Laura Nissen National Program Director February 2009

Laura NissenNational Program Director

February 2009

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

What is Reclaiming Futures?

• Innovative, tested approach to help teens caught in the cycle of drugs, alcohol and crime

• Began as $21-million, five-year initiative of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

• Entering 9th year with new investments by Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), the Center for Substance Abuse and Treatment (CSAT), the Kate B. Reynolds Charitable Trust (KBR) and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF)

• Vision: Communities reclaim youth through appropriate, comprehensive, individualized responses to substance abuse and delinquency

Portland, OR


The Reclaiming Futures Solution

More Treatment

Better Treatment

Beyond Treatment


How Does Reclaiming Futures Work?

• Judges, other community leaders play vital role• Sites rely on testing innovative strategies at key

decision points in juvenile justice• Change teams use coaching, curriculum, strategic

planning, and action to develop implementation plan

• Strategies deployed to produce improved interventions – especially related to substance abuse treatment, youth development


Our Six-Step Model: The Beginning


Our Six-Step Model: Step 1












The Model

• Identifies young people with substance abuse problems and tracks whether they get effective and timely treatment

• Uses data to measure progress, report gaps and successes, and make case for investing in services

• While it sounds simple, the model takes coordinated effort across groups, possible technical adjustments, and tenacious team commitment


Families and Communities

Family and community involvement is essential

Seattle, WA


Communities

• Usually not regarded as part of the solution, except in extraordinary situations

• Have ideas, commitment and passion for changes that affect them

• Great potential to push for change that cannot occur within the system

• Programs can’t reclaim youth – only communities can


How Communities Help

• Mentor• Educate• Employ• Engage youth as leaders• Build accountability through

corrective action when necessary • Prepare youth for higher education• Harness youth energy, idealism to tackle

community challenges• Help youth feel safe

Montgomery County, Ohio


To Succeed

• Increase number of youth screened and assessed

• Improve number of youth matched to treatment, based on assessments

• Grow family participation

• Reduce detention, out-of-home placements

• Boost case completion, treatment closure

• Better public safety

• Reduce costs of drug-related juvenile crime

King County, WA

Documents

Laura Nissen National Program Director February 2009