CHILDREN AND YOUTH JUSTICE CENTER
300 ELLIOTT AVENUE WEST NO 360, SEATTLE, WA 98119 www.ccyj.org

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Organizations Filed Purposes: THE CENTER FOR CHILDREN & YOUTH JUSTICE WAS FOUNDED IN 2006 WITH ONE MISSION: REFORM THE CHILD WELFARE AND JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEMS TO IMPROVE THE LIVES OF GENERATIONS OF CHILDREN AND YOUTH IN WASHINGTON STATE. OUR FOCUS IS LARGE-SCALE, LASTING SYSTEMIC CHANGE. WE CARRY OUT THE RESEARCH, PILOT PROJECTS, POLICY ADVOCACY, AND GRASSROOTS ENGAGEMENTS THAT MAKE CHANGE POSSIBLE. WE BUILD DIVERSE PARTNERSHIPS, PIONEER, AND PILOT INNOVATIVE REFORMS THAT SUPPORT KIDS, STABILIZE FAMILIES, AND STRENGTHEN COMMUNITIES. NO ONE ELSE IS DOING THIS CRITICAL WORK.

JUVENILE JUSTICE, CHILD WELFARE AND RELATED SYSTEMS REFORM.

CCYJ MANAGES THREE PROJECTS TARGETING YOUTH JUSTICE SYSTEM REFORM:THE WASHINGTON STATE BECCA TASK FORCE WAS FOUNDED IN 2002 TO HELP SUPPORT SCHOOLS, COURTS, AND SERVICE PROVIDERS IN CARRYING OUT THE INTENT AND GOALS OF THE MANDATORY SCHOOL ATTENDANCE, CHILDREN IN NEED OF SERVICES (CHINS), AND AT-RISK YOUTH (ARY) LAWS, COLLECTIVELY KNOWN AS THE "BECCA LAWS." STAFFED BY CCYJ SINCE 2008, THE TASK FORCE PROVIDES A FORUM TO FOSTER COLLABORATION BETWEEN COURTS, SCHOOLS, AND SERVICE PROVIDERS; FACILITATE THE INITIATION OF RESEARCH AND TRAINING ON THE DEVELOPMENT AND USE OF PROVEN PRACTICE MODELS TO MEET THE NEEDS AND ENSURE SUCCESS OF YOUTH AND FAMILIES IN CRISIS; AND LEAD EFFORTS IN WASHINGTON STATE TO ENSURE THAT ADEQUATE FUNDING, ACCOUNTABILITY MECHANISMS, AND EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE PROCESSES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INTENT AND GOALS OF THE BECCA LAWS ARE IN PLACE. THE BECCA TASK FORCE MEETS MONTHLY TO REVIEW CURRENT RESEARCH AND BEST PRACTICES; EXAMINE SYSTEM OUTCOMES AND IDENTIFY GAPS IN CARRYING OUT THE BECCA LAWS; IDENTIFY ISSUES REQUIRING REFORM OF THE STATE'S BECCA LAWS, POLICIES, AND PRACTICES; AND STRATEGIZE AND COORDINATE EFFORTS AMONG ITS MEMBERS TO PROMOTE THE INTENT, GOALS AND OUTCOMES OF THE WASHINGTON STATE BECCA LAWS. SINCE 2004, THE BECCA TASK FORCE ALSO HAS CO-HOSTED AN ANNUAL CONFERENCE IN COLLABORATION WITH A JUVENILE COURT AND/OR EDUCATION PARTNER. CONFERENCE ATTENDEES LEARN ABOUT CURRENT DEVELOPMENTS IN BECCA-RELATED RESEARCH, LAW, AND POLICY; RECEIVE INFORMATION AND TRAINING ON MODEL PROGRAMS AND PRACTICES USED IN WASHINGTON AND NATIONALLY; AND NETWORK WITH STAKEHOLDERS AND REPRESENTATIVES FROM YOUTH AND FAMILY SERVING AGENCIES. THE 2019 BECCA CONFERENCE BROUGHT TOGETHER SYSTEM STAKEHOLDERS FROM ACROSS WASHINGTON TO LEARN HOW TO BETTER SUPPORT THE SUCCESS OF YOUNG PEOPLE WHO ARE CHRONICALLY ABSENT FROM SCHOOL AND YOUTH AND FAMILIES WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED FAMILY CRISIS AND TRAUMA.THE LINC (LEADERSHIP, INTERVENTION & CHANGE) STEERING COMMITTEE (FORMERLY THE SUBURBAN KING COUNTY COORDINATING COUNCIL ON GANGS (SKCCCG)) WAS CONVENED BY CCYJ IN 2011. THE STEERING COMMITTEE IS A GROUP OF HIGH-LEVEL DECISION MAKERS FROM ACROSS KING COUNTY INCLUDING COUNTY OFFICIALS, MAYORS, POLICE CHIEFS, AND SCHOOL DISTRICT REPRESENTATIVES. THE STEERING COMMITTEE WAS DESIGNED TO BREAK DOWN THE SYSTEMIC AND PROCEDURAL BARRIERS THAT DISSUADE CROSS-SYSTEM COLLABORATION, COORDINATION, AND INTEGRATION. FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THE NATION, MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL ELECTED AND APPOINTED OFFICIALS COME TOGETHER TO PROMOTE A REGIONAL SOLUTION TO THE GROWING PROBLEM OF YOUTH VIOLENCE IN KING COUNTY'S COMMUNITIES. IN 2013, THE STEERING COMMITTEE FINALIZED AND ADOPTED A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN TO REDUCE GANG AND GROUP VIOLENCE, AND FUNDING WAS OBTAINED TO ADVANCE ITS IMPLEMENTATION. WITH A MIX OF PUBLIC AND PRIVATE FUNDING, IMPLEMENTATION OF THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN CONTINUES, AND BEGINNING IN 2015, INCLUDES YOUTH LINC A MULTIDISCIPLINARY INTERVENTION TEAM FACILITATED BY CCYJ. THE YOUTH LINC INTERVENTION TEAM WAS LAUNCHED AS A MODEL THAT COULD BE REPLICATED THROUGHOUT THE KING COUNTY REGION. IN 2016, THIS WORK WAS EXPANDED TO INCLUDE THE CITY OF SEATTLE. TODAY, THREE GEOGRAPHICALLY BASED LINC INTERVENTION TEAMS PROVIDE THE INFRASTRUCTURE TO COORDINATE EXISTING COMMUNITY PROGRAMS THAT SERVE SHARED CLIENTS. THESE TEAMS INCLUDE REPRESENTATION FROM LAW ENFORCEMENT, SCHOOL DISTRICTS, SOCIAL SERVICE PROVIDERS, EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM STAFF, STREET OUTREACH WORKERS, AND OTHER COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS. THE LINC INTERVENTION TEAMS ACCEPT REFERRALS FROM PROBATION, SCHOOL COUNSELORS, FAMILIES, AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS AND CREATE COORDINATED SERVICE PLANS FOR GANG/GROUP INVOLVED AND AT-RISK YOUNG PEOPLE. SINCE INCEPTION, THE YOUTH LINC TEAMS HAVE RECEIVED MORE THAN 714 REFERRALS AND PROVIDED COORDINATED SERVICES FOR MORE THAN 507 YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULTS ACROSS THE PROJECT REGION. THE LINC STEERING COMMITTEE AND LINC INTERVENTION TEAMS ALSO WORK TO INCREASE AWARENESS OF GANG/GROUP VIOLENCE AND MOBILIZE COMMUNITIES TO IMPROVE OUTCOMES FOR YOUTH AND FAMILIES.GIRLS COURT IS A THERAPEUTIC COURT MODEL DESIGNED TO PROVIDE GENDER-RESPONSIVE SERVICES TO COURT-INVOLVED GIRLS. CCYJ INITIATED RESEARCH ON GENDER RESPONSIVE JUSTICE IN 2013 TO INFORM THE DEVELOPMENT OF A PILOT GIRLS COURT PROGRAM. SERVICES ARE RESEARCH-BASED AND INCLUDE REFERRALS TO MENTAL AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH PROGRAMS, INDEPENDENT LIVING SERVICES, MEDICAL CARE, EDUCATION AND JOB TRAINING SUPPORTS, AND A MENTORSHIP PROGRAM. THE GIRLS COURT TEAM RECEIVES ONGOING TRAINING TO ENSURE SERVICES ARE GENDER-RESPONSIVE, TRAUMA-INFORMED, AND CULTURALLY APPROPRIATE. CCYJ SUPPORTS THE PROGRAM WITH TRAINING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO STAFF AND SERVICE PROVIDERS AND OVERSEES A RIGOROUS EVALUATION TO ASSESS THE SUCCESSES OF THE PROGRAM. DURING 2018, CCYJ UPDATED INITIAL RESEARCH ON GIRLS COURTS AND GENDER RESPONSIVENESS, COMPLETED A REVIEW OF ALL GIRLS COURTS AND RELATED PROGRAMS THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES, ENGAGED A NATIONAL TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROVIDER TO HELP GUIDE PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT, SELECTED AN INITIAL GIRLS COURT PILOT PROGRAM SITE, AND CONTINUED TO NETWORK WITH POTENTIAL PILOT SITES REGARDING PROGRAM EXPANSION. CCYJ LAUNCHED A 3-YEAR GIRLS COURT PILOT IN KITSAP COUNTY BEGINNING IN 2019.

CCYJ MANAGES THREE PROJECTS THAT COMBINE YOUTH JUSTICE AND CHILD WELFARE SYSTEMS REFORM: PROJECT RESPECT WAS LAUNCHED IN 2011 WITH A COMBINATION OF STATE AND PRIVATE FUNDING. PROJECT RESPECT IS A COMPASSIONATE AND CONSISTENT RESEARCH-BASED STATEWIDE RESPONSE TO COMMERCIALLY SEXUALLY EXPLOITED CHILDREN (CSEC) THAT ENSURES VICTIMS ARE IDENTIFIED AND GIVEN PROTECTION, NOT PUNISHMENT, BY PROVIDING A MODEL PROTOCOL AND A TRAINING CURRICULUM FOR FIRST RESPONDERS. MORE THAN 1,200 INDIVIDUALS WERE TRAINED IN 2019 ALONE. BY SHIFTING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE YOUTH JUSTICE SYSTEM AND EXPLOITED CHILDREN, PROJECT RESPECT WORKS TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF CSEC IDENTIFIED, DECREASE ARRESTS OF VICTIMIZED YOUTH, REDUCE THE NUMBER OF YOUTH WHO ARE FORCED TO RETURN TO PROSTITUTION, AND INCREASE THE PROSECUTION OF TRAFFICKERS. WASHINGTON'S MODEL PROTOCOL IS A NATIONAL MODEL FOR REDUCING THE FURTHER TRAUMA TO VULNERABLE CHILDREN. BY THE END OF 2019, 12 COUNTIES TASK FORCES/REGIONAL RESPONSE NETWORKS WERE PARTICIPATING IN A STATEWIDE, COORDINATED, AND VICTIM-CENTERED RESPONSE TO CSEC. OVER FOUR-FIFTHS OF WASHINGTON'S RESIDENTS NOW LIVE IN A REGION PARTICIPATING IN THIS COORDINATED RESPONSE. 2019 ALSO SAW THE LAUNCH OF A PILOT DATA COLLECTION EFFORT TO COUNT THE NUMBER OF CSEC REFERRALS IN SELECT REGIONS.EQUALITY WAS LAUNCHED BY CCYJ IN 2013 AS A MULTI-PHASE PROJECT AIMED AT CREATING LASTING SYSTEMS REFORM AND PATHWAYS TO HEALTHY STABLE ADULTHOOD FOR LGBTQ+ YOUTH INVOLVED IN THE CHILD WELFARE AND YOUTH JUSTICE SYSTEMS. EQUALITY WORKS TO IMPROVE TREATMENT OF AND OUTCOMES FOR SYSTEMS INVOLVED LGBTQ YOUTH. IT IS THE FIRST STATEWIDE EFFORT IN WASHINGTON TO HELP LGBTQ+ YOUTH IN FOSTER CARE AND THE YOUTH JUSTICE SYSTEM FIND SAFETY AND SUPPORT FOR THE UNIQUE ISSUES THEY FACE. IN PHASE ONE, EQUALITY GATHERED FIRST-HAND ACCOUNTS FROM LGBTQ+ SYSTEM ALUMNI, COLLECTED THE OBSERVATIONS OF SYSTEMS PROFESSIONALS AND COMMUNITY-BASED SERVICE PROVIDERS ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCES WORKING WITH LGBTQ+ YOUTH, AND CONDUCTED EXTENSIVE REVIEWS OF EXISTING RESEARCH, LAWS, POLICIES, AND PRACTICES OVER 500 INDIVIDUAL VOICES WERE INCLUDED. THE STORIES THAT WERE SHARED CULMINATED IN THE 2015 REPORT, "LISTENING TO THEIR VOICES: ENHANCING SUCCESSFUL OUTCOMES FOR LGBTQ YOUTH IN WASHINGTON STATE'S CHILD WELFARE AND JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEMS." IN 2016, PHASE TWO, EQUALITY DEVELOPED THE PROTOCOL FOR SAFE & AFFIRMING CARE, A GUIDE FOR YOUTH-SERVING PROFESSIONALS IN THE FOSTER CARE AND YOUTH JUSTICE SYSTEMS TO ENGAGE AND SERVE LGBTQ+ YOUTH WHILE SIMULTANEOUSLY COLLECTING DATA ON THEIR NEEDS, EXPERIENCES, AND OUTCOMES. EQUALITY BEGAN PILOT IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROTOCOL FOR SAFE & AFFIRMING CARE IN THREE SITES IN 2017, KING COUNTY JUVENILE COURT, SPOKANE COUNTY JUVENILE COURT, AND THE SPOKANE OFFICE OF CHILDREN'S ADMINISTRATION. IN 2019, IT CONTINUED EXPANDED IMPLEMENTATION IN CLARK, WHATCOM, PIERCE, WALLA WALLA, PEND ORIELLE, KLICKITAT, AND SKAMANIA COUNTIES, AND BEGAN PARTNERING WITH COMMUNITY BASED PROVIDERS AS WELL AS FOSTER CARE AND JUVENILE COURTS. AS PART OF ITS EFFORTS, EQUALITY HAS SPEARHEADED THE COLLECTION OF SEXUAL ORIENTATION, GENDER IDENTITY, AND GENDER EXPRESSION DATA IN ITS PARTNER SITES.

CCYJ MANAGES THREE PROJECTS SPECIFIC TO CHILD WELFARE SYSTEM REFORM: CCYJ'S FAMILY ADVOCACY CENTER PILOT PROGRAM OPENED DOORS IN EARLY 2016 AND CAME TO A PLANNED CONCLUSION IN MID-2019. IT WAS A KING COUNTY BASED REPLICATION OF THE DETROIT CENTER FOR FAMILY ADVOCACY, WHICH WAS LAUNCHED BY THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN LAW SCHOOL IN 2009. THE MODEL PROVIDED CIVIL LEGAL REPRESENTATION AND, IF NEEDED, SOCIAL WORK SERVICES, AND PARENT ALLY SUPPORTS TO FAMILIES TO PREVENT THE UNNECESSARY PLACEMENT OR PROLONGED STAY OF CHILDREN IN FOSTER CARE. THE FAMILY ADVOCACY CENTER'S GOALS WERE TO KEEP CHILDREN SAFE AND STABLE WITHIN THEIR FAMILIES; MINIMIZE THE EMOTIONAL TRAUMA CAUSED BY REMOVAL AND FOSTER CARE PLACEMENT; AND ALLOW THE FOSTER CARE SYSTEM TO FOCUS ITS RESOURCES ON CHILDREN WHO NEED ITS PROTECTION. USING A MULTI-DISCIPLINARY TEAM (ATTORNEY, SOCIAL WORKER, PARENT ALLY), THE FAMILY ADVOCACY CENTER WORKED TO KEEP FAMILIES TOGETHER BY STRENGTHENING A CARETAKER'S ABILITY TO PROVIDE FOR A CHILD'S SAFETY, STABILITY, AND PERMANENCE. FROM 2016 TO 2019, THE FAMILY ADVOCACY CENTER PILOT PROGRAM PROVIDED LEGAL SERVICES TO MORE THAN 115 FAMILIES. CCYJ ALSO PROVIDES STAFF SUPPORT FOR THE WASHINGTON STATE COMMISSION ON CHILDREN IN FOSTER CARE. LAWYERS FOSTERING INDEPENDENCE (LFI) WAS LAUNCHED BY CCYJ IN 2008 AND CAME TO A CLOSE IN LATE 2019. LFI WAS THE ONLY CIVIL LEGAL AID PROGRAM IN WASHINGTON STATE FOCUSED ON SERVING CURRENT AND FORMER FOSTER YOUTH AGES 17-25. LFI ALSO SERVED YOUTH WHO HAD BEEN OR WERE AT RISK OF BECOMING HOMELESS. IN 2019, LFI SERVED YOUNG PEOPLE IN KING, SNOHOMISH, AND PIERCE COUNTIES, BY CONNECTING THESE YOUNG ADULTS WITH ATTORNEYS WHO PROVIDED FREE LEGAL SERVICES TO HELP THEM REACH FOR THEIR FUTURE WITHOUT BEING BLOCKED BY THEIR PAST. LFI VOLUNTEER ATTORNEYS HELPED YOUTH ADDRESS BARRIERS TO EMPLOYMENT, EDUCATION, HOUSING STABILITY, AND SUCCESSFUL PARENTING. IN 2019, LFI PROVIDED DIRECT LEGAL SUPPORT TO YOUTH IN 226 CASES, TRAINED 285 YOUTH, AND SUSTAINED A VOLUNTEER BASE OF 285 ATTORNEYS.

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