On Thursday, September 23, 2010, the National Juvenile Justice Network (NJJN) and its partners hosted a webinar on the costs and benefits of change within the juvenile justice system. The webinar, entitled “Finding Opportunities for Reform in Difficult Fiscal Times”, was presented by Annie Balck of NJJN with Beth Colgan of Columbia Legal Services and our own Jim Moeser. The webinar provides substantive strategies, such as employing a fiscal realignment model and downsizing youth facilities, to reduce spending without sacrificing progressive programming. Several tactical strategies for fiscally-minded reform are also provided. Such strategies include the dissemination of cost-benefit data that supports juvenile justice reform, establishing partnerships with unlikely allies, and focusing on long-term outcomes. Successful models from various states, including Wisconsin, Illinois, California and Ohio, are detailed for guidance.
To listen to the archive, view the presentation slides, and/or to download related publications, please go to: http://www.reclaimingfutures.org/?q=news_webinars.
Mental Health: A Behavioral Health System that Better Supports Counties and Schools
Everyone in Wisconsin, regardless of what county they live in, deserves to live in a community that supports their health and wellness, including access to quality, affordable mental health and substance use disorder services. Governor Evers’ proposed budget expands access to behavioral health care, strengthens schools’ abilities to provide mental health supports to students, invests in peer support, and provides millions in funding to county behavioral health services.
