Voices from the Field: NDTAC Transition Toolkit Supplement

Embarking on youth reentry to the public school system from a secure care setting can be complex and should include a multifaceted approach for helping youth and their families reach success. Achieving long lasting outcomes requires cross-agency collaboration to ensure that all voices are heard, resources are shared, communication is a standard and continued practice, and shared strategic plans are developed. State coordinators, State Education Agencies (SEAs); Local Education Agencies (LEAs); and juvenile justice, workforce, substance misuse and mental health, healthcare, and child welfare agencies should strive to provide high-quality services for youth and families, including:

• Identifying transition services and resources
• Coordinating systems services
• Sharing information
• Establishing guidelines for successful movement between facility, group home, family and community
• Implementing process and outcome measures to use for continuous quality improvement
• Improving public safety

For this supplement, NDTAC State coordinators provided direct insight on helpful transition tools that will help practitioners to plan for and oversee the provision of transition services for youth transitioning from facilities and returning to their families and communities. It is designed to enhance the NDTAC Transition Toolkit 3.0: Meeting the Educational Needs of Youth Exposed to the Juvenile Justice System by providing recently released resources on youth reentry, sharing successful strategies, and identifying existing resources in use among states that address the greatest challenges and most critical needs for the individuals doing this work.