In 2016, Kansas enacted Senate Bill 367, which sought to decrease the number of youth in the juvenile justice system by creating community-based alternatives to detention centers. Since its enactment, policymakers have heard testimony that implementation of SB 367 might be diverting youth and their families who previously were served by the juvenile justice system to access services from other state agencies, particularly the Department for Children and Families (DCF).
The fiscal year (FY) 2019 DCF budget proviso outlined the legislative directive to the agency to convene a working group to gather information about youth with offender behaviors entering or already in the child welfare system, who are referred to as “crossover youth.” The working group identified key themes, challenges and needed services for crossover youth in the Crossover Youth Services Working Group Report.
The fiscal year (FY) 2020 DCF budget proviso outlined the legislative directive to the agency to convene a working group to study the impact of SB 367 on crossover youth. This new working group, with advice from the data team, built upon the work of the previous working group by striving to identify and gather the best information possible to address the topics outlined in the proviso. An interim report documents the process used by the working group. The final report provides a summary of results and key findings from its study of the 16 proviso data elements.
The Kansas Health Institute provided process facilitation, research support and report preparation under the direction of the working group.