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McLean County Juvenile Justice - Child Protection Roundtable September 9, 2011 Meeting Lori McCormick, Director of McLean County Court Services, chaired the meeting. The Council has invited representatives from both District 87 and Unit 5 to attend these meetings. Both indicated that representatives will be in attendance in the future. Additionally, Jack McQueen, Intelligence Analyst of the Bloomington Police Department will be attending. The Roundtable is now a working committee of the Juvenile Justice Council, and Youth Impact has been dissolved. Summer Jobs Program Dennis McGuire, Deputy Director of Juvenile Court Services, and a member of the Juvenile Justice Council, is chairing a committee through the JCC that is preparing a RP regarding a summer jobs program in McLean County. This program is for high-risk youth and provides jobs in both the private and public sector for 32-35 youth. The RFP is seeks participating agencies to apply for the program with the understanding that there will be date components in order to evaluate the effectiveness of the program. Social Service Program Updates • Catholic Charities - still working on budgetary issues with the State. The Unified Delinquency Intervention Services program has been eliminated.. • Project OZ - grant funding has been extended for 4 months (through the end of October). The crisis intervention unit may be eliminated. • DCFS - the state Director is resigning effective September 30. Still working on differential response program, and with the reduction of other agency programming, is seeing more referrals and intakes. • YWCA - developing a program for teen girls (Girls Be U) to address a gap in current services to that age group. This is an 8-week program in leadership, health, wellness, fitness and communication skills. • Boys and Girls Club - losing executive director (Evelyn Young) in mid-September. There will be a reception to honor her on September 18 at 5:00 pm at 1 Normal Plaza, Normal. They are launching some new programming which includes dating and social development skill building; improving self-esteem and resisting peer pressure. Barbara Stuart commented on the Models for Change program - Your Guide to the Juvenile Justice System in Illinois pamphlet. This document is available in both English and Spanish. A sample pamphlet was distributed for review. Juvenile Abuse Data Collection Program The program has been renewed for FY 2012 (beginning October 1, 2011). There was a program review in July with the Administrative Office of Illinois Courts and a report will be circulated when finalized. The ---PAGE BREAK--- ultimate goal of the project is to provide courts some guidance on court performance measure, record keeping issues and court practices and procedures. Children's Advocacy Center / CASA The number of children seen in 2011 will be about the same as 2010. There have been 4000 volunteer hours in the program from January 1 - July 31, 2011. The CAC will be sponsoring training on child abuse investigations on Tuesday, November 8, 2011. The cost of the training is $40.00 with CEU/CLE available. Tip a VIP will be held on February 18, 2012. Dual Adjudication Cases Judge Robb reported that DCFS has provided clarification of some of the rules they operate under on certain Juvenile Delinquency cases, and this has helped the Court understand how to provide services to those families. Juvenile Diversion Program (Juvenile Court Services) Dennis McGuire and Suzanne Montoya (Juvenile Court Services) outlined the juvenile diversion program. The goal of the program is to intervene in criminal behaviors and provide opportunities for juveniles and their families to receive services without involvement in the criminal justice system. The program offers victim impact panels for retail theft, morgue tours for alcohol related behaviors, and assists in a mediation program in criminal damage to property cases (with the State's Attorney's office). They also track every police contact with a juvenile (approximately 250 per month). There was a brief question and answer period following the presentation. Other Judge Robb announced that Chestnut Health Systems Juvenile Residential Treatment facility has been converted into a male only facility. Juvenile females will be sent to the Maryville facility (about 2 ½ hours away from Bloomington/Normal). In addition to continuing with the residential treatment facility, there is a new component which is a Recovery Home for males 13-20. This 16-bed home is at the Martin Luther King facility (Bloomington). This program is less intensive than residential treatment, with the daily routine being individualized. A participant may stay as short as 60 days, and as long as 2 years. Next meeting: Friday, December 16, 2011 at 12:00 noon Children's Advocacy Center 200 W. Front Street Bloomington, IL