Download The Youth Service Providers Network (YSPN)

The Youth Service Providers Network (YSPN)
A Partnership of the
Boston Police Department and
The Boston Boys and Girls Club
YSPN is a partnership between the Boston Police Department and the Boys and Girls
Clubs of Boston. This innovative community-policing program grew out of the
frustration expressed by police officers that arrest is the only substantive action they
can take when dealing with at-risk youth, and that no options existed for troubled
youth they encountered during family disturbance calls. YSPN was created to address
this frustration by giving police officers a referral source to ensure that the children
they were coming into contact with would get the assistance they needed in their
community. This program has greatly alleviated frustration and stress felt by officers
in their dealings with youth, further empowering officers to address community
concerns, and strengthening the relationship between police and community.
How it works:
YSPN has Licensed Clinical Social Workers (LCSW) in 8 of the 11 neighborhood-based
police stations across the city, including the Youth Violence Strike Force. Referrals
come to the LCSW either directly from police officers or through police reports filed by
police officers. Youth referred to YSPN receive assistance under a three tiered
system: 1) intake and assessment, 2) short-term clinical case management and, 3)
on going clinical services. The station-based LCSW consistently receives support and
supervision from a Senior Social Worker (LICSW) who in turn receives weekly
supervision from the Clinical Director of YSPN. This process of supervision fosters a
level of communication that ensures quality services for its clients.
THREE TIER MODEL:
1.
Intake & Assessment - Generally involves short term interventions focused on
finding appropriate resources that meet the short and long term needs of youth and
their families. An assessment of family and individuals strengths and weaknesses
help determine level of service provision. A determination of which service providers
are already involved with the youth and family is made and these relationships are
strengthened by the intervention. This intervention may be as short as one
interaction with the family and youth with an understanding that the youth advocate
and social worker are accessible if needed. The family is likely to be referred to
preexisting services in this paradigm. 50% total caseload.
2.
Clinical Case Management - Youth and their families are seen in weekly or
monthly meetings with focuses on parent guidance and support counseling. Clients
seen in this level of service generally do not have any pre-existing relationships with
major service providers like DYS, DSS, and school-based services. The intervention at
this level is to connect clients to local non-profits who can provide social service.
Initially in some cases, clients prefer not to engage in formal service contract with
providers and take service, as they feel comfortable from the YSPN social worker.
This level of services is open-ended with an eye towards making referrals to local
agencies. 30% total caseload.
The Youth Service Providers Network
3.
Individual and family therapy - Youth and their families are seen weekly in
psychotherapy for issues related to truancy, delinquency, school performance and
family functioning. At this level of service youth are generally seen individually and
family meetings are monthly. Youth and families may be involved with DYS and
probation but typically not with DSS. Often these clients have some ambivalence
about working with traditional agencies and YSPN's capacity to provide home visits
and flexible scheduling has enabled difficult, high risk youth and their families access
to social service. 20% total caseload.
CASE EXAMPLES
Example I
Over a six-month period, Boston police officers in District B-3, Mattapan, had
responded to nineteen (19) calls for help to a home with a mother and her five
children. The children ranged in age from 10 to 17. Several of the children had a
history of assaults on people outside the family. The father had been killed in a
stabbing. The mother had a gambling problem and a history of assaults as well. An
officer who had repeatedly responded to service calls for this family referred the case
to the district-based social worker. This LCSW worked with the family for a six-month
period during which there were only six (6) calls for service, a reduction of over twothirds. The older son clearly responded to the social worker's outreach; thus one of
the needs identified by the referring police officer, for an adult male counselor, was
met. The other children were referred to after-school programs. The mother was
coaxed into a parenting class, which has significantly improved her effectiveness as a
parent and her interactions with her children. Calls for police service in the third sixmonth period had dropped from six to two (2).
Example II
A fifteen-year-old high school student who had been a bystander to incidents that led
to a shooting was repeatedly harassed and threatened by gang members. He felt
unable to confide these threats and his fears to anyone, but finally blurted them out
to his algebra teacher who sought help from YSPN. The YSPN social workers went to
the child's home that night and met for several hours with the boy and his family.
This allowed the boy the opportunity to discuss the situation and his fears with his
parents and the social workers. The YSPN social workers were then able to develop a
safety plan and intervention strategies with the family
Example III
One of YSPN's clients is a 17-year-old boy who had been attacked by crack addict with
a machete. One of his hands had been severed in the attack and was re-attached by
emergency surgery. His other hand, his legs and his back were also severely
damaged. The boy was one of four children of a single mother, who herself had a
history of mental health problems and trauma. He had a history of sexual abuse by
older women in his neighborhood, and had been arrested and convicted for arson
when he was 14. He had spent time confined in a Department of Youth Services
facility as a result of that conviction, and was being seen regularly by DYS clinicians at
the time of the attack. Over the course of the last year and a half, the LICSW
clinician worked weekly with the 17-year-old, his mother and the younger, 12-year-old
brother, who became suicidal after the assault. The clinician provided trauma
counseling, advocacy, clinical case management and worked closely with all the other
systems involved in this family's life (the Department of Youth Services, the Boston
Public Schools, the medical providers, SSI Disability, etc.) The 17-year-old client was
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finally placed in a foster home outside of the city for stabilization and safety reasons.
The 12-year-old brother was reassigned to a new school that could better meet his
emotional and educational needs. The mother and the 17-year-old continue to use
the YSPN clinician for counseling and support.
BOSTONCARES FOR INJURED YOUTH
BostonCares for Injured Youth is a program within the program. The Boston Police
Department's Youth Service Providers Network (YSPN) has partnered with the
BostonCares for Injured Youth to provide aftercare for intentionally injured youth in
Boston. BostonCares for Injured Youth was developed at the New England Medical
Center in response to data from the Boston Emergency Department Surveillance
System (BEDS). BEDS identifies patients treated for violence-related intentional
injuries (non-abuse) prospectively at triage, at Boston Medical Center, Children's
Hospital, New England Medical Center, and Massachusetts General. BEDS data have
shown that the 100,000 youth in Boston have a 1 in 150 chance of being intentionally
injured and the chance of re-injury within a year increases to 1 in 25. The purpose of
Boston Cares for Injured Youth is to provide intentionally injured youth with
appropriate community-based aftercare in order to assist them in dealing with their
injury and to reduce their risk of re-injury.
Begun in October 1998, the goals of BostonCares for Injured Youth are to:
-Increase the number of intentionally injured youth who receive follow-up care
-Reduce the rate at which injured youth are re-injured
-Increase awareness, cooperation, and collaboration between hospitals and
community providers in the areas of youth violence treatment and prevention
Over 500 cases of intentionally injured youth are reported every year, with
approximately 40 cases of re-injury within the same year. BostonCares for Injured
Youth hopes to reduce the number of re-injured youth. When the program receives a
referral from one of the four hospitals, the BostonCares for Injured Youth Injury
Services Coordinator, (a YSPN Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) working out of
the Youth Violence Strike Force), assesses the injured youth's needs and makes an
appropriate referral to a community-based human service provider. After a referral
has been made, the coordinator performs active follow-up to determine if a treatment
plan has been implemented. In addition to making referrals, the coordinator will
continuously develop lists of community-based service providers and work with
hospitals to improve patient identification and referral.
YSPN DATABASE
The Youth Service Providers Network has designed and created a central database
used by the clinical social workers to help clients within a social work model that
incorporates outcomes, yet is not driven by outcomes. The database uses the best
of the managed care model to track outcomes of social work services: particularly, in
regard to reducing risk factors for delinquency. The primary risk factors tracked are
issues of school performance, family functioning, substance abuse and trauma
history.
The database asks the social workers to respond to topics under headings that create
the template for a bio-psychosocial assessment. This enables social workers to
gather a comprehensive assessment without spending a lot of time writing out the
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information in a narrative form. Additionally, the database has the capacity to search
a name before starting a file in order to prevent the duplication of services.
The database allows supervisors to run reports that help to organize basic
demographic data and track service outcomes. Supervisors are able to use the
secure database as a quality assurance tool to monitor caseloads and review client
files off site.
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The Youth Service Providers Network
Youth Service Providers Network
Senior Licensed Clinical Social Worker
Job Description
The Youth Service Providers Network (YSPN) is a program of the Boston Police
Department and it's city wide partners, including: the Boys and Girls Clubs of Boston,
BostonCares, SafeFutures, Department of Social Services and the Department of
Youth Services. The YSPN's mission is to help police officers help at-risk youth and
their families to police station-based licensed clinical social workers (LCSWs) who in
turn provide an assessment and determine which community-based service
provider(s) can most appropriately service the youth and his/her family.
The YSPN District Senior Licensed Clinical Social Worker position will be filled by a
LICSW clinician with at least two years of clinical practice experience. Each Senior
Licensed Clinical Social Worker will supervise LCSWs and Client Advocates working in
policing areas (B, C, D, etc.).
The YSPN Senior Licensed Clinical Social Worker will report to, and be supervised by
the YSPN Clinical Manager and the YSPN Director of Social Work. They will receive
weekly individual and group clinical supervision. They will review monthly narrative
reports authored by district based LCSWs and provide oversight of case files on a
computerized database. The Senior Licensed Clinical Social Worker will carry a small
caseload of individuals and families as well as providing other services outlined below.
The YSPN Senior Licensed Clinical Social Worker responsibilities include, but are not
limited to:
• Receiving referrals from District police officers, YSPN Director of Social Work, YSPN
Clinical Manager, Community Based Juvenile Justice Roundtables, Attendance
Review Panels, Project PIVIT, and BostonCares. Follow-up will include, but is not
limited to:
Responsibilities with regard to caseload:
• Introductory phone calls to youth and families
• Home visits with LCSWs and interns
• Crisis intervention and assessment (including clients at District station houses)
• Referral and linkage to community based services
• Advocacy
• Clinical casemanagement
• Individual and family therapy
• Set up and lead case conferences of YSPN client with families and providers
• Record and organize client intake information and service provision through the
use of a computerized database
• Monitor client's progress from intake to termination of services including
periodic follow-up calls to service providers
Responsibilities with regard to District Based Social Workers:
• Supervision of assessment and intake meetings with families in their homes and
district based social workers
• Weekly individual clinical supervision of district based social workers
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The Youth Service Providers Network
Responsibilities with regard to the YSPN:
• Develop and maintain relationships with community-based service providers and
other public/private providers such as the Department of Social Services,
Department of Youth Services, churches, schools, courts, etc.
• Assess progress of the YSPN and identify gaps in service provisions through
meetings with YSPN Director of Social Work (DSW) and YSPN Clinical Manager
• Attend weekly clinical supervision with YSPN Clinical Manager
• Attend weekly social work group supervision with YSPN Clinical Manager (CM) and
Director of Social Work (DSW)
• Attend weekly staff meeting
• Perform other related duties as directed by YSPN DSW, YSPN CM and YSPN
Resource and Coordination Team (RCT)
• Set expectations and standards as outlined by YSPN DSW, CM and RCT
Responsibilities with Social Work Interns:
• Oversight of social work interns placed with district based social workers
Qualifications:
• Master Degree
• LICSW
• 2-3 years post
• Ability to work
• Ability to work
of Social Work
masters work with high risk urban youth and their families
as part of a multi-disciplinary tea
independently at times
Salary:
$ 36,500., base pay, plus benefits. These positions are grant funded for a twelvemonth period. Additional funding will be pursued to extend the program beyond the
initial contract.
Preference given to applicants who reside in neighborhoods served by the YSPN. Bilingual and people of color are strongly urged to apply.
Resumes with cover letters should be forwarded to:
Jeff Butts, LICSW, ACSW, ABD
Director of Social Work
Youth Service Providers Network
115 Warren Street
Roxbury, MA 02119
email: [email protected]
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The Youth Service Providers Network
BostonCares Intake and Assessment Social Worker
Job Description
The Boston Police Department's Youth Service Providers Network (YSPN) has
partnered with the BostonCares for Injured Youth to provide aftercare for intentionally
injured youth in Boston. BostonCares for Injured Youth was developed at the New
England Medical Center in response to data from the Boston Emergency Department
Surveillance System (BEDS). BEDS identifies patients treated for violence-related
intentional injuries (non-abuse) prospectively at triage, at Boston Medical Center,
Children's Hospital, New England Medical Center, and Massachusetts General Hospital.
BEDS data has shown that the 100,000 youth in Boston have a 1 in 150 chance of
being intentionally injured and the chance of re-injury within a year increases to 1 in
25. The purpose of BostonCares for Injured Youth is to provide intentionally injured
youth with appropriate community-based aftercare in order to assist them in dealing
with their injury and to reduce their risk of re-injury.
The goals of BostonCares for Injured Youth are to:
• Increase the number of intentionally injured youth who receive follow-up care
• Reduce the rate at which injured youth are re-injured
• Increase awareness, cooperation, and collaboration between hospitals and
community providers in the areas of youth violence treatment and prevention
When BostonCares receives a referral from a hospital, Licensed Clinical Social Worker
(LCSW) working out of the Youth Violence Strike Force, assesses the injured youth's
needs and makes an appropriate referral to a community-based human service
provider. After a referral has been made, the coordinator performs active follow-up to
determine if a treatment plan has been implemented. In addition to making
referrals, the coordinator will continuously develop relationships with communitybased service providers and work with hospitals to improve patient identification and
referral.
This position will be supervised within the Youth Service Providers Network model.
• LCSW will attend weekly clinical supervision with the clinical manager
• LCSW will participate in weekly group clinical supervision with clinical manager and
director of social work
• LCSW will attend weekly staff meeting
Responsibilities with regard to caseload:
• Introductory phone calls to youth and families
• Home visits
• Crisis intervention and assessment
• Referral and linkage to community based services
• Advocacy
• Clinical casemanagement
• Individual and family therapy
• Set up and lead case conferences of BostonCares clients with families and
providers
• Record and organize client intake information and service provision through the
use of a computerized database
• Monitor client's progress from intake to termination of services including
periodic follow-up calls to service providers
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The Youth Service Providers Network
Responsibilities with regard to community:
• Develop and maintain relationships with community-based service providers and
other public/private providers such as the Department of Social Services,
Department of Youth Services, churches, schools, courts, etc.
Responsibilities with Social Work Interns:
• Oversight of social work intern placed at the YVSF
Qualifications:
• Master Degree of Social Work
• LCSW
• 2-3 years work experience with high risk urban youth and their families
• Ability to work as part of a multi-disciplinary team
• Ability to work independently at times
Salary:
$ 30-32,500., base pay, plus benefits. These positions are grant funded for a
twelve-month period. Additional funding will be pursued to extend the program
beyond the initial contract.
Preference given to applicants who reside in neighborhoods served by the YSPN. Bilingual and people of color are strongly urged to apply.
Resumes with cover letters should be forwarded to:
Jeff Butts, LICSW, ACSW, ABD
Director of Social Work
Youth Service Providers Network
115 Warren Street
Roxbury, MA 02119
email: [email protected]
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The Youth Service Providers Network
Youth Service Providers Network
Licensed Clinical Social Worker
(LCSW)
Job Description
The Youth Service Providers Network (YSPN) is a program of the Boston Police
Department and the Boys and Girls Club of Boston. The YSPN's mission is to help
police officers help at-risk youth and their families. Police officers make referrals to
police station-based licensed clinical social workers (LCSWs) who determine which
community-based service provider(s) can most appropriately service the youth and
his/her family.
The YSPN LCSW will be based out of a neighborhood police station and will work
closely with that district's captain and his/her police officers. The LCSW will be paired
with a Senior Social Worker who will provide clinical oversight and conduct first-time
home visits and assessment with the LCSW. This team will develop appropriate
intervention and treatment strategies.
The YSPN Licensed Clinical Social Worker will report to, and be supervised by a YSPN
Senior Social Worker, Clinical Manager and the YSPN Director of Social Work as well as
the District Commander. The LCSW will receive weekly individual and group clinical
supervision. They will write monthly narrative reports and maintain case files on a
computerized database.
Responsibilities with regard to caseload:
• Introductory phone calls to youth and families
• Home visits
• Crisis intervention and assessment
• Referral and linkage to community based services
• Advocacy
• Clinical casemanagement
• Individual and family therapy
• Set up and lead case conferences of BostonCares clients with families and
providers
• Record and organize client intake information and service provision through the
use of a computerized database
• Monitor client's progress from intake to termination of services including
periodic follow-up calls to service providers
Responsibilities with regard to community:
• Develop and maintain relationships with community-based service providers and
other public/private providers such as the Department of Social Services,
Department of Youth Services, churches, schools, courts, etc.
Responsibilities with Social Work Interns:
• Oversight of social work intern placed at the station-house
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The Youth Service Providers Network
Qualifications:
• Master Degree of Social Work
• LCSW
• 2-3 years work experience with high risk urban youth and their families
• Ability to work as part of a multi-disciplinary team
• Ability to work independently at times
Salary:
$ 30-32,500., base pay, plus benefits. These positions are grant funded for a
twelve-month period. Additional funding will be pursued to extend the program
beyond the initial contract.
Preference given to applicants who reside in neighborhoods served by the YSPN. Bilingual and people of color are strongly urged to apply.
Resumes with cover letters should be forwarded to:
Jeff Butts, LICSW, ACSW, ABD
Director of Social Work
Youth Service Providers Network
115 Warren Street
Roxbury, MA 02119
email: [email protected]
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