Wednesday, March 27, 2024
7 a.m. - 4 p.m.
7 a.m. –9 a.m.
Convention Hall
9 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.
Convention Hall
9:30 a.m. – 10 a.m.
Convention Hall
10 a.m. - 10:10 a.m.
10:10 a.m. - 11:10 a.m.
Meeting Room 1
Meeting Room 2
Check In and Refreshments
Welcome
DCJS Deputy Commissioner Damon Bacote
New York State Lieutenant Governor Antonio Delgado
DCJS Commissioner Rossana Rosado
YOUTH EMPOWERMENT: Empowering Our Youth FOR REAL
Rev. Al Cohen, Executive Director
Janet Cohen, Program Director
The Community Initiatives of New York
Break
Breakout Session1
Resilience is Real
Intentionally designed to illuminate the impact of innovative youth programming, our focus extends beyond the immediate to cultivate healthy futures. Central to our approach is the direct, purposeful engagement of emotional outlets with the underlying goals of delinquency prevention initiatives, which are contributing to a substantial reduction in disproportionate minority contact withing the juvenile justice system. Explore groundbreaking strategies addressing current challenges and actively shaping a more equitable and promising future for all involved.
Presenters:
Fawn Montayne, Government Grants Administrator
David Gordon, Coordinator and Program Manager Boys and Girls Clubs of the Capital Area
Tech isn’t the Problem: Recognizing and Responding to Technology Facilitated Abuse
Tech isn't the problem. Misuse of technology by those who harm is the problem. Youth have the right to access and use technology without fear of harm. Preventive strategies (media literacy for caregivers and youth, knowing warning signs, etc.) serve as a toolbox for
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preventing and responding to tech facilitated abuse. This training will help equip justice stakeholders to support youth, advance equity online, and promote healing in a survivor-centered, trauma-informed, and culturally responsive way.
Presenters:
Amelia Allen, Gender Violence Prevention Specialist
Dulcie Delfonce, Gender Violence Prevention Specialist
New York State Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence
STEADY Work: Employment as a Vehicle for Healing, Equity, Engagement, and Prevention
The STEADY Work Program is a place-based, personcentered approach that uses workforce development to promote youth development. Anchored in traumainformed practices from the National Child Traumatic Stress Center, the program activates a Community Schools approach. Youth participants present the impact the program has had on their lives and plans for the future prompting participants to consider the holistic needs of young people and how the cross-sector efforts can promote equity and resilience.
Presenter:
Jay Roscup, Community Schools Director Wayne County Community Schools
Credible Messengers as Catalysts in TraumaInformed Therapy and Re-entry Programs
Credible messenger facilitators from the Master Plan Program will present on their own experience of how a shared background with justice-impacted youth can motivate and enhance other therapy, education and reentry programming in detention, prison, restorative justice and justice prevention spaces. Presenters will then lead participants in the Master Plan Program non- hierarchical discussion model, in order to initiate an open conversation on the systemic and individual mental health effects of over-incarcerating our youth.
Presenters:
Tammar Cancer, Lead Facilitator
Lameik Taylor, Lead Facilitator
Angelo Maddox, Lead Facilitator
The Chris Wilson Foundation
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From Pain to Power: Healing Youth Trauma through Innovative Arts-Based Strategies
In this workshop, participants will explore the transformative potential of arts-based approaches and contribute to shaping a more compassionate and effective youth justice landscape. Youth justice stakeholders and advocates will gain a deeper understanding of the role the arts play in healing youth trauma, insights into successful strategies, and a collaborative vision for integrating creative approaches into the broader youth justice framework.
Presenter:
Yazmeen Collazo, Program Director, We Art One Artist Collective Inc
11:10 a.m. - 11:15 a.m.
Break
11:15 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.
Convention Hall
12:15 pm - 1:15 pm
Convention Hall
1:15 pm - 2:15 pm
Meeting Room 1
Plenary Session: Youth on the MOVE
This panel discussion, featuring dynamic young people who participate in the Teaching A Generation / Teens Against Guns (TAG) program of The Community Initiatives of New York, will explore the importance of partnering and lifting the voices of young people on our journey to healing and equity within all youth serving systems.
Presenters:
Amy Guzman, TAG Ambassador
Kaila Peralta, TAG Ambassador
Tina Tamba, TAG Ambassador
Boubucar Balde, TAG Ambassador
Dris West, TAG Ambassador
Moderator:
Ykim Anderson, Program Manager
Poughkeepsie SNUG
The Voice of Youth Through Art
Presenters:
Yonkers Arts
9th Floor Artists Collective
Lunch
Breakout Session 2
Rediscovering the Beloved Community
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The Rochester City School District has developed an innovative space and process for addressing wrongdoing and restoring the right relationships: the Restorative H.U.B (Healing, Understanding and Belonging). Actualizing a beloved community requires meaningful community partnerships and youth collaboration. The Restorative H.U.B. helps break down barriers to support student and family needs in and out of school.
Presenters:
Ruth B. Turner, Deputy Superintendent
Jessica Nordquist, Director of School Climate and Culture
Rochester City School District
Youth Courts: Giving Youth a Voice
With the growing number of adolescents going through the juvenile justice system, there is an increasing need for sentencing alternatives and public education of the process. Youth Courts across New York State are diversion programs in which youth are sentenced by their peers using the principles of restorative justice. Youth court diversion programs are intended to offer an alternative to the traditional juvenile justice system and school disciplinary process. They provide a positive youth development lens to help keep young people on a track towards success and better decision making. Typically, student volunteers are trained to take on the roles in a traditional courtroom, including attorneys and jury members. The peer judgment aspect of Youth Court separates this program from other diversion alternatives and allows the youth involved to feel empowered to make a difference in their communities and the lives of their peers. The outcome also is likely to be more causally related to the offense and impactful than any traditional sentence given by a judge or school administrator. Presenters will discuss the positive impact of the program on the community, youth who have offended, and the teenage volunteers who support these programs They also will provide suggestions and support for communities that may want to start a similar program.
Presenters:
Lisa Miller, Co- President
Katrina Charland, Co-President
Arianne Reyer, Vice President
New York State Association of Youth Courts
Juvenile Enhanced Diversion Stabilization (JEDS): A Promising Diversion Initiative
In Spring 2023, Monroe County experienced a significant increase in vehicle thefts being committed by youths who were charged with stolen property and interrelated crimes. In response to this crisis, Monroe County Executive Adam
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2:15 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Bello directed county departments to collaborate and explore solutions. As a result, the Monroe County Probation Department developed the Juvenile Enhanced Diversion Stabilization (JEDS) Initiative, a diversion stabilization program designed to reduce periods of inactivity and provide Probation services contemporaneous to the arrests.
Presenters:
Kristine Durante, Chief Probation Officer
Cynthia Smith, Assistant Chief Probation Officer Monroe County Probation
George Markert, Assistant Public Safety Director Monroe County Office of Public Safety
Walking Together: A Workshop on Prioritizing Mental Health in the Latinx Community, One Step at a Time
"Caminando Juntos" (Walking Together) is a unique opportunity to explore the importance of mental wellbeing and learn practical steps to foster a healthier mindset. This workshop aims to address the specific challenges faced by the Latinx community and provide actionable strategies for individuals to take control of their mental health journey.
Presenter:
Maria Alfaro, Founder and CEO Que Paso Latinx
Getting Past Stereotypes: The Youth and Police Initiative
The Youth and Police Initiative (YPI) has been named as a promising practice for its high success in building trust between communities and law enforcement agencies that serve and protect them. This adaptable and dynamic training has been implemented in 43 large and small communities around the country, including in Westchester, Dutchess, Monroe, Suffolk, Orange, Nassau, Kings, and Rockland counties in New York State.
Presenters:
Rony Charles, Detective Sergeant/Master Trainer
Andre Riobe, Police Officer/Master Trainer
North American Family Institute
Break
2:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Meeting Room 1
Meeting Room 2
Meeting Room 3
Breakout Session 3
Hurt and Comfort: Fanfiction for Trauma Healing and Interpersonal Bonding
This workshop will discuss how the “hurt and comfort” tag of fanfiction can help trauma survivors. This session will examine this phenomenon from the perspective of those who write and those who read fanfiction; interpret the role of fanfiction as an agent of trauma healing; and underline the true community-based power of fanfiction.
Presenter:
Leigh Delong: Office Assistant 1 New York State Office of Victim Services
A Family and Community Mental Health Approach to Prevention, Restoration and Rehabilitation in Diverse Communities: Promising Practices of MHANYS Family Mental Health Programs
The Mental Health Association in New York State (MHANYS) Family Mental Health Programs present promising practices to support prevention, provide alternative justice options, and offer continued engagement in the community to diverse at-risk and justice-involved youth with mental health challenges and their families. Learn how these innovative programs take a culturally-responsive relational approach to support the mind-body health and sustain the wellbeing of justiceinvolved youth who are 12 and older, their family and chosen supporters in the community.
Presenters:
Megan Spagnola, Assistant Director of Family Mental Health Programming
Shantalee Martinez, Project Coordinator of Family Mental Health Programming
Mental Health Association in New York State
NYS SNUG Street Outreach: Reducing Gun Violence and Healing Communities
This presentation will provide a comprehensive overview of the SNUG Street Outreach program. Presenters will highlight the role DCJS plays in the oversight and training essential to the program's success; the importance of the relationship between SNUG sites and local law enforcement; and how SNUG supports the victims and families of gun violence and works to heal communities impacted by trauma. The SNUG Street Outreach program uses a public health model to address gun violence by identifying the source of the violence, interrupting the transmission, and offering services and support to those who wish to change their behavior.
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3:35 p.m.- 3:45 p.m.
Convention Hall
DCJS administers funding to nonprofit organizations that operate the program in 14 communities: Albany, the Bronx, Buffalo, Hempstead, Mt. Vernon, Newburgh, Niagara Falls, Poughkeepsie, Rochester, Syracuse, Troy, Utica, Wyandanch, and Yonkers.
Presenters:
Darryl Scott, Jr. , Assistant Manager of Training
Henry Terry, Assistant Manager of Training DCJS SNUG Street Outreach Program
Grandpas United
The presentation will provide participants with an overview of Grandpas United and its impact on at-risk children, youth and families in White Plains, Port Chester Ossining, Peekskill, and New Rochelle. Grandpas United has been cited as a national, intergenerational mentoring model program serving in school and out of school youth and arming them with protective factors while reducing risk factors.
Presenters:
Dr. Jim Isenberg, Co-Founder
Grandpas United
Frank Williams, Executive Director
White Plains Youth Bureau
Amplifying Youth Voices: Strategies for Transformative Advocacy
The presentation will explore the transformative power of youth perspectives and outline a comprehensive strategy for engaging youth voices in advocacy. Presenters will delve into strategies for creating inclusive platforms, providing practical insights into effective youth advocacy, and addressing challenges associated with youth participation. The presentation aims to amplify the impact of youth voices on communities and policies, inspire a renewed commitment to fostering an environment where every young individual's voice is heard and valued.
Presenters:
Angel Gray, Program and Policy Manager
Westchester Children’s Association
Louis Elmore, Youth Credible Messenger
Youth Shelter of Westchester
Day 1 Closing Remarks
Deputy Commissioner Damon Bacote
DCJS Office of Youth Justice
Thursday, March 28, 2024
8 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
8 a.m. - 9 a.m. Convention Hall
9 a.m. - 9:15 a.m. Convention Hall
9:15 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.
9:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.
Meeting Room 1
Meeting Room 2
Check In and Refreshments
Day 2 Welcome
Giza Lopes, Ph.D., Executive Director
New York State Youth Justice Institute
Break
Breakout Session 4
Elevating Youth Voices
Youth make up most urban populations but are often seen as the source of trouble in their neighborhoods. This misconception causes trauma and broken communities, which lead to more crime and trauma. In this workshop, participants will learn The Restorative Center's methodology, how to give youth a leading role in community healing, and why projects must be youth-led.
Presenters:
Shailly Agnihotri, Founder and President Brian Bourdierd, Environmental Leader
The Restorative Center
Art as Activism: Amplifying Voices Through Creative Expression
This workshop presents the “Art as Activism” by highlighting the Yonkers Arts' Black Lives Matter mural installation and how the project amplified voices through creative expression. The success of the project showed that art has the power to transcend language and cultural barriers, sparking dialogue, raising awareness, and inspiring action. Public murals in particular serve as permanent reminders of our collective values and aspirations.
Presenter:
Ray Wilcox, Executive Director, Yonkers Arts
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#RealTalkBridges presented by #REALTALK Inc
This workshop will address post-COVID barriers to personal and collective growth by integrating the principles of #REALTALKBRIDGES and the H.I.L.L. (Histories, Identities, Literacies and Liberation) model by Gholdy Muhammad. The overarching goal is to foster a sense of safety, honesty, empathy, joy, and empowerment, and by doing so, create a foundation for understanding one's identity and breaking down societal barriers, despite the foundational systemic oppressions that impact social determinants of health and education.
Presenters:
Ashley Watson: Founder/CEO
Janisha Whitlock, Youth Advocate/Program Coordinator #REALTALK Inc.
Exploring YJET: The New Rochelle Youth Justice and Equity Team
Working across systems to attack the school-to-prison pipeline, the newly formed Youth Justice and Equity Team (YJET) seeks to curtail rising violence among New Rochelle's youth. This presentation will explore how YJET strengthens relationships among students, schools, law enforcement, courts, and community partners, and provides highly individualized care to New Rochelle youth most in need of immediate intervention due to their past behavior and/or presence of high risk, environmental factors.
Presenters:
Nathaniel Adams, Program Director
New Rochelle City School District
Maria Almonte-Weston, Senior Program Director Center for Justice Innovation
David Peters, Council Member
New Rochelle City Council
Hip-Hop Therapy: An Innovative Approach
Teens Under Construction (TUC) seminars are powerful, experiential programs that provide students with a safe and supportive environment to gain a new sense of personal power. TUC incorporates Hip Hop Therapy and culture into its vision. Hip Hop is a global cultural communication style that includes the pillars of music, art, and dance. TUC combines evidence-based therapy with Hip Hop narratives to help clients and reinforce its commitment to youth development and empowerment.
Presenters:
Yocasta Jimenez, LMSW, President/CEO Shamar Watson, LMSW, Vice President and COO Teens Under Construction, Inc.
10:30 a.m. - 10:45 a.m.
10:45 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Convention Hall
12 p.m. - 1:05 p.m.
1:10 p.m. - 2:10 p.m.
Meeting Room 1
Meeting Room 2
Break
Plenary Session
A Pivot to Healing Centered Leadership: Reimagining Justice, Reimagining Ourselves
As society sits between trauma and transformation, there’s a strong call in our movement, in our world, to awaken to a greater level of being in all aspects of life. To really wake up, we are called to move into service: to listen, to strive, to understand and to make a plan to improve. Dr. Shawn Ginwright will share his research, which uncovers a set of deeply ingrained beliefs that ultimately hold us back from healing and achieving sustainable, systemic change. He will share why these frames won’t work and instead, propose four pivots: more impactful activism to bring systemic change, establishing healing-centered strategies when faced with adversity, building transformative relationships, championing equity and hope in organizational settings.
Presenter:
Dr. Shawn Ginwright, CEO Flourish Agenda
Jerome T. Murphy Professor of Practice at Harvard Graduate School of Education
Lunch
Breakout Session5
PAG, You're It!
The state Office of Children and Family Services is committed to examining and promoting diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility (DEIA) in the development and implementation of internal policies, external policies, and regulations. DEIA personnel from the agency will outline the creation, implementation, and use of its Policy Author's Guide (PAG), which serves as a resource for policy authors and reviewers on how to thoughtfully incorporate a DEIA lens in the policy and regulation development and review process.
Presenters:
Angelica Kang, Chief DEIA Officer
Precious Riehl, Program Manager
Tom Brooks, Deputy Commissioner
New York State Office of Children and Family Services
Assessment and Intervention of Sex Trafficking
Sex trafficking is a pervasive and complex issue affecting individuals and youth worldwide. This training will equip participants and leaders with the knowledge and skills to
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understand, assess, and intervene with cases of sextrafficking within their communities.
Presenter:
Julie Chapus, Director/Founder
Miss Julie’s School of Beauty
Building Bridges: Fostering Positive Police-Youth Relationships
This presentation will explore the critical importance of forging robust partnerships between law enforcement agencies and youth communities. The interactive session delves into innovative strategies and best practices aimed at establishing trust, understanding, and collaboration between police forces and the younger demographic. It also explores how youth perceive and tackle gun violence in their communities.
Presenters:
Paul Arteta, Sheriff
Orange County
Isabel Lopez, Deputy Director
National Network for Safe Communities
Rhonda Green, Regional Director
Youth Advocate Programs, Inc.
Healing Maladaptive Trauma Responses by Using a Narrative Approach
This is a youth led, youth-centered workshop that uses literature, psychoeducation on trauma and trauma responses, and the Narrative Therapy technique of reauthoring to help young people disrupt maladaptive thought patterns and create adaptive thought patterns in a targeted life area. The workshop is facilitated by three staff with diverse perspectives from the Exodus Center for Trauma Innovation. The workshop is presented in a circle, which promotes equal perspectives from all in attendance.
Presenters:
Kashmere Taylor, Trauma Response Messenger
Jamel Massey, Credible Messenger and Trainer
Myrtho Gardiner, Director
Exodus Transitional Community
Being Your Best Self: Self-Care as Self-Advocacy
This interactive self-care presentation is for staff who work with justice-involved youth. It will stress the importance of self-care and focus on how to create a
2:10 p.m. - 2:15 p.m.
2:15 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. Convention Hall
3:30 p.m. - 3:40 p.m.
Convention Hall
Through guided group discussions and a personal self-care assessment, participants will explore and identify self-care needs, activities, and potential barriers to self-.care. Emphasis also will be placed on coping strategies and areas for improving self-care practices
Presenters:
Kara Clark, Advocacy Specialist 2
Crystal Collins, Advocacy Specialist 3/Coordinator
New York State Justice Center for the Protection of People With Special Needs
Break Plenary Session
Not Just Talk: Equity and Healing Through Action and Collaboration
Convened by the New York State Youth Justice Institute, this panel features experts from various youth justice vantage points: a young adult, a community provider, a system policy maker, and a researcher. The panelists will engage in an action-focused conversation with concrete ideas for continuing this conference’s work in collaboration with others when participants return home. During the first half of the discussion, panelists will use their vantage point to talk through decisions, considerations, and action items in response to a healing and equity scenario. The audience then will work in small groups to explore specific actions and strategies they can use to move healing and equity forward after the conference. Time and space permitting, the small groups may have an opportunity to ask questions and gain insights from the panelists and other conference participants.
Presenters:
Ana Bermudez, Principal, AnaBConsulting Former Commissioner, New York City Probation Department
Bobbie Brown, Executive Director Young New Yorkers
Victor Rose, Associate in Social Work, Office of Student Support Services
New York State Education Department
Victor "Vic" St. John, Ph.D., Assistant Professor
John Glenn College of Public Affairs at The Ohio State University
Moderator:
Darryl Scott Jr., Assistant Manager of Training, DCJS SNUG Street Outreach Program
Closing Remarks
Staff of the DCJS Office of Youth Justice, and the Youth Justice Institute
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