DJS established the Office of Quality Assurance and Accountability (OQAA) in May 2007 to build and strengthen its central focus on data-based measurement, analysis and management in support of positive youth and program outcomes across all major areas of residential and regional operations. The OQAA integrated existing functions in the key areas of program development, evaluation and training with new initiatives for evidence-based practices and quality improvement to foster reform initiatives throughout the Department. The scope, strategies and work products of the OQAA assist DJS to meet public expectations for accountability, transparency and excellence. The OQAA is comprised of the following units:
The Program Evaluation Unit is responsible for conducting reviews of and providing technical assistance to DJS-licensed, contracted and per-diem private provider programs, out-of-state residential programs, and non-residential community-based programs in which DJS places youth for supervision and treatment. Program Evaluation is focused on assuring compliance with applicable standards and on partnering with providers to deliver effective services to youth. The Unit is also responsible for implementation and oversight of the Department's licensing process, and works in close partnership with other Maryland public child-serving agencies to coordinate licensing, monitoring and regulatory processes.
The DJS Educational Services and Program Evaluation Units are pleased to provide resources to support School Re-entry for DJS youth in State Supervised Care.
The Inspector General consists of three units working cooperatively in the best interest for youth in the juvenile justice system – Gang Intervention, Investigations, and Child Advocacy. The function of the IG is to investigate DJS and private service provider staff who have violated Departmental policies, including standards of conduct and procedures, applicable laws, and regulations. Its function also is to reduce youth involvement in gangs, investigate youth grievances, and provide background checks on applicants for DJS employment.
The Gang Intervention and Investigation unit (Gang unit) works closely with all DJS facility staff to assist in the implementation of the DJS gang policy to reduce gang related violence in DJS facilities.
The unit covers 15 facilities and privately operated programs statewide. The unit is actively engaged in developing partnerships with intervention and prevention programs statewide, assisting with policy and procedure development for the identification of potentially dangerous gang members in DJS care and implementing intervention strategies. The unit also is developing and maintaining interagency relationships with all statewide law enforcement agencies, local Departments of Social Services, schools and any other programs with which DJS youth come into contact. This unit is involved in statewide law enforcement Gang unit meetings and conferences.
The Investigations unit investigates all emergency incidents, critical incidents and alleged violations of the DJS Standards of Conduct and refers allegations of criminal misconduct to the appropriate authorities. The investigators provide training to facility and residential administrators to improve performance when issues are identified that compromise the health and safety of youth and staff. Investigators work closely with Department of Human Resources (DHR) Child Protective Service investigators and cultivate relationships with the DHR staff and law enforcement agencies to ensure child abuse and other investigations are completed in a timely manner. The unit is continually improving the incident reporting process by implementing recommendations from the Department of Justice (DOJ) CRIPA monitor, DJS Quality Improvement unit and Best Practices unit. The Investigations unit and DJS Information Technology unit developed a database to track incidents of assaults, injuries, escapes, use of seclusion, and restraint of youth and of allegations made by the youth, staff, supervisors or witnesses of any inappropriate or criminal actions by DJS staff. The DJS Incident database tracks the Department’s critical incidents and will identify the strengths and weaknesses within the facilities. The unit has implemented an investigation debriefing process with the DJS detention facilities. This process helps the DJS facilities’ staff understand the information contained in an OIG investigative report and allows the facility administrator the opportunity to discuss any issues raised.
The Investigations unit staff are assigned regionally to investigate critical incidents at all DJS facilities and programs throughout the state. This includes, as well, critical incidents that occur in group homes, shelters and regional offices.
The Child Advocacy unit’s main responsibility is to accept and assist youth who want to initiate a grievance or complaint, assemble facts and find resolutions in an orderly manner to ensure a timely response to a youth’s grievance.
The Child Advocacy unit, with the assistance of the grievance data base, tracks complaints made by the youth about facility food service, environmental conditions, lack of recreation, physical and sexual child abuse. Each advocate conducts quarterly focus groups with youth in the DJS facilities on living conditions, food service, the grievance process and receipt of medical treatment. The Child Advocacy unit covers 31 residential facilities and programs (shelters and group homes) throughout the state. A monthly report is submitted to facility supervisors or program directors which identifies any issues raised by the youth.
Workforce and Leadership Development Unit develops curricula and provides instruction for Entry-Level and In-Service programs for the Department's 2,300 employees. The unit delivers specialized training to support implementation of Departmental reform initiatives including Trauma-Informed Care, Gender-Responsive Treatment, Aggression Replacement Therapy, and evidence-based practices with demonstrated effectiveness in ameliorating criminogenic risk factors, reducing recidivism and supporting public safety. The unit has primary responsibility for the Department's compliance with Maryland Police and Correctional Training Commission (MPCTC) standards for entry and annual in-service training of DJS staff. Professional Development and Training has a central role in preparing DJS staff to assume leadership positions within the Department through LDI - the DJS Leadership Development Institute.
The Community and Family Partnerships unit (CFP) was created in 2007 on the recommendation of the Governor’s DJS Transition Team, which called for greater participation from families and enhanced community-based services. The CFP unit collaborates with DJS units to create and implement strategies to support the Department’s efforts to expand the hours of other daily structured programming for youth in detention centers and through community re-entry programming, enhance effective partnerships with community-based providers, maximize volunteers, interns and mentors, establish and further enhance workforce development programs, and increase the involvement and respect of families.
The CFP unit is creating a new paradigm for facility programming by funding community-based vendors to provide youth development programming with family involvement and community re-entry components at DJS detention centers and DJS residential facilities. The Department will increase youth development programming based on arts, life skills, self-esteem, empowerment, social skills, and job readiness, and will ensure the integration of family involvement and community re-entry components in the funded programs.
The CFP unit created Staff Advisory Teams (SAT) and Point Teams at the BCJJC, Cheltenham, Hickey, Noyes, Carter, and Waxter detention centers to support community-based services. Comprised of staff from direct care, behavioral health, education and both facility and field case management, the SAT allow staff who work directly with youth to have input in the programming needed, the vendors who are selected, and the scheduling of skills-based trainings and activities.
The CFP unit is expanding programming for youth by training DJS staff, creating new partnerships with community-based groups and agencies, and enhancing its volunteer and mentoring programs. These efforts have already produced a ceramic arts studio at Cheltenham, and a Book Club for Noyes that will be expanded to Hickey and BCJJC, a mentoring partnership with Johns Hopkins University, and the training of DJS staff in jobs skills that resulted in programs at Hickey and the Western Maryland Children’s Center (WMDCC).
The CFP unit plans to develop a family liaison function that employs legacy or veteran parents of the juvenile justice system or those with comparable insight and experience who have good communication and intrapersonal skills and can impart successful strategies for families.
In fiscal year 2008, the unit initiated a mentoring program with Johns Hopkins University that is a combination of one-on-one and group mentoring programs. The students were introduced to youth mentees in facilities to build relationships, and once youth were returned home, mentors continued assisting youth with academics and homework and served as positive role models. With outreach to Maryland’s Mentoring Partnership and Baltimore Rising, the CFP unit will continue to operate the program for the full academic year and add more students. The CFP unit will explore how to establish a statewide mentoring program with community agencies, volunteer organizations and other groups with existing and expanded new resources, and then implement the program in the ensuing two years.
Working in conjunction with both the DJS Support Services and Regional Operation Divisions, the CFP unit is spearheading the Department’s job readiness program for youth, and three workforce development initiatives as a way to promote effective prevention and intervention strategies for youth. The first initiative is to launch a pre-apprenticeship program, a partnership with the Department of Labor and Licensing Regulations (DLLR), to introduce youth to particular trade employment opportunities, support them to earn a high school diploma or GED, and prepare them to enter full apprenticeship programs at the appropriate age.
The second initiative involves supporting the Civic Justice Corps pilot programming launched with $1 million funding by the Governor to the Department of Natural Resources (DNR), and in partnership with Baltimore City Public Schools (BCPSS) to provide summer programming for youth.
In it's third initiative, the CFP unit will serve as the Department’s liaison for a United States Department of Labor (DOL) workforce and education initiative designed to reduce violence and gang activities. Baltimore City Public Schools serves as the lead agency in partnership with DJS, the Mayor’s Office of Employment Development (MOED) and Baltimore Mental Health Systems (BMHS). Youth at-risk, on probation, or previously incarcerated who reside in certain areas of Baltimore will be eligible for job readiness trainings, stipend internships and subsidized employment as part of a plan to have youth commit to staying in school, returning to school, or obtaining their GED.
See Get Involved for more information about programming and volunteer opportunities.
The Audits unit conducts internal audits and investigations of all DJS program activities and performance outcomes. This office also ensures that DJS employees and private service providers perform their duties and responsibilities in accordance with professional standards and practices, applicable law, rules of conduct, regulations, policy, procedure and written directives.
The Audits unit is responsible for reviewing the reliability and integrity of financial and operating information; reviewing the systems established to ensure compliance with those policies, plans, procedures, laws, and regulations; reviewing the means of safeguarding assets, and as appropriate, verifying the existence of such assets; reviewing operations or programs to determine whether results are consistent with established objectives and goals; reviewing specific operations at the request of senior management; monitoring and evaluating the effectiveness of the organization’s risk management system; and monitoring progress and coordination with internal stakeholders to support corrective actions required for compliance with the recommendations of the Department of Legislative Services, Office of Legislative Audits outstanding audit issues audit findings.
The Office also will ensure that best practice models and strategies are adequately addressed and incorporated into program development, evaluation and improvement, investigations, and training.
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