NCJ Number
232282
Date Published
2007
Length
24 pages
Annotation
This report outlines the development and implementation of the Reclaiming Futures model, improving the care of youth involved in the criminal justice system with drug and alcohol problems.
Abstract
In 2002, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation launched the Reclaiming Futures initiative to help teens in trouble with drugs, alcohol, and crime in 10 pilot communities. The Reclaiming Futures Treatment Fellowship is comprised of treatment professionals from these pilot sites, aid in the design, adoption, and implementation of effective, community-wide responses to substance abuse problems among youth in the juvenile justice system. This report explains how the Reclaiming Futures Treatment Fellowship developed strategies for individual treatment providers and provider agencies to collaborate with others and integrate evidence-based practices that change lives. The report is a step-by-step guide for other treatment professionals seeking to help this unique population of young people. At its core, the Reclaiming Futures model is designed to deliver individually tailored responses to youth in the justice system with alcohol and drug abuse issues. The process of helping these teens is divided into two phases: coordinated individualized response and community-directed engagement, with six main steps: (1) initial screening, (2) initial assessment, (3) service coordination, (4) initiation, (5) engagement, and (6) completion. The remainder of the report describes each of these steps from the Fellowship's perspective, and includes sections on why change was necessary, the challenges encountered during implementation, and the lessons learned. The report concludes with 10 recommendations for other treatment professionals.