WASHINGTON – Five individuals who are employed by EBCI tribal programs attended Georgetown University’s Center for Juvenile Justice Reform 2012 on July 6-13. The Juvenile and Child Welfare Multi-System Integration Certificate Program for Public Sector Leaders is a weeklong program of intensive study designed for those in government who want to improve outcomes for youth known to multiple systems of care. The EBCI team of five received instruction by national leaders in child welfare and juvenile justice reform as well as nationally acclaimed professionals in the art and science of multi-systems integration and collaboration.
Members of the EBCI team who attended Georgetown University’s Center for Juvenile Justice Reform 2012 include (left-right) David Hutchinson, Hannah Smith, Tina Saunooke, Shay Bilcheck and Chris Weatherford. Not pictured, Brentley McCoy. (Photo courtesy of Tina Saunooke)
The Certificate Program was organized by Georgetown University’s Public Policy Institute and utilized a multi-systems and multi-disciplinary approach to focus on programs and practices that relate to youth who are served multiple systems of care, particularly juvenile justice and child welfare; also known as “crossover youth.”
The purpose of the program is to bring together current and future leaders within public agencies to increase their knowledge about multi-system reform efforts, improve the operation of the multiple public organizations serving this population, provide an opportunity for the development of collaborative leadership skills, and to create a mutually supportive network of individuals across the country committed to systems reform.
The EBCI is the first Indian Tribe to participate in the Center For Juvenile Justice Reform’s Certificate Program. The local team included Hannah Smith, Assistant Attorney General/Juvenile Prosecutor; Tina Saunooke, Community Coordinator ZERO TO THREE Safe Babies Court-Cherokee Court; Brentley McCoy, Manager Higher Education and Training Program/Chairman Committee for Comprehensive Social Services; Chris Weatherford, Manager Cherokee Children’s Home; and David Hutchinson, Juvenile Justice Treatment Continuum/ Shared Vision Consulting.
The rigorous seven-day program culminates with each team designing a Capstone Project that will have the instructional and implementation support and expert technical assistance from Georgetown University’s Public Policy Institute. The EBCI Team’s Capstone Project is building an integrated Tribal Juvenile Justice and Child Welfare system using the Results Based Accountability approach to multi-systems integration. The EBCI team looks forward to presenting a summary of the certificate program and its Capstone Project to the tribal committee tasked with investigating the feasibility of a comprehensive tribal social service program.
“On behalf of the EBCI Team who attended CJJR, we’d like to thank the Principal Chief Michell Hicks for providing funding,” team members said in a statement.
– Tina Saunooke
