteed beds whether they are filled or not. The cost of an "as -need" bed will be $125 per day. Additionally, all transportation responsibilities will be shifted to Jefferson County for which details will need to be nailed down. Key Funding Issue #7 - Positive Revenue in the Special Purpose Sales Tax Positive revenue reflected in the Special Purpose Sales tax estimates that receipts for 2022 and 2023 could be in the neighborhood of $111,000 and $120,000 respectively. These are numbers representing the percentage identified to support local juvenile justice programming. 2022-23 Narrative Template Page 1 of 1 9/3/2021 2020 - 2021 Biennial Budget STAFFING FTEs Staffing Explanation 7.75 6.68 6.68 These staff numbers reflect NOT filling the vacant JPC position at this time (pending legislative decisions), and another JPC II remaining at a 32 hour week. PERFORMANCE INDICATORS N/A -- see Explanation Budget years 2020 and 2021 were such outliers with regard to performance indicators,therefore I have not included any at this time. Most traditional performance indicators that are tracked at the local and state level have been either intentionally disregarded for the purposes Performance of standard research and data collection, OR have shifted to an aggregated statewide inquiry of indicators specific to COVID-19 court Explanation processing and detention holds. Any of that data is available upon request. If and when the court system begins to adequately recover from the affects of the pandemic, more illuminating data will be shared. I can report that juvenile criminal court cases have declined dramatically, as have detention holds. Additionally, with school effectively out of session since the spring of 2020, most behaviors involving chronic absenteeism, potential abuse vicitimization, household violence, and peer relationship difficulties have remained unreported and as such, invisible. 2022-23 Narrative Template Page 1 of 1 9/3/2021 JUVENILE AND FAMILY COURT SERVICES Organizational Chart- 6.68 FTE's 2022-2023 11 Dependency and Civil Programs CASA/GAL, Family & Juvenile Court Improvement Project, Becca Programs (Truancy, At -Risk Youth, Child in Need of Services), Finding Fathers, Parent for Parent; Emancipation Anne Dean, Dependency & Civil Program Manager (1) Kurt Munnich — Becca Counselor (.25) Meagan Ryan — Family Program Assistant (.88) Deyi Noltemeier, Juv. Court Clerk (5) 2.63 FTE's ADMINISTRATION General Administration, Detention and Detention Alternatives, Contracts and Grants Barbara Carr, Administrator (1) Carol Palmer, Fiscal & Grants (1) Deyi Noltemeier, Juv. Court Clerk (5) 2.5 FTE's Youth Diversion and Probation_ Programs Diversion, Probation Case Management and Supervision, Evidence Based Programs, Restorative Justice and Community Service Shannon Burns, Probation Lead (1) Kurt Munnich, JPC 2 (.55) 1.55 FTE's