Saturday, May 10, 2025
5/10/2025
Juvenile Justice Trauma Informed Systems Program (Project JUSTIS) - The purpose of this project is to create the Juvenile Justice Trauma Informed Systems Program (Project JUSTIS) within the Child Trauma and Resilience Assessment Center (CTRAC) at Colorado State University (CSU). Project JUSTIS will serve Larimer and Denver county youth (ages 8-18) and their families who have experienced trauma and demonstrate risk for involvement in the juvenile justice (JJ) system. Childhood trauma is associated with higher levels of post-traumatic stress, deficits in regulation, and poorer experiences in school, all of which can contribute to higher risk of delinquent behavior. Unsurprisingly, youth in JJ have higher trauma exposure than their peers. Project JUSTIS aims to reduce entry into the JJ system and recidivism by increasing access to trauma-informed screening, services, and systems. Larimer County (8th judicial district) and Denver County (2nd judicial district) are home to a combined 90,000 of Colorado’s youth and together addressed close to 5,000 juvenile charges between 2017-2019. When a youth’s involvement in the JJ system escalates, risk for additional trauma exposure, separation from support systems, and obstacles to treatment increase, highlighting the need for coordination and provision of trauma-informed services for youth at-risk for JJ involvement. These risks are particularly salient for youth of color who are overrepresented in stricter levels of sentencing and detainment in both Larimer and Denver counties. Project JUSTIS aims to increase the capacity and expand delivery of trauma screening, assessment, and treatment for youth in the target population, train local professionals in trauma-informed care principles, and improve youth and caregiver well-being. To achieve these project goals, Project JUSTIS will deliver: (1) trauma screening; (2) comprehensive trauma assessments for youth and caregivers; (3) trauma-informed consultations; (4) evidence-based treatment; and (5) no-cost community training for organizations who engage with youth and families. Project JUSTIS will also engage with NCTSN network members to strengthen grant activities. Clinical teams will be trained in Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) and Alternatives for Families Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (AF-CBT) in collaboration with the NCTSI-II Center for Resilience and Well-being in Schools at the University of Colorado Boulder. Project JUSTIS also plans to engage in the System Enhancement Academies to support project implementation being proposed by the University of Connecticut Center for Trauma Recovery and Juvenile Justice in the upcoming NCTSI-II funding cycle. On a yearly basis, our team will screen between 115-375 youth and caregivers (increasing year over year) and train between 300-360 professionals. By the end of the project, we will have screened 1350 children, adolescents, and caregivers for complex trauma; and provided 1005 youth and caregivers assessments, consultations, and evidence-based trauma treatments. Additionally, our team will train 1680 staff from child-serving organizations in trauma screening and trauma-informed practices and train 50 graduate-level interns on trauma screening and assessment protocols.
HHS’ Tracking Accountability in Government Grants System (TAGGS) website provides access to detailed descriptions of grants, loans, aggregated direct payments and other types of financial assistance awarded by the HHS Operating Divisions (OPDIVs) and the Office of the Secretary Staff Divisions (STAFFDIVs).