Discipline Groups

The membership of the Partnership is comprised of professionals representing expertise in a variety of roles all of which are dedicated to improving the lives of youth in the justice system and eliminating further victimization. Each of these roles or disciplines are represented in NPJS with a designated member to the Board of Directors elected by the membership.


To inform these Board Members, each discipline representative shall make available opportunities for the members with a shared discipline interest to engage in the exchange of ideas, best practice and lessons learned and when possible advancing research.


NPJS members may participate in one or more discipline groups based upon their interest and experience. Click the following link to view our Code of Ethics.

 

Below is an overview each Discipline and the point of contact.  To ask questions about the Discipline Groups or to be added to a contact list for notices about upcoming meetings, please contact Cristy Malott (cristy.malott@npjs.org).

  • Behavioral Health & Clinical Services

    A forum for professionals who provide behavioral health, mental health or other therapeutic/clinical services for youth involved in the juvenile justice system. The goal of this group is to promote quality practice in working with at-risk and delinquent youth. Please connect with Ted Ryle for more information and/or to become involved with this group. ted.ryle@dcyf.wa.gov


    Resources:

  • Court Services

    A forum for professionals who work in any area of court services from probation officer to the judiciary. The goal of this discipline group is to continuously improve case processing, assessments, screening, formal court decision-making processes, provide effective supervision and to make appropriate referrals as needed.  Please connect with Dr. Greg Sumpter for more information and/or to become involved with this group. sumpterg@co.grayson.tx.us

  • Community-Based Services

    A forum for professionals engaged in non-residential service delivery. These professionals engage in strategic planning and collaboration to ensure best practice is addressed regardless of the service provision and also work in collaboration with residential services to assure continuity of care following out-of-home service. The goal of this group is to identify gaps in training needs, enhance service delivery systems, and guide the development of a plan to support the profession. Please connect with Dipesh Chauhan for more information and/or to become involved with this group. DChauhan@justiceworksyouthcare.com

  • Education of At-Risk & Delinquent Youth

    A forum for educators who teach in non-traditional educational settings, such as detention and corrections facilities, special education programs, alternative schools, residential programs, day treatment, and mental health placements. The goal of this group is to foster collaboration among education professionals who provide services to at-risk and delinquent youth; acting as a national voice for students, teachers and school administrators; setting standards for best practices in educational programs serving at-risk and delinquent youth; and providing resources, information, and technical assistance. Please connect with Dr. Helen Avis for more information and/or to become involved with this group. havis@mhfc.org

     


    Resources:


    For more educator resources, visit the following:

  • Staff Training & Professional Development

    A forum for staff trainers, instructional designers, or others interested in juvenile justice training and professional development. The goal of this group is to share ideas, identify individual trainer needs, and to prioritize training needs for the field. Members of this committee may have opportunities to provide training support to NPJS projects in the future. Please connect with Keisha Isaacs for more information and/or to become involved with this group. keishaisaacs@yahoo.com


    Resources: 

  • Short Term Placement / Juvenile Detention

    A forum for managers and direct care staff in short-term, secure care juvenile detention centers or shelter care facilities.  The goal of this group is to promote quality practice and offer opportunities to network with colleagues from around the country while helping shape the priority areas for NPJS.  Please connect with Terri Hanton for more information and/or to become involved with this group. terrimarshhanton@gmail.com


    Resources:

  • Long Term Residential / Juvenile Corrections

    A forum for administrators and direct care staff in long-term, residential facilities and programs. The goal of this group is to promote quality service, offer an approach balances the well-being of the youth against the protection of the community and establishes a foundation for a successful reentry for the highest risk youth offenders. Please connect with Johnny Muñoz for more information and/or to become involved with this group. johnny.munoz@gctcw.org


    Resources:

  • Family and Youth Engagement

    A forum for family members, parents, youth and professionals interested in advancing family and youth involvement in juvenile justice improvement efforts. The goal of this group is to advance family and youth involvement at all levels of the juvenile justice system while ensuring that families and youth with lived experience have the opportunity to be involved in all levels of decision-making. Action items for this group will include: identifying existing support networks that can be accessible for family and youth at a local level; developing training for juvenile justice system improvement efforts which includes potential roles of families and youth to position the role of advocacy; education and training, positioning, family and youth as active participants in case planning at each step of the juvenile's involvement; advocating for family and youth voice in positions of leadership and boards to examine and improve existing system processes; and supporting the existing discipline groups within NPJS. Please connect with Kathy Wright for more information and/or to become involved with this group. kathyw@newjerseyparentscaucus.org


    Resources: