Between 2002 and 2007, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) created, tested and evaluated Reclaiming Futures, a six-step model for change that promotes new opportunities and standards of care in juvenile justice. In 2006, the 10 communities that piloted this approach reported significant improvements in the quality of juvenile justice and substance abuse treatment services, according to research conducted by the Urban Institute and the University of Chicago’s Chapin Hall Center for Children.

This proven model is now being spread across the country. Supported by partnerships and multi-million dollar investments from RWJF, the Kate B. Reynolds Charitable Trust (KBR), the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), and the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT-SAMHSA), a national learning collaborative has been formed to share resources, ideas and information. The collaborative currently consists of 26 communities across the U.S.

Do you have the Involvement of state and local juvenile justice and substance abuse treatment officials? Are you able to show an understanding of the nature and extent of substance abuse within your juvenile justice system, as well as community variables that will make your efforts successful? Sites that have organizational structures that build quality assurance and performance standards into their management are also in a good position to bring the Reclaiming Futures model to life.

Cross Sector Communications

• Management teams with experience in interagency collaborations and strong administrative, training and supervision skills.
• History of collaboration and systems change that produce successful interagency results.

• Local judge with strong involvement and ongoing commitment to Reclaiming Futures.
• Track record of leadership in advocating for the needs of substance-abusing youth and their families in the juvenile justice system.
• Successful collaborative ventures that encourage and share leadership across systems.

• Commitment to project sustainability and willingness to provide money or produce matching funds to support efforts.
• Past results in making services developmentally appropriate, gender specific, and culturally relevant for the population being served.
• A commitment to effective management information system infrastructure and a demonstrated ability to track individual youth and family cases.

• Endorsement and commitment to the initiative by influential community leaders to develop the support necessary for project success.
• Previous community support for youth and commitment to creative solutions for youth concerns.
• Record of strong involvement by adult and youth community members in the development of a service system and creation of alternative programming possibilities.

To assess whether your community is ready to become a Reclaiming Futures site, download the abridged version of our Readiness Assessment.

Communities that are interested in securing funding from local foundations or other organizations are encouraged to contact Mark Fulop, Grant and Partnership Development Director by phone at (503) 725-8921 or by email.