John A. Tuell has had the privilege of supporting the MacArthur Foundation’s Models for Change: System Reform in Juvenile Justice Initiative, focusing on the coordination and integration of the child welfare, juvenile justice and multiple other relevant youth serving system on behalf of improved outcomes for dually involved or multi-system youth for the past 12 years.  Currently seated at the Robert F. Kennedy Children’s Action Corps, and using the framework John and his colleague Janet K. Wiig developed, the focus of the work is designed to effectively keep youth from penetrating deeper into the juvenile and criminal justice systems and in community or in-home treatment alternatives.

Utilizing proven tools, procedures, protocols and the Guidebook for Juvenile Justice and Child Welfare System Coordination and Integration: A Framework for Improved Outcomes and also supported by recent developments promoted by the Georgetown University Center for Juvenile Justice Reform through the Crossover Youth Practice Model (CYPM), this body of work is realizing real system reform and improved youth outcomes.

It is well documented fact that minority youth and youth of color are overrepresented in this population of youth that are at an increased likelihood & risk of penetrating into these negative outcomes in multiple domains.  Therefore John will use research, data, anecdotal experiences, and site-based lessons from the considerable state and local involvement across the country in the ongoing efforts to implement system reform on behalf of this disadvantaged population of youth and their families.  Additionally, the presentation will build on the fund of knowledge available to Oregon through the recent detailed report by William Feyerherm. The remarks and presentation, titled Taking Advantage of What we Know to Improve Multi-System Responses and Outcomes for Youth of Color, will highlight the critical imperatives fundamental to success in this noble endeavor and provide a rich opportunity for Oregon to implement the kind of system reform critical to turning the curve in a positive direction.