HOLIDAY2002

Q: Why is transition planning and implementation so important in juvenile justice?

Answer: Research has shown that recidivism rates are significantly lower for youth who have transition plans that are developed in a team process that involves the youth, family, advocates, treatment and aftercare providers, clinicians, facility and community case managers, mentors, monitors (if they are different from the case managers and aftercare workers), and others determined by the youth and family unless mandated by virtue of the youth's court involvement and implemented in phases. Ideally, transition planning begins at the point of commitment and continues through a review process until the youth leaves the institutional setting and eventually terminates all court intervention and supervision. The plan includes immediate and intermediate goals. Indicators of achieving both are clearly defined so that the youth is certain that he or she is doing what he or she is supposed to be doing. The phase is often called transition implementation, which continues until the youth's involvement with juvenile justice is terminated. Before beginning the implementation phase, the youth knows her or his roles and responsibilities and those of her or his family, as well as those of the other members of the team. Solid transition plans reduce surprises and disappointments for everyone by clearly spelling out as many requirements as possible, including who has ultimate responsibility for each.

Transition planning is essential because it ensures continuity in the provision of services and support as the youth moves from one program or setting to another. Through thoughtful transition planning and implementation, the youth always has someone to turn to when needs change or additional support is needed as he or she moves through the stages of implementing the transition plan. Implementation also includes regular and formal updating of the plan even if the youth's needs do not seem to have changed significantly. For most youth, family reunification will be a goal. Depending on the youth's prior history with her or his family, this may be one of the most delicate pieces in an intricate puzzle, but a piece that will require support and some finessing in most cases. It is as important for the family to know who that support is and how to contact them as it is for the youth. It is important in this step to anticipate some possible problems and to strategize solutions to those problems with both the youth and the family.

When transition plans are coordinated properly, a continuum of integrated services are made available to youth and their families based on the individual strengths and needs and expressed wishes of the youth and her or his family. For seriously emotionally disturbed youth, it is critical that the continuum wraps that youth and her or his family in a way that all feel supported and success becomes the expected outcome. As the youth and family move through their plan, supportive relationships and excellent services become the glue to hold everything together. As youth transfer the skills they learned while institutionalized, they will need support to maintain them and make sure that they really fit into real-life situations. It is critical that every member of the team find ways to reinforce prosocial behavior by the youth.

One critical part of the plan that is developed in the institution is practicing the skills in role plays that mimic situations the youth will face in the community. Once in the community, it is important to check in and discuss the situations a youth has had to face and how s/he handled the situation. This is another critical point to reinforce prosocial behavior by the youth. Working with the family, reassuring them that the youth has new skills that he or she is employing and is in need of family support and positive reinforcement from them.

Transition planning and implementation are critical if a youth is going to successfully move from incarceration to the community, from one program to another, or from program supervision to reduced supervision at home. Contacts by program staff throughout transition are phased in such a way that the youth works toward no contacts or supervision. With careful transition planning and support, successful reintegration and community safety go up, recidivism goes down, and youth have the opportunity to reconnect to their communities and families as contributing members of both.

---

ALSO READ NEXT MONTH'S FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTION.

Are there funding sources other than IDEA that can be used to facilitate the transition of a youth from one placement to another or one program to another? ANSWER>>>