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Twenty-four Hour Counseling - Experienced corrections
counselors, trained to deal with emotions and behaviors of 8-18
year old youth, provide individual daily life counseling as
needed on a 24 hour basis. Correction counselors are certified
with the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission
after completion of a two week intensive training and passing a
comprehensive exam at the Justice Commission Center in Seattle.
New and part-time staff are further supervised and trained by
experienced employees. All correction staff have first level
supervision certification. Some senior staff have received
career level certification for supervision. Specialized training
in other areas include verbal and physical de-escalation of
aggressive and violent behaviors, assessment, screening, and
appropriate interaction with youth who have mental health
issues. A pilot behavior management program, using a situational
leadership model, was integrated into the detention center’s
behavior management, or level program. Developed by a team of
juvenile administrators, managers, and correction line staff,
the program has proven to be very successful in supporting and
encouraging cooperative behaviors.
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Emergency Health Care - Corrections staff are Red Cross First
Aid Certified. They are trained to identify medical emergencies,
arrange for emergency transport, facilitate medical insurance
for emergencies, and stabilize youth waiting for transport.
Staff are also trained in HIV/AIDS and how to deal with
intoxicated youth.
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Suicide Risk Assessment - This screening tool is used routinely
when booking youth into detention. Staff are trained on how to
deal with suicidal youth.
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Behavior Modification - A level system is used to correct
behavior problems and to reward appropriate behavior. Daily
behavior sheets, incentive systems, and occupational training
for self esteem building are built into the level system.
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Personal Hygiene - Youth are provided with individualized
personal hygiene training for self care as well as room
cleaning. Rooms are inspected daily.
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Monitoring Safety and Security - Keeping the youth safe and
secure is of the highest priority. Strip searches are performed
according to applicable RCWs. Extensive daily logging and
incident reports are kept. Positive peer relationships are
encouraged and monitored.
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Intake and Discharge - Information is gathered upon entering and
release of detention by corrections counselors, with particular
emphasis on identifying special needs of detained youth.
Referrals and information sharing are a coordinated effort
between corrections staff, Court Services Officers, and other
local agencies, such as State and Tribal DCFS. Record keeping
for credited days is maintained and available for youth for
their morale.
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Personal Property - Personal property, including money, are
logged and stored for incoming youth.
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Twenty-four Seven Public Information - Corrections staff answer
a 24 hour incoming phone line and give information to all
members of the community, including parents and staff from other
agencies.
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Outgoing Phone Calls - Arrangements are made with youth and
Court Services Officers for outgoing phone calls as needed.
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School Notification - School districts are notified when
students are detained, to address attendance requirements.
Contact with attendance offices is made as requested in regards
to youth being discharged.
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Tutoring - Corrections staff provide assistance to youth who
request help with homework for school and for purge conditions.
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Medical Appointments - Corrections staff transport youth to
medical appointments at local clinics and provide emotional
support at medical appointments.
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Mental Health Appointments - Corrections staff transport youth
to mental health appointments outside the detention facility.
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Preparation and Security Escort to Court - is provided by
Corrections Staff.
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Recreational Activities - Corrections staff schedule and
coordinate recreational activities, such as basketball, board
games, bingo, card games, exercise, and tournaments. Movie night
is a reward for eligible youth on the highest level.
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Personal Letter Writing - Corrections staff provide assistance
to youth who need help with writing letters home.
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Designated Family Visits - Regular visitation hours are
scheduled for family visits.
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Attorney Interview Rooms - Onsite attorney client contact is
available. Contacts are facilitated by corrections counselors.
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Social Worker Onsite Visits - State and Tribal social workers
visit their clients in detention for moral support, placement
and transitional planning. Contacts are facilitated by
corrections counselors.
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Positive Adult Role Models In The Community - Positive role
modeling continues from the detention center to extend within
the community as youth previously detained see corrections
counselors as interested and caring adults who they can connect
with on an informal basis outside the facility.
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NA
Panel - A group of people from Narcotics Anonymous come to the
detention center weekly to give inmates information on how they
can stay clean and sober through NA.
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AA Panel - A group of
people from Alcoholic’s Anonymous come to the detention center
weekly to give inmates information on how they can stay clean
and sober through AA.
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Spiritual Group - A spiritual advisor and assistant come to the
detention center weekly to offer spiritual guidance to any youth
who may want to seek another way to live.
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Substance Abuse Evaluations - An assessment is completed by
certified Chemical Dependency Counselors on site to determine a
diagnostic level of substance use and recommend services.
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ADEC - Alcohol Drug Education Class, a four hour class, is
offered monthly, serving both detention and outpatient youth who
have not been identified with a substance abuse problem but have
experimented enough to warrant the need for information. They
can hopefully change the direction they are headed with the
information the class provides.
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Outpatient Substance Abuse Services - Recommendations and
referrals for an individualized treatment plan are completed by
on site certified chemical dependency counselors. Treatment
recommendations may include individual appointments, group
therapy, family therapy, and/or 12 step meetings. Outpatient
youth in the community are referred to community based treatment
programs. Referrals may also be made and families assisted in
locating placement and funding for outside intensive residential
treatment programs.
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Inpatient Substance Abuse Services - If a youth is incarcerated
and has been diagnosed with a drug/alcohol problem, they are
seen by juvenile department staff, who are certified chemical
dependency counselors, for one to one sessions and/or weekly
groups while they are detained and unable to see their primary
counselors.
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CDDA Evaluations - Youth are assessed while in detention to
determine if a Chemical Dependency Disposition Alternative
should be given instead of regular detention.
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On-Site Urinalysis Testing - UA tests are given to youth on site
for one substance or multiple substances for immediate results
and immediate consequences, including immediate detention, if
appropriate. We can test for THC (marijuana), Amphetamines,
Methamphetamines, opiates, and cocaine.
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DNA Testing - On site testing is completed on all eligible youth
by corrections counselors.
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Diagnostics - This is a comprehensive assessment package
required for youth entering state institutions. This is done
on-site, in our detention facility interview rooms. It includes
mental health screening, substance abuse assessment (PEI or
PESQ), face to face interviews with youth and parents, risk
assessment, and collateral contacts.
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Risk Assessments - Okanogan County Juvenile, along with the
other Juvenile Courts in Washington State, has committed to a
case management model, based on research by the University of
Washington. This includes a full risk assessment which
identifies risk and protective factors that affect recidivism.
Our court services officers identify the risk domains for each
youth and work with them to facilitate appropriate services and
to support risk reduction behavior. While our youth are in
detention, our court services officers meet with them intensely.
With our large county, travel time is dear and the opportunity
to work with the youth in an efficient manner increases the
likelihood of progress in their change behavior.
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Personal Experience Inventory (PEI or PESQ) – Assessments are
given by on staff Chemical Dependency Counselors to give JRA
committable youth in–depth evaluations to help provide the most
effective services during their commitment stay.
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Detention School - This is a self contained, individualized
curriculum through Okanogan School district. One on one
instruction, interactive group discussions, and educational
planning are provided in a secure facility. The curriculum is
adjusted to meet each student’s needs and is coordinated with
the site schools, which may include public, private, and
alternative or outreach schools. Coordination of services
includes working with the Colville Confederated Tribes and other
juvenile courts. Particular care is given to support transition
from school to school and to maintain consistency in education.
Academic assessments are completed on each new student for
placement, special needs, and goal setting. Some students have
been identified as having needs not previously identified.
Flexibility is offered with coordination of educational
programming between detention school and site schools, which may
include continuing existing curriculum or providing alternative
school performance-based credits. High school credits are given.
Individual Educational Plans for special education students are
maintained, as state mandated. All transcripts are gathered and
compiled to assess graduation requirements and to use for
vocational and educational planning. Alternative educational
planning is explored with the student. Students may prepare for
GED tests, explore options such as Job Corps, Work Source, or
military training. Guest speakers are invited to speak to youth
about vocational offerings. Students may study for Driver’s
Education. A complete curriculum is offered with materials
ranging from first grade to college level. The school district
contracts out for mandated HIV/AIDS education for these youth.
Health issues are identified and referrals are made for free
health insurance under DSHS’s Healthy Kids Now Program for
eligible youth under age 19.
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GED testing- In 2011 the Detention Center
became an official testing center for youth wishing to earn
their GED. In partnership with the Detention School, teachers
and juvenile staff work together to prepare and test students
toward GED completion.
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Purge Assignments - Youth detained for truancy contempt are
given the opportunity to complete homework or write essays to
“purge out” of detention, as mandated in civil cases.
Corrections counselors assist when students need help. Purge
reviews are held in court the following day.
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Aggression Replacement Training - This is a research based
program which has been found to reduce recidivism in moderate to
high risk youth. Referrals derive from risk assessments done in
house. Youth attending this curriculum who are detained are
escorted to class, so continuity and consistency in this program
is maintained. This 10 week curriculum gives practical
experience in a group setting with life streaming, anger control
training, and moral reasoning training. Court services officers
have been trained as transfer coaches and help youth to continue
to practice skills while back in the community.
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Individual Counseling From Colville Tribal Mental Health and
Okanogan Behavioral Health - is available on a weekly basis or
as needed in an emergency.
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Sex Education/Family Planning - Educators from Family Planning
come to the detention center to teach detention youth sex
education including information about HIV and other sexually
transmitted diseases, pregnancy and birth control issues, and
information about healthy relationships.
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Facility Tours -
Detention tours are an annual event for elementary through high
school students from all nine community school districts, for
educational purposes. Individual tours are given to first time
truancy youth or upon request.