The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Awards $232,024 Grant to Circuit Court of Cook County to Help Troubled Youth

CHICAGO - The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation today awarded the Circuit Court of Cook County a $232,034 grant to enhance available substance abuse treatment and related ancillary services for minors referred to juvenile court.

"America's juvenile justice system faces a public health crisis," says Laura Burney Nissen, Ph.D., director of Reclaiming Futures, a national program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. "As many as four out of five of the two million young people who enter the justice system each year have an alcohol or drug problem. Even though research shows that treating alcohol and drug abuse reduces crime, saves money, and builds stronger communities, the vast majority of young offenders receives no treatment at all."

"We want to change this," says Dr. Nissen. "The grants we are awarding today will create plans for model programs in Cook County and elsewhere in the United States to show how we can reinvent treatment, judicial and social services to meet this urgent need."

The Circuit Court of Cook County's project, called Community Circles, proposes to serve up to 450 minors annually in Chicago's Lawndale community, and eventually a number of contiguous communities, beginning in 2003. The grant award is one of 11 totaling $2.59 million awarded nationwide to plan new treatment and other services for delinquent youth.

"The need for the Community Circles Program is clear," says Cook County Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans. "As judges, we recognize that minors who are involved with alcohol and drugs are more likely to commit impulsive, delinquent acts and ultimately be referred to our juvenile justice system. We also understand alcohol and drug abuse is a major health issue that challenges a significant number of court-involved minors in Cook County."

Chief Judge Evans continues, "One of the top priorities of my administration is to support the ongoing systemic reform already initiated at juvenile court with the goal of providing individualized treatment and supervision to minors within the sound framework of public safety."

The court's current drug program has assessed 1,900 minors since its inception in 1996, with an approximate 60 percent success rate of minors enrolled in this program. Current drug program services include assessment and treatment, health care, individual and group counseling, education services and temporary housing.

Judge Curtis Heaston, presiding judge of the Juvenile Justice Division, says, "The court recognizes the need to improve our system's capacity to better assess the motivation and causes of substance abuse and to improve our ability to offer cultural and gender specific services to minors in the Lawndale community. The court is committed to enhancing our partnerships with community mental health providers, education and religious representatives, and community leaders in responding to this most important initiative."

Heaston continued, "This grant will assist the court's community based partnerships in identifying and developing strategies that break the cycle of substance abuse and delinquency. We need to reclaim the lives of our at-risk youth and to develop strength based intervention to support their unique needs. We are excited to have the support of The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to promote healthier outcomes and develop more pro-social behavior for these minors and their families."

The Circuit Court of Cook County's Community Circles Program was one of 280 applicants. Over the next five years, Cook County proposes to identify and eliminate gaps in alcohol and drug treatment services, develop aggressive aftercare for young people who have received treatment, and explore providing new services.

Beginning this month, juvenile court judges, representatives from related juvenile court agencies, law enforcement officials, treatment professionals, civic, youth and family leaders in Cook County and the 10 other communities nationally will spend a year planning their programs. In four following years, communities can apply for up to $250,000 annually to implement plans.

Reclaiming Futures officials say judicial leadership will play a critical part in these efforts and local judges in each community will participate in a two-year fellowship. Judge Heaston will represent Cook County in the national fellows program.

Reclaiming Futures is a five-year $21 million initiative of The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation based at the Graduate School of Social Work at Portland State University in Portland, Oregon. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation was established as a national philanthropy in 1972 and today is the largest U.S. foundation devoted to health and health care. To learn about its mission and work, see www.rwjf.org.

Cook County Circuit Court receives $1 million grant for Lawndale teens

The Cook County Circuit Court has received a $1 million grant from Reclaiming Futures, a national program of The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, to improve drug and alcohol treatment for local teenagers in juvenile court.

"I am grateful to The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation for recognizing the Circuit Court of Cook County's award winning reform efforts in the Juvenile Justice Division," said Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans. "This grant will assist the court in its acclaimed community-building approach to reducing juvenile substance abuse and delinquency, which creates community solutions that serve the individualized needs of children."

Court officials will use the award to pay for a four-year effort to serve up to 350 teens annually in Chicago's Lawndale community, where drug treatment services are needed. Planned services include adding uniform screening of teens entering the justice system, improving more timely access to treatment, and helping teenagers return to school or enroll in alternative programs. In 2002, Reclaiming Futures gave the court a $250,000 grant to plan the project.

"America's juvenile justice system faces a public health crisis," says Laura Burney Nissen, Ph.D., director of Reclaiming Futures, which awarded the grants to Cook County and nine other communities. "As many as four out of five of the two million young people who enter the justice system nationally each year have an alcohol or drug problem. Even though research shows that treating alcohol and drug abuse reduces crime, saves money, and builds stronger communities, the vast majority of young offenders receive no treatment at all."

"We want to change this," says Dr. Nissen. "Our grants will create model programs in Cook County and elsewhere in the United States to show how we can reinvent treatment, judicial and social services to meet this urgent need."

Juvenile Justice Division Presiding Judge Curtis Heaston praised the Reclaiming Future program. Judge Heaston said that services and treatment for minors will be culturally and gender sensitive and involve "a cross-section of community-based entities that serve the Lawndale community, including social service agencies, faith-based and community organizations, and academic and public health agencies."

Reclaiming Futures is a new approach to helping teenagers caught in the cycle of drugs, alcohol and crime. A five-year, $21 million initiative launched by The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Reclaiming Futures promotes new opportunities and standards of care in juvenile justice for young people with drug and alcohol problems. For more information, visit www.reclaimingfutures.org.

“It's no secret that teens with drug or alcohol problems are more likely to end up in trouble with the law,” says Donald Robinson, director of Reclaiming Futures of Cook County . “This money will let us adopt cutting-edge treatment techniques that can help our young people overcome the cycle of substance abuse and crime.”

Cook County officials will use the award to improve the county's ability to offer a menu of evidence-based treatment services to teens entering the justice system. The grant will provide for increased coordination between agencies, technical assistance and training on evidence-based models, in order to improve the assessment process and offer more integrated treatment, including family involvement as a core component. As a result, 120 young people from the North Lawndale community of Chicago will benefit from drug treatment and a “wraparound” process that address their specific needs and strengths .

The grant is the latest national investment in a five-year initiative that brings together local courts, businesses, civic groups, schools and others to improve drug and alcohol treatment, expand and coordinate social services, and find jobs, volunteer work and other opportunities for teens in trouble with the law. In 2002, Reclaiming Futures awarded Cook County $1.25M to reinvent the way the community responds to teenagers involved with drugs, alcohol and crime .

As many as four out of five of the two million young people who enter the justice system nationally each year have an alcohol or drug problem. “Unfortunately, most don't receive treatment and many of the services that do exist are ineffective,” says Laura Burney Nissen, Ph.D., director of Reclaiming Futures, which awarded the $100,000 grants to Cook County and nine other communities. “Today's grant gives Chicago the opportunity to test promising practices that could make a positive difference in the lives of these teens. Treatment experts around the country are watching this experiment with great interest.”

“Substance abuse treatment is one of the smartest public safety investments we can make,” says Sharol Unger, supervisor of the Cook County Juvenile Drug Treatment Program, Probation Services . “Research shows that treating alcohol and drug abuse reduces crime, saves money and builds safer communities.”

According to local officials, alcohol and drug abuse is a major health issue for a significant number of youth involved with Cook County Juvenile Court. Currently, there are not sufficient coordinated treatment services available in the community to meet the needs of these young people.

“Too many of the old drug and alcohol treatment models just don't work with teenagers,” says Gerry Katovich, vice president of Bobby E. Wright, a local treatment agency. “This grant makes it possible for us to adopt the evidence-based practices that we know are effective for this age group.”

About Reclaiming Futures

Reclaiming Futures is a new approach to helping teenagers caught in the cycle of drugs, alcohol and crime. A five-year, $21 million initiative launched by The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Reclaiming Futures promotes new opportunities and standards of care in juvenile justice for young people with drug and alcohol problems. For more information, visit www.reclaimingfutures.org . The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, based in Princeton , N.J. , is the largest philanthropy in the nation devoted exclusively to health and health care. To learn about its mission and work, see www.rwjf.org .

Judges Call for Community Responses to Juvenile Substance Abuse

A report by judges with the national Reclaiming Futures program recommends judicial action to help teens in trouble with drugs and alcohol avoid a life of crime

November 9, 2006
Contact: Ruby Haughton-Pitts
Metropolitan Group
312.628.1447

Chicago, IL (November 9, 2006) – A national group of judges that includes Judge Curtis Heaston, Presiding Judge of the Circuit Court of Cook County Juvenile Justice Division, has recommended that judicial officers nationwide take a more active role in helping youth in the juvenile justice system overcome their drug and alcohol problems. The judges, whose jurisdictions participate in the Reclaiming Futures program which is funded by The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, issued their call to action as part of their jointly written monograph A Model for Judicial Leadership; Community Responses to Juvenile Substance Abuse. The report was published by the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges in its Juvenile and Family Court Journal, Summer 2006, Volume 57, Number 3.

"Research shows that teens who use drugs and alcohol are more likely to end up in the justice system, where treatment services are often unavailable or uncoordinated," said Laura Nissen, Reclaiming Futures national program director. "We believe these young people deserve appropriate screening, treatment, care and community support, and that judges have the knowledge, influence and obligation to drive this change." Judge Heaston is joined by a collaborative of community and juvenile justice leaders in guiding this change on Chicago's west side in the North Lawndale community.

The judicial monograph, written by a team of judges with extensive experience in juvenile justice, outlines practical steps for other judges to follow in order to build a collaborative model for change within their own juvenile justice systems. These steps include inviting and convening stakeholders to participate; identifying the needs for youth services; achieving consensus; focusing on performance measures and outcomes; educating the judiciary and public; partnering with the community; and listening to youth.

The report concludes with 10 recommendations for judicial action, such as: judges must ensure youth in the system are screened and assessed; judges must be educated on the current state of practice in the substance abuse field; and judges must help identify or create positive pro-social influences for youth such as mentors, jobs or volunteer opportunities.

"This guide is written by judges and intended to be used by other judges, court administrators, government entities, community leaders and interested citizens," said Hon. Willard G. Martin, Jr., a judicial fellow for Reclaiming Futures and judge in the New Hampshire District Court and Family Division. "Our goal is to provide a blueprint for judges so they can take concrete actions to improve the juvenile and family court system."

A Model for Judicial Leadership can be read in its entirety at http://www.reclaimingfutures.org/resource.asp?rcid=5 or in the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges' Juvenile and Family Court Journal, Summer 2006, Volume 57, Number 3.

Reclaiming Futures is a $21 million initiative located in the 10 communities of Chicago, Illinois' North Lawndale Community, Anchorage, Alaska; Santa Cruz, Calif.; three counties in Eastern Kentucky; Marquette, Mich.; the state of New Hampshire; Rosebud, South Dakota; Dayton, Ohio; Portland, Ore.; and Seattle, Wash. In its fourth year, early research conducted by the Urban Institute and the University of Chicago indicates the program has significantly improved the coordination of juvenile justice and substance abuse treatment services in its 10 communities.

About Reclaiming Futures
Reclaiming Futures is a new approach to helping teenagers caught in the cycle of drugs, alcohol and crime. The mission of Reclaiming Futures, a $21 million initiative of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, is to promote new opportunities and standards of care in juvenile justice. It is housed in the Regional Research Institute for Human Services of the Graduate School of Social Work at Portland State University. For additional information, visit www.reclaimingfutures.org.

About the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation focuses on the pressing health and health care issues facing our country. As the nation's largest philanthropy devoted exclusively to improving the health and health care of all Americans, the Foundation works with a diverse group of organizations and individuals to identify solutions and achieve comprehensive, meaningful and timely change. For more than 30 years the Foundation has brought experience, commitment, and a rigorous, balanced approach to the problems that affect the health and health care of those it serves. When it comes to helping Americans lead healthier lives and get the care they need, the Foundation expects to make a difference in your lifetime. For more information, visit www.rwjf.org.

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