Moving forward with the Governor's vision of the wraparound approach, on January 11, 2005, the Department of Juvenile Services, the Family League of Baltimore City, and Anne Arundel Community College's Institute of Criminal Justice, Legal Studies and Public Services co-sponsored the first Annual Juvenile Justice Conference of Maryland. The conference served as a forum for dialogue, exchange of information, and articulation of the operational changes and services necessary in the pursuit of the new culture and direction of DJS.
Titled "Charting a New Course for the Future: Moving from Out-of-Home Placements to at-Home Treatment Supported by Wraparound Services," the conference emphasized DJS' progression from an historic over-reliance on residential services to an emphasis on community-based services. This movement involves a system of reform care, not only for DJS, but also for all the child-serving agencies in Maryland.
The Maryland Wraparound Committee, an interagency committee formed as a result of the House Bill 1386 Plan, is dedicated to working towards an interagency system of care reform to better serve all youth in Maryland, and the establishment of a high-quality wraparound approach for youth at intensive need levels that are commonly placed in residential treatment centers and/or secure confinement, with little or no plan for community reintegration.
The College's Institute for Criminal Justice, Legal Studies and Public Service is a proud partner in the continuous improvements of care and services delivered to Maryland's children by creating opportunities for research, professional training and technical advising to the Department of Juvenile Services. Along with DJS, it is the Institute's aim that the Juvenile Justice Conference of Maryland, and future conferences, provide the best designs in public policy and therapeutic practices to the vast professionals in the juvenile and criminal justice fields for the highest quality of services delivered to Maryland's children and communities.
For additional information, call 410 777-2055 or visit www.aacc.edu.
|
