OKLAHOMA CITY, JULY 23, 2024 —The Georgetown Center for Juvenile Justice Reform selected Oklahoma as one of only four jurisdictions from across the country to participate in The Youth in Custody Certificate Program. The program aims to assist juvenile justice leaders in implementing, or accelerating, systemic change to enhance outcomes for youth in custody. Joining Oklahoma in this prestigious program are Multnomah County in Oregon, the city of Newport News in Virginia, and the State of Rhode Island.
The program commenced in Washington D.C. on July 15, 2024, where participants from the four identified jurisdictions engaged in five days of experiential training led by national juvenile justice leaders. The valuable knowledge and skills acquired throughout the week encouraged teams to drive positive change within their respective jurisdictions, ultimately leading to better outcomes for youth in custody.
“We were honored to be selected for The Youth in Custody Certificate Program,” said OJA Chief of Staff Constanzia Nizza. “This opportunity allows us to collaborate with, and learn from the expertise of, other juvenile justice professionals.”
The Oklahoma team will continue to meet in the coming months. They will submit a final Capstone project to Georgetown in November outlining how the best practices they learned through The Youth in Custody Certificate Program will be applied within Oklahoma’s juvenile justice system. Membership of the Oklahoma team is representative of various perspectives and stakeholders including community partners and state agencies.
A full list of the Oklahoma team is below.
- Jeremy Evans, OJA Deputy Director of Juvenile Services
- Jennifer Goodrich, Executive Director at Pivot, A Turning Point for Youth
- James Hayes Robinson, OJA Systems Improvement Specialist
- Alison Humphrey, OJA Program Manager
- Jeff Mader, OJA Administrative Programs Officer
- Carol Miller, OJA Deputy Director of Residential Placement Support
- Shel Millington, OJA Director of Behavioral Health
- Roger Morris, Regional Director at Southern Plains & Oklahoma Family
- Constanzia Nizza, OJA Chief of Staff
- Kelly Perry, ODMHSAS Senior Director of Child and Adolescent Systems and Crisis Services
- Randy Sheppard, OJA Workforce Development Specialist
- Kheri Smith, OJA Hope Ambassador
For more information about The Youth in Custody Certificate Program, please visit the website here.