(1) Immediately cease new admissions to juvenile detention and correctional facilities unless a determination is made that a youth is a substantial safety risk to others.
- Governor’s office should issue an Executive Order to require/encourage no new admissions (See Michigan and California governors’ executive orders).
- Judges, court administrators, and youth justice agency leaders should ramp up diversion and alternatives to detention programs for youth who may come into contact with the system.
- Law enforcement should reduce arrests for certain offenses and instead utilize civil citations and pre-arrest diversion
(2) Establish a Coronavirus safety plan.
- Youth justice agency leaders should develop a complete safety plan to ensure comprehensive and coordinated implementation across the entire agency. The plan should include:
- health measures such as ensuring all staff and youth have proper access to cleaning and sanitation supplies with instructions to sanitize all surfaces throughout the day
- youth programming to support the development of youth socially, physically, and spiritually
- access to educational and enrichment programming and services
- continuity of health care and treatment services
- availability of, and access to, mental health services
- frequent and regular contact with loved ones through free phone calls and video conferencing
- quarantine protocols that ensure youth have access to the same level of programming and support services without exposing others to risk
(3) Fast-track the release of youth who do not pose a risk to public safety from juvenile detention and correctional facilities.
- Governors should issue executive orders requiring the release of detained and incarcerated youth that can be safely released into the community.
- Judges, court administrators, prosecutors, and defense attorneys should review their caseloads and utilize every avenue to ensure timely release of detained and incarcerated youth.
- Youth justice agency leaders should deploy case “expediters” who can quickly review youths’ cases and determine a release strategy for each youth. Priority should be given to youth who do not pose a risk to public safety and who meet one of the following criteria:
- have chronic illnesses or medical needs that can be treated in the community
- are awaiting court hearings (i.e. detained youth side)
- are within 90 days of their release date
- are being held for only technical violations
- Staff within youth justice agencies should create release service plans for each youth in their care that ensures that prior to their release, youth will have the following things in place:
- a safe place to live
- access to food
- continuity in medical coverage and healthcare (e.g. Medicaid)
- a plan to continue their education, if applicable
- vocational support services
- assistance to continue any beneficial program or therapeutic care
- Youth justice agency leaders should reach out to and involve departments/officials from different public agencies, including those in charge of housing, welfare, youth services, and healthcare, to help coordinate these efforts.
- Youth justice agency leaders should identify a healthcare coordinator at the state or local level, to ensure a safe transition that accounts for any necessary quarantine plans or steps to provide treatment or care for potential exposure or symptoms.
(4) Identify resources.
- The Governor, budget agency head, youth justice, and child welfare agency leaders and other Cabinet members should expeditiously review youth-serving agencies’ budgets to identify what resources can be re-programmed, what additional funding options can be extended to youth justice population (i.e., funds available through the Chafee Foster Care Independent Living program and the CARES Act), as well as what regulations can be waived or modified to support youth who will be released, such as:
- housing assistance for youth who need to live independently
- resources from the Family First Act
- Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) for food and other assistance
- Medicaid reactivation
- access to free meals and resources from local schools
(5) Engage community stakeholders.
- Youth justice agency leaders should:
- talk with youths’ caregivers and families to identify family support needs
- reach out to community-based groups and organizations that can provide critical supports to determine how quickly they can be scaled up
- determine how additional supports can be scaled up quickly
- identify what resources will be needed to scale up the support
- share information with families to ensure they access these resources
(6) Involve the philanthropic community.
- The Governor’s office and youth justice agency leaders should:
- convene foundations and potential donors by video conference
- invite their participation in identifying community-based supports for youth and their families
- encourage their assistance in addressing youths’ and families’ needs, including financial resources and access to technology to help support the transition home