You are on this page: Office of Community Partnerships and Family Engagement
Under the direction of an associate commissioner, this office provides support and monitoring services to CMSO programs, intake and court liaison services, and contracted community-based initiatives.
Bureau of Community Services
CMSOs are located statewide and include Community case managers, community clinicians, intake workers, court liaisons, youth division aides, and other service providers who work closely with the youth’s multi-disciplinary support team. The focus is to provide services to the youth and their family from the first day of a youth’s placement with OCFS until the youth returns to community supervision. The CMSO provides case management, supervision and counseling programs for all youth placed with OCFS. The community case manager, in collaboration with the facility support team members, is responsible for development of the Community Re-entry Plan (CRP) for each youth. The CRP builds on the individual treatment goals the youth achieves in placement and aligns them to community strategies that targets identified areas of high risk through a cadre of primary and secondary community support services in the following domains: individual, family, school, peer group/ community, and vocation/employment. Through the utilization of the EM program, the CMSO is able maintain a high level of youth supervision and support as youth make their transition to their communities from residential placement.
Bureau of Classification and Movement
This bureau is responsible for oversight of operations and functions related to intake, classification, and movement of OCFS placed youth and youth re-placed with voluntary agencies. It manages the (JJIS), the Juvenile Contact System (JCS), transactions and data management, the Interstate Compact for Juveniles, provides for interstate community supervision for out-of-state youth and the return of runaway youth, and manages the Central Communications Unit (CCU), which centrally manages youth warrants and the RIR. The bureau also oversees the Centralized Client Classification System (CCCS), which monitors, reviews, and expedites all routine and emergency movement from facilities, as well as all release and transfer decisions concerning youth in care. The Statewide Youth Transportation System (SYTS), with regional hubs across the state, facilitates the operation of the temporary holdover units at the facilities for youth in transport status.
Statistics and Survey Unit
-
This unit collects and processes data at intake that is used to determine a youth's risk level and program needs.
Intake and Court Liaison Services
-
Intake workers collect placement and background documents, interview the youth in detention and conduct a home visit with the family, communicate with the court and manage the overall process of admitting youth into OCFS care. They are located across the state in Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, Albany, Long Island, New York City and the mid-Hudson region.
Statewide Family Partnership
The Statewide Family Partnership Committee (SFPC) was created as part of an agency initiative to improve the juvenile justice system by increasing the involvement of parents and families throughout the DJJOY system. The SFPC and OCFS partners with families to incorporate family-friendly policies, services and staff practice; engage families in transition planning and support networks while empowering youth and families to develop strong, supportive roots in their communities for long-lasting independence, stability and success. The partnership utilizes a dedicated Family Support Liaison in each office in an effort to create a reliable, enduring resource in support of our youth, families and the SFPC.
The SFPC provides linkage to wrap-around services by connecting families with supportive community based services, provide referrals to resources and inform families of available assistance. They also share information on job trainings, employment opportunities, workshops for problem solving and professional skill building. The SFPC provides a safe space for families and youth to voice their thoughts and concerns about cross-system service challenges.
Community Credible Messenger Initiative (CCMI)
Developed to strategically provide identified youth and families with the structured support of a Credible Messenger and/or Parent Partner while being linked to vocational/ employment opportunities referred to as Work Based Learning (WBL).
The CCMI model incorporates practices and strategies intended to improve outcomes for OCFS-placed youth and their families by providing a community-based network built on collaboration. That network will include credible messengers, parent partners, OCFS community case managers, family, friends, grassroots organizations and child welfare agencies. CCMI will create a framework which allows community-based partners to build, strengthen, and supervise a group of professionals who can engage high risk communities and provide supports focused on better outcomes for our hard to reach youth and families.
CCMI currently targets youth in selected zip codes within the Buffalo, Rochester, Mid-Hudson and Long Island Regions.
Performance Review Unit (PRU)
The PRU works to provide direction, consultation, and monitoring of CMSO case management, community service coordination, family engagement, and community supervision.
PRU strives to involve staff at all levels in an effort towards continuous performance improvement of programs and services. PRU utilizes input from youth in care, their families, staff, administration, agency leadership and community service providers through tools, surveys, systems data, and other established vehicles. PRU monitors CMSOs on a continuous basis remotely and conducts scheduled on-site reviews to determine levels of performance, quality of services, as well as compliance with applicable standards, policies, and regulations.