Assessment Centers around the country partner with law enforcement, courts, schools, and other community stakeholders to serve as a single point of access that identifies root causes of symptoms (I.e. substance use) and gets youth and families connected to supports within a community. Assessment Centers are developed to address the needs of a community through a process that (1) Leverages and maximizes the use of existing organizations, (2) Places additional resources where needed to address gaps and needs for both the target populations and participating organizations, (3)Streamlines communication and collaboration pathways to reduce duplication and miscommunication, and (4) Improves access to services for youth and families. Attendees will learn about the Assessment Center Framework being used by over 90 communities across the country to prevent and divert youth from justice system involvement by addressing underlying issues contributing to the behavior.
Objectives:
1. Describe the theory and core components behind the Assessment Center Framework.
2. Define the essentials of screening and assessment.
3. Conceptualize how Assessments partner with various stakeholders ( law enforcement, schools, child welfare, etc.).
4. Learn about the various assessment centers operating around the country.
5. Plan for starting conversations in your community around exploring the feasibility of an assessment center
