The OYA Director’s Group reviews weekly schedules, plans meetings, communicates significant information from previous week, and discusses current issues/topics.

The Operations Group is designed to review agency functions.  Executive Team and others schedule topic areas for discussion and decision.  Provides a forum for mid-manager project/section review.

The purpose of a safety committee is to bring workers and managers together to achieve and maintain a safe and healthy workplace for all employees.  The committee through its representatives, will set specific goals to accomplish the following activities:

• Involve employees to achieve and maintain a safe workplace.
• Identify and control hazards and unsafe practices.
• Report workplace injuries.
• Review incidents, accidents and near misses to prevent future injuries.
• Record safety committee meetings, activities and recommendations.
• Periodically evaluate the committee’s strengths and areas to improve in.
• Quarterly Safety Inspections.

 

• Review Incident/Accident Reports and discuss options to prevent and reduce injuries.
• Discuss issues that rise beyond a facility or office that may need resolution across the agency, not just at a specific site
• Communicate recommendations through the proper channels, workgroups, etc.
• Develop innovative ways to foster and sustain a safety culture throughout the agency (i.e. providing recognition for employee’s investment in cultivating a safety culture, incentives for committee membership/participation, etc.)
• Provide recommendations for training and policy changes or updates related to safety.
• Discuss recommendations for safety projects and employee participation.
• Review local safety committee meeting minutes for data and trends regarding safety.
• Communicate statewide safety issues and resolutions to local safety committees.
• Provide support to local safety committees and ensure they are in compliance with OR-OSHA standards.
• Increase staff awareness of monthly national observances (Safety Month, Earthquake Awareness Month, Emergency Preparedness Month, etc) through regular communication via the OYA bulletin.
• Discuss and provide recommendations for the use of statewide EAIP funds.
• Coordinate statewide safety fairs or conferences.
• Continually discuss ways in which improvements can be made regarding the structure and purpose of the statewide group.

The Evidence-Based Initiatives Group began in May 2004.  The group provides overall guidance and oversight in the implementation of evidence-based practices across the agency.  The group develops implementation and training plans and quality assurance and improvement strategies.  The Evidence-based Initiatives Group also reviews data related to program implementation and develops strategies to address system gaps.
 
Data trends are reviewed in a number of areas including, but not limited to: Key Performance Measures; Risk Needs Assessment and Case Plan data, Fidelity Monitoring and Clinical Outcomes.  Discussion of implementation and review of agency initiatives is the primary focus of the group.

The QA Specialists Committee began in spring of 2005 and its members have been identified by local management to participate in a number of quality improvement projects.  Committee members serve in a variety of capacities which includes “content experts” in the risk needs assessment (RNA) and case planning systems, support for peers at the local level on specific projects, a source for peers to relay concerns and suggestions for improvement that will then be raised to the state level (during QA Specialist meetings), and an avenue by which the OYA leadership can communicate activities occurring at the state level as well as solicit input regarding the needs of OYA staff.
 
Some of the projects the group has tackled in 2005-2007 include receiving additional training and providing coaching to peers in the RNA and case planning systems (on-going); identifying system gaps regarding community resources; helping to develop Multi-Disciplinary Team standards; prioritizing JJIS help requests (on-going); identifying strategies to increase agency communication (continued involvement); identifying over 100 suggestions for improvement in a variety of areas throughout the agency; and other projects.

The Statewide QI Committee began in March 2005.  The committee serves as a body to help guide the agency in decisions regarding ways in which we can monitor the quality of services we provide (the “what” and “how”).  The committee is responsible for reviewing quality assurance reports and data, including the agency’s Key Performance Measures, and for identifying deficiencies in the OYA system. Additionally, the committee discusses and develops potential strategies to address system gaps.  The Statewide QI Committee also provides feedback on QA plans and makes recommendations regarding QA measures and project priorities.  The committee is kept informed of agency improvement activities throughout the state via monthly presentations by staff members, on a variety of project topics.
 
Data trends and quality assurance plans are reviewed in a number of areas including, but not limited to: Key Performance Measures; Risk Needs Assessment and case plan data; Performance-based Standards; youth surveys; Functional Family Therapy fidelity; OYA foster care; individualized services treatment contracts; Correctional Program Checklist (CPC) results; etc.

The Curriculum Review Committee (CRC) began in March 2005.  The committee purposes include:

• Reviewing and approving curriculums and research for implementation within OYA;
• Helping to guide the agency in decisions regarding the ways in which we monitor, coordinate and implement OYA approved curriculum;
• Developing and approving the implementation plans for evidence based practices;
• Serving as the content experts and support to peers at the local level during implementation;
• Serving as a communication facilitator between peers at the local level and OYA leadership regarding concerns and suggestions for improvements.
• Providing a communication link for OYA leadership to share the activities occurring at the state level as well as way to solicit input regarding the needs of OYA staff.

The Oregon Youth Authority (OYA) established the OYA Advisory Committee in December 1998.  This committee provides vital input to the agency on pertinent issues including, but not limited to, legislative, budget and operational issues. The Advisory Committee affords OYA leadership an opportunity to gather important information from various representatives across numerous disciplines. Committee discussions assist in making agency policy decisions that may have far-reaching impacts related to community safety, accountability and reformation of youth offenders in Oregon’s juvenile justice system.

The Oregon Youth Authority’s African American Advisory Committee (AAAC) will advocate and support OYA in providing culturally specific and gender specific services for African American youth and their families in the following ways:

• Assist in building links between OYA and the African American communities in Oregon.
• Assist OYA in maintaining a level of cultural competency in programs, services, and policies regarding African American youth in the OYA system.
• Assist in recruiting volunteers, mentors, and guest speakers to support OYA’s services to African American youth.
• Assist OYA in recruitment and retention of African American staff.
• Assist OYA in supporting transition/re-entry services for African American youth.
• Assist in establishing community resources for foster homes, residential treatment, sex offenders, gang youth, transition services, and other community support systems and services.
• Engage African American youth in OYA custody to participate in partnerships with AAAC to identify goals/objectives to support and assist them with.

The mission of the Hispanic Advisory Committee (HAC) is to support the vision and mission of the Office of Minority Services (OMS), which is “To provide leadership, advocacy, and guiding principles to assist the Oregon Youth Authority in its ongoing efforts to become a culturally competent organization and address the complex issues of a culturally and ethnically diverse agency.  OMS supports OYA in embracing the values and strengths of all cultures and the implementation of culturally relevant, language appropriate, and gender specific treatment services that empower youth to make positive changes.”
 
The role of the HAC is to advise and make recommendations to the OYA regarding services provided to Hispanic/Latino youth in our custody and to monolingual or LEP (Limited English Proficient) families.  To accomplish this the committee:

• Advocates for language services that are culturally appropriate and gender specific.
• Advocates for educational programs and services, in addition to the services the youth receive while in OYA close custody facilities.
• Collaborates with government partners and community organizations to determine availability of resources for Hispanic/Latino youth.
• Advises the OYA regarding cultural competency in programs, services, and policies regarding Hispanic/Latino youth.
• Recruits volunteers, mentors, and guest speakers.
• Assists the OYA in recruiting Hispanic/Latino staff as part of OYA’s workforce diversification efforts.
• Actively supports Hispanic/Latino youth by assisting OMS in establishing transition and community reintegration services such as foster homes for sex offenders.

The Oregon Youth Authority’s Native American Advisory Committee is formulated to assist OYA with matters concerning the nine federally recognized tribes and Native American communities throughout Oregon.  The function of the Native American Advisory Committee is to:

• Establish community links between OYA and the Native American community.
• Recruit volunteers to support services offered by OYA for Native American youth within OYA close custody.
• Consult with tribal representatives regarding transition and aftercare services for Native American youth.
• Conduct staff trainings on Native American culture and the tribal structure.
• Develop methods to recruit and retain Native American staff:  OYA is expanding as an agency and is committed to having an employee workforce that reflects the diversity of the youth population we serve.
• Provide consultation to assist in the cultural competency of programs, services and policies regarding Native American youth within OYA.
• Establish resources for out-of-home placements (foster homes).

This committee was developed to provide opportunity for the contracted residential providers to meet on a regular basis to gain agency updates, share information between programs, problem solve and receive training.
 
The community resources unit believes the more information that can be shared between the agency and the providers, the better the service delivery to youth will be.  Current trends, research, and practices shared amongst the group assists in quality improvement and assurances.

The Resource Development Consultation Committee began in March of 2005.  The committee purposes include:

• Reviewing and discussing OYA youth placement recommendations
• Helping to guide the agency in decisions regarding the ways in which we coordinate and recommend OYA youth into community treatment placements
• Developing and approving transition plans for difficult to place youth in OYA custody
• Serving as support to field staff making youth referrals
• Facilitating communication between intra-agency peers at the local level and state administrative leadership regarding concerns/suggestions and referrals
• Providing a communication link for OYA Field Operations to share the referral activities occurring at the state level as well as way to solicit input regarding the community treatment needs of OYA youth.

The purpose of the Facility Training Design Team (FTDT) is to assess facility training needs and recommend training initiatives for the Agency Training plan.  Additionally, the group reviews facility specific training curricula for appropriateness, accuracy and relevance for OYA facility staff. 

The purpose of the Community Design Team is to assess field training needs and recommend training initiatives for the Agency Training plan.  Additionally, the group reviews field specific training curricula for appropriateness, accuracy and relevance for OYA field staff.

The Web Design Committee began in March 2007.  The committee serves as a body to help guide the agency in website design, migration, and monitoring. The committee is responsible for working with DAS to ensure compliance with statewide formatting, design ideas, implementation, and migration of the OYA website to the new format in the spring of 2008 and for identifying new pathways in the OYA system.  Additionally, the committee discusses and develops potential strategies to address website gaps.
 
Design trends and formatting plans are reviewed in a number of areas including, but not limited to the following: statewide requirements; innovative web design; workflow outlines and mapping strategies and narrative reconstruction.

The JJIS Executive Committee considers any OYA issue or initiative as it relates to JJIS or the use of JJIS in OYA.  The committee prioritizes agency requests for JJIS enhancements for presentation to the JJIS Steering Committee. The committee may also consider issues related more broadly to information systems such as other software or hardware, particularly when the issues cross involve multiple operational departments.
 
Any JJIS issue for OYA may be discussed.  Any member can add agenda items. Common topics include direction and discussion of approaches for implementation of JJIS in OYA, advice on how to resolve issues with the use of JJIS within OYA, strategies to overcome barriers to using JJIS effectively in OYA, discussion and prioritization of requests for JJIS resources and software development, and discussion about requests for access to JJIS.

The JJIS Steering Committee is comprised of county juvenile department directors, OYA representatives, and some external partners, to provide coordination and oversight to the Juvenile Justice Information System (JJIS).   The purpose of the JJIS Steering Committee is to set the vision and goals for JJIS, ensure JJIS continues to evolve in a way to support the needs of Oregon’s juvenile justice agencies, and to remove barriers to the success of JJIS.
 
The JJIS Steering Committee reviews the project to ensure that it is on task to accomplish the vision and goals of JJIS.  The committee routinely prioritizes the development of software features, makes policy decisions on the operational use of JJIS developing consistent practices and definitions, and allocates available resources to the project.  The committee works to ensure appropriate security and access of the information is in place.  Additionally the committee has an eye toward making statewide information about juvenile justice available to the public and policy makers.   The JJIS Steering Committee has several sub-committees that provide advice to them for decision making.  Sub-committees include JJIS Policy and Standards, JJIS Data and Evaluation, and JJIS Reports.

The Policy & Standards Committee is an advisory committee to the JJIS Steering Committee.  Its purpose is to develop and recommend policies and standards for the implementation of JJIS throughout the state.  JJIS policies are developed to define common statewide data standards, policies, and procedures that: adhere to statewide Criminal Justice Information standards; maintain data integrity; and honor the integrity of local county business practices.
 
Policy development is initiated as necessary by the JJIS Steering Committee, the Oregon Juvenile Department Directors' Association, the JJIS Project Manager, or the JJIS Policy and Standards Committee.
 
Current policy, rules, and regulations are researched and analyzed to address proposed policy or policy revision.  JJIS policies approved by the JJIS Policy and Standards Committee are then recommended to the JJIS Steering Committee for formal adoption.

The purpose of the JJIS Data & Evaluation Committee is to:

• Guide the development of routine publications/statistics; specific research initiatives; design, reporting, and analysis of JJIS data in order to provide quality program and system evaluations and forecasting for system resources and prevention and intervention strategies.

• Function as an analytical Users Group that assesses development, implementation, and interpretation of analytical reports for consistency, accuracy and appropriateness in the areas of Program Evaluation; Forecasting; Policy Analysis; Impact Analysis; and Trend Analysis

 
The Committee goals are to:

• Identify data element needs from an evaluation perspective for quality control and identify research questions that Oregon seeks to pursue with JJIS data.
• Assist in analyzing and disseminating reasoned and researched information to JJIS partner agencies, leaders and policy makers, including the OJDDA, OYA, and Juvenile Crime Prevention Advisory Committee (JCPAC).  
• Guide and prioritize the development, use and interpretation of JJIS reports and provide interagency mentorship regarding information sharing and meaningful data;
• Define and guide the development of data extracts from the JJIS database to support statewide and local juvenile justice policy and program research initiatives, including annual Recidivism data, Minority Over-Representation, Juvenile Crime Prevention plans and Risk Screening Instruments.
• Provide feedback on practices and JJIS technical and program evaluation solutions regarding Case Management and Outcome Measures.
• Recommend data elements from an evaluation perspective for Case Management and Program Evaluation module development.

The JJIS Reports Committee provides a forum to review and prioritize JJIS report requests, and provides support to the JJIS report developers in designing and validating JJIS reports.
 
The committee also provides input to the JJIS Data and Evaluation Committee on the need for enhancements to its annual published statistical reports.

The purpose of the OJDDA Training Advisory Committee is to assess and review the OJDDA training calendar.

The purpose of the TAC is to assess and review the agency training plan and advise the training academy on Agency training issues.  This committee is currently not active and may be re-structured.