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Rogers County Youth Services describes juvenile diversion program funded by state investment funds
Summary
Rogers County Youth Services presented details of a juvenile diversion program funded by Community County Safety Investment Funds, reporting 14 active participants, more than 40 referrals since January and planned expansion into alternative schools this fall.
Rogers County Youth Services gave the Board of County Commissioners an overview of a juvenile diversion program funded under Community County Safety Investment Funds administered by the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services.
Herb McSpadden introduced the program and said the county implemented diversion after training from the Office of Juvenile Affairs, noting the county historically sends a disproportionate number of juveniles to detention. He said diversion programs generally reduce recidivism and improve school performance.
Sheila Padilla, the juvenile diversion specialist and a licensed clinical social worker, described intake and caseflow: referrals arrive from the Office of Juvenile Affairs, the sheriff—s office, municipal police departments and school resource officers. Each juvenile receives a biopsychosocial assessment that is reviewed by a community accountability board, which includes Rogers County Youth Services, Grand Mental Health, Volunteers for Youth, Light of Hope and Cree Oaks. Staff then develop a 90-day service plan that typically includes counseling, mentoring, community service, drug education and parenting classes; successful completion can result in the referring charge being dropped.
Padilla said the program currently serves 14 juveniles, with two slated to complete services at the end of the month, and that the program has received more than 40 referrals since January. Program staff said they will expand into Rogers County alternative schools this fall and are coordinating closely with school resource officers to identify youth who can be diverted from formal court processing.
Tracy Goad, who worked 31 years with the Office of Juvenile Affairs before joining the prevention side of the program, described rapid reentry planning for youth sent to detention: staff develop reentry plans and present them at hearings so judges have completed plans available, reducing length of stay where appropriate.
Commissioners asked about why Rogers County sends a disproportionate share of youth to detention; presenters said the Office of Juvenile Affairs initiated the training because of that statistical finding, but staff did not provide detailed local comparative statistics during the presentation and said they would research the underlying causes.
The presentation was for information; no formal board action was taken during this agenda item.
