department of juvenile services customer service... · 2020-07-13 · • to improve customer...

Department of Juvenile Services

Customer Service Annual Report

Department of Juvenile Services FY17 Annual Report

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Customer Service Lead for the Department of Juvenile Services

Jay Cleary, Chief of Staff One Center Plaza 120 West Fayette Street Baltimore, Maryland 410-230-3348 [email protected]

Contributors to the Annual Report

Kara Aanenson

Scott Beal

Toni Christian

Katrina Church

Cory Fink

Audra Harrison

Dr. Michael Ito

Dwain Johnson

Miles Lawrence

Lesley Oswin

John Stevenson

Denise Victory

John Wisniewski

mailto:[email protected]


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Table of Contents FY17 Highlights .............................................................................................................................................. 4

Recognition Given to Employees .................................................................................................................. 5

Leadership Analysis of FY17 and Summary of FY18 Approach ..................................................................... 7

Detailed FY17 Results and FY18 Plans .......................................................................................................... 8

Customer Service Survey Results .............................................................................................................. 8

Status of Customer Service Training ......................................................................................................... 8

Customer Inquiry Response Times and Overall Time-to-Resolution ........................................................ 9

Timeliness of Responding to Customer Inquiries ................................................................................. 9

Best Practices ........................................................................................................................................ 9

Plans for Improvement ......................................................................................................................... 9

Improving the Customer Experience from Multiple Perspectives ............................................................ 9

Making Agency Services Available Online ............................................................................................. 9

Processing Times for Customer Transactions ..................................................................................... 10

Adjusting Hours to Meet Customer Demands .................................................................................... 10

Social Media Usage to Improve the Customer Experience ................................................................. 10


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FY17 Highlights

• To improve customer service to youth and families, the Department of Juvenile Services (DJS) trained all staff in its secure treatment facilities in Trauma-Informed Care. This training will give DJS staff the tools and strategies to effectively interact with youth and families who have been victims of trauma, both directly and indirectly.

• DJS’s Office of Family Engagement enhanced family engagement activities for youth to participate in with their families when they are housed at a DJS detention or treatment center. From February to June 2017, 526 families have participated in 43 family engagement activities Statewide.

• DJS enhanced its website to make information about the department’s facilities more accessible to families and public.

• Used social media to highlight agency resources for youth, employee awards and family engagement events.

• Added a 3 question customer service survey in January 2017 to the DJS website and agency email for internal and external customers to provide feedback.


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Recognition Given to Employees

2016 Community Administrator of the Year – Award given for providing thoughtful guidance and inspiring excellence, leading with honor, commitment and integrity.

Recipient: Delmonica Hawkins, Metro Regional Director

Ms. Hawkins directs the operation of the Metro region (Prince George’s County and Montgomery County) DJS community services offices for youth and families involved in the juvenile justice system in Montgomery and Prince Georges counties. Under Ms. Hawkins leadership staff performance accountability has significantly improved as documented by quality assurance audit outcomes. To improve customer service to youth under the supervision of DJS, she has increased opportunities for DJS youth to be exposed to inspirational speakers, participation in constructive recreational activities, visits to local universities, and establishment of apprenticeships with local businesses. Ms. Hawkins has demonstrated outstanding leadership by establishing high performance expectations for her team and supporting them to achieve excellence in service to youth and families.

2016 Residential Administrator of the Year – Award given for providing thoughtful guidance and inspiring excellence, leading with honor, commitment and integrity.

Recipient: Antoinette McLeod, Facility Superintendent

During performance year 2016 Ms. McLeod served as the superintendent at the Charles H. Hickey Jr. School (detention center). Ms. McLeod is recognized for her outstanding leadership in providing guidance to staff and expanding programming for youth. Ms. McLeod directed the establishment of monthly family engagement activities that mindfully involved all departmental staff in the planning and facilitation. These creative events improved customer service by promoting increased family visitation and participation with youth. Families have offered very positive feedback regarding these educational and emotionally supportive events. As a leader of the facility Ms. McLeod has ensured that operations met the highest standards having earned 100% compliance for the facility’s most recent quality assurance audit and full PREA standard compliance in 2016.


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2016 Keith Mahone Award – Award given in recognition of heroic efforts and dedication to the safety and well-being of youth and co-workers.

Recipient: David Harris, Resident Advisor I – Residential Services

David Harris is a direct care staff (Resident Advisor) at the Alfred E. Noyes Detention Center. Mr. Harris has showed exemplary courage, decision-making skills and customer service. He prevented an incident at the facility from escalating by using verbal de-escalation skills and placing himself in harm’s way. Mr. Harris demonstrated his dedication and commitment to providing for the safety and well-being of youth, fellow co-workers and the community.

2016 Drew Watt Award – Award given for loyal dedication, commitment, compassion and advocacy on behalf of youth and families.

Recipient: William Keefer, Case Management Program Supervisor for Frederick County

Mr. Keefer is a dedicated employee with over 20 years of service. He consistently demonstrates an excellent customer service and work ethic managing the office operations in a highly effective manner. Mr. Keefer establishes high standards and is a team player who leads by example. He directs his staff to provide the best customer service they can through services and supervision that promote positive outcomes. He encourages staff to seek opportunities for professional growth. Mr. Keefer serves on numerous committees and community workgroups including the Frederick County Substance Abuse Council, the Overdose Fatality Task Force and the Juvenile Justice Task Force.


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Leadership Analysis of FY17 and Summary of FY18 Approach

In FY 2017, the Department of Juvenile Services (DJS) implemented several reforms to improve its outreach and interactions with its primary customers: youth and families.

In 2015, DJS created the Office of Family Engagement for the purpose of improving the experiences of youth and families involved in the juvenile justice system in Maryland. During FY 2017, the Office launched enhanced family engagement activities for youth to participate in with their families when they are housed at a DJS detention or treatment center. From February to June 2017, 526 families have participated in 43 family engagement activities Statewide.

Additionally, the Office developed the concept of the Family Navigator program in order to pair DJS youth and families to peer support specialists who can provide support and guidance while the youth is involved in the juvenile justice system. In some cases, the family navigators have experienced the juvenile justice system through their own children’s involvement, which gives them a unique perspective and credibility.

The Office has also reviewed the department’s written materials to families to ensure that they are understandable and user-friendly.

In FY 2018, the Office of Family Engagement will develop a process to identify and engage families who are not involved or accessible. Additionally, to improve customer service through the DJS website, it is anticipated a dedicated page for DJS families will be launched. This families page will provide parents and caretakers with easy access to information about the department and the juvenile justice system.

In FY 2017, DJS undertook a major reform effort to improve the way DJS direct care staff in its facilities and community offices interact with youth. In recognition that DJS youth have often been impacted by trauma in their lives, either directly or indirectly, the department began training staff in its treatment facilities in Trauma Informed Care. This approach helps staff and youth understand trauma and provides strategies to address youth’s reactions to stress and trauma triggers. In FY 2017, all staff in DJS’s treatment facilities were trained. Additionally, staff in Baltimore City’s community offices were trained in trauma-informed care.

Looking ahead to FY 2018, the department will begin training staff in trauma-informed care in its secure detention facilities and all community offices throughout the State. Ultimately, all DJS staff who have direct contact with youth and families will have the tools and strategies to create a supportive environment and hopefully improve interactions with the department’s primary customers.


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Detailed FY17 Results and FY18 Plans

Customer Service Survey Results

• From February 2017 to July 2017, 36 external responses were provided to the overall satisfaction question. Of the 36, 22 or 61% indicated that the customer was satisfied or very satisfied.

Status of Customer Service Training

DJS offers both in-person and online customer service training. As of July 2017, 1,106 DJS employees have completed customer service training, which is over 50% of the agency’s workforce. The department will continue its efforts to have as many of its employees as possible complete the training by the end of FY 2018.

DJSVery

SatisfiedSomewhat Satisfied Neutral

Somewhat Dissatisfied

Very Dissatisfied

External Total

Internal Total*

Grand Total

2/13/17 - 2/19/17 1 0 0 0 1 2 0 22/20/17 - 2/26/17 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 12/27/17 - 3/5/17 2 1 0 0 0 3 1 43/6/17 - 3/12/17 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 03/13/17 - 3/19/17 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 13/20/17 - 3/26/17 1 1 1 0 0 3 0 34/3/17 - 4/9/17 0 1 0 0 1 2 0 24/10/17 - 4/16/17 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 14/17/17 - 4/23/17 2 0 0 0 1 3 0 34/24/17 - 4/30/17 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 15/1/17 - 5/7/17 2 0 0 0 0 2 0 25/8/17 - 5/14/17 2 0 0 0 0 2 0 25/15/17 - 5/21/17 2 0 0 0 1 3 0 35/22/17 - 5/28/17 2 0 0 1 2 5 0 55/29/17 - 6/4/17 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 16/5/17 - 6/11/17 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 16/12/17 - 6/18/17 1 0 0 0 1 2 0 26/19/17 - 6/25/17 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 16/26/17 - 7/2/17 0 0 1 0 1 2 0 27/3/17 - 7/9/17 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

YTD Totals 19 3 2 1 11 36 1 37

Question 1: Overall, how satisfied are you with the customer service provided?


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Customer Inquiry Response Times and Overall Time-to-Resolution

Timeliness of Responding to Customer Inquiries DJS strives to accurately and timely respond to inquiries directed toward the agency. Most written inquiries directed to the agency’s headquarters, whether they are public information act requests or general inquiries, are resolved within 2 to 4 weeks.

Best Practices

The majority of customer inquiries received by DJS headquarters are public information act requests. The process of reviewing and responding to those requests is centralized under the agency’s Director of Communication. Other customer inquiries are directed to the Chief of Staff, who is the agency’s customer service lead. By centralizing the process of handling customer inquiries to headquarters between 2 individuals, the agency can be more efficient and consistent in the manner it works with its customers.

Plans for Improvement

In FY 2018, DJS will develop a formalized process of keeping more detailed records of responses to customer service inquiries for review by the customer service lead.

Improving the Customer Experience from Multiple Perspectives

Making Agency Services Available Online DJS’s website is continually undergoing improvements to enhance the user-experience and ease of accessibility. Currently, DJS has online forms for customers to make public information request. In FY 2017, DJS revised the website to make locating DJS’s 34 community offices and 13 facilities around the State easier for families and members of the public. In response to inquiries from families, the DJS website has a page that provides the menus and the food of the month for each of its 13 secure facilities. DJS also has a page that displays facility capacity through visual indicators to assist judges and magistrates in making court decisions.

In FY 2018, DJS plans to launch a family engagement page which will provide important information about the department and the juvenile justice process. Additionally, an events calendar page will be added to display events at each DJS facility where families can participate in family engagement events with DJS youth.


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Processing Times for Customer Transactions

Intake is the first point of contact between the department and youth, who are most often brought to the department’s attention through a juvenile complaint filed by law enforcement. At this critical junction, DJS intake staff must review the complaint and meet with the youth, family and other caretakers and the victim, if possible to determine how the youth’s case will proceed. A youth’s case could be formally sent to the State’s Attorney to potentially begin the court process or could be informally handled outside of the court through DJS or resolved at intake entirely.

DJS intake staff are required both statutorily and through DJS policy to resolve juvenile intakes within 30 days to the extent possible. Through its case management tracking system, the rate of DJS intake workers finalizing juvenile intake decisions within the deadline was 93.3% for over 22,000 juvenile intakes filed Statewide in 2016. DJS is pleased with this result because timely case forwarding decisions at intake are critical to ensure justice, fairness and public safety for the community, victims and youth involved in juvenile offenses.

Adjusting Hours to Meet Customer Demands

DJS’s primary contact with youth and families in the community are in the department’s community offices throughout the State. These community offices are divided among 6 operating regions. In most regions, community offices will remain open beyond traditional office hours as needed to meet with youth and families. In Baltimore City in particular, community offices have extended hours on Wednesdays to accommodate the work and home lives of Baltimore City youth and families.

Social Media Usage to Improve the Customer Experience

DJS was pleased to see an increase in Facebook friends of approximately 52% from 2016 to July 2017. For any messages or posts on Facebook, DJS’s Communications Office responds within 24 hours. DJS utilizes Facebook to announce events such as its Opioid Overdose Awareness Conference, employee awards and entry level graduations. Typically, DJS’s Facebook posts reach between 500 and 1100 people.

Similarly, DJS utilizes its Twitter account to promote various events that highlight the department’s work with youth and employee recognition. DJS currently has 856 Twitter followers.

In FY 2018, DJS will continue to promote important events and recognitions but will begin the process of providing more information about the agency’s reform efforts, initiatives and explanations about the juvenile justice system generally. The department believes that social media can be a valuable tool to provide helpful information to its customers and better insight into how the juvenile justice process works in Maryland.

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