KS Juvenile Justice Stepping Up Project Webinar and Listening Sessions

The Council of State Governments (CSG) Justice Center—a national nonprofit with expertise in supporting states in advancing youth justice and behavioral health — is partnering with Kansas leaders to identify and implement strategies that strengthen public safety and improve outcomes for youth with behavioral health needs who come into contact with the juvenile justice system by enhancing community-based services, cross-system collaboration, and the efficient use of resources.

The Kansas Juvenile Justice Stepping Up Project will examine cross-system policies and data, from diversion through reentry, and includes a series of listening sessions with an array of stakeholders across the state. This initiative includes both a local and state focus and will shed light on how the system currently operates, its strengths and challenges, and opportunities to improve it.

To learn more about this project, please register for the Kansas Juvenile Stepping Up Project Overview webinar scheduled for Tuesday, July 16, 2024 beginning at 2:00 PM CT.

CSG will also be conducting confidential listening sessions with a broad range of stakeholders that serve youth experiencing the Juvenile Justice system or who are at risk of justice involvement.  Through the targeted population listening sessions, we seek to obtain perspectives on topics such as: 

• Opportunities currently available to divert youth with behavioral health needs from the Kansas justice system  
• Youth needs/risks/assessments completed on Kansas youth 
• Decision-making criteria for diversion/use of detention/court for youth with behavioral health needs 
• Service matching/availability/access and the effectiveness of services 
• Provider capacity/staffing 
• Equity and family engagement  
• Cross-system collaboration  
• Competency evaluation and restoration 
• Data reporting and quality assurance  
• Ideas for enhancing early intervention and diversion opportunities  

To register to attend the listening session that most closely align with your work and/or personal experience, please complete the online Kansas Juvenile Justice Stepping Up Project Listening Session Interest Form.

* NOTE- the times/dates for the two of the listening sessions below have changes and are not reflected in the Interest Form: Lived Experience is on 8/01 at 5:30PM and Schools & Education- Direct Staff is now on 8/09 at 3:00PM.

Your input is critical to the initiative, so we encourage you or one of your staff members to attend a listening session, if possible.

Thank you for your interest and support in this project and of Kansas youth! 

For questions, please contact Meredith Butler at mbutler@csg.org