Clinical Services

DCJD Psychology Internship

• Internship Brochure
• Internship Selection Criteria

Upon intake into the Detention Center, DCJD screens each youth using the Massachusetts Youth Screening Instrument 2 (MAYSI-2). The MAYSI-2 is a self-report screening instrument designed to help identify possible mental health concerns for children and youth with juvenile justice involvement. If scores are elevated, staff from the Detention Crisis team will meet with the child or youth to determine if they need a safety plan or to be monitored. The team will also make additional referrals to the psychiatrist or a therapist for individual therapy, if needed.

The DCJD Psychology Department conducts about 150-200 court-ordered, psychological assessments per month. Most youth receive a psychological evaluation which includes a mental status exam, clinical interview, IQ testing and achievement testing. These reports help inform decisions about next steps for the youth. Judges may also order a certification evaluation when youth have serious offenses that may require being transferred into the adult system. This assessment examines if the youth is amenable to treatment or presents a risk to the community.

A competency evaluation is ordered when a youth has significant mental health problems or intellectual disabilities, to determine if they understand the court process and can assist their attorney in their defense. Family assessments focus more on family dynamics and may be required if there are concerns of conflict or problems in the home. Specialty assessments are also conducted with youth that have sexual offenses. These assessments focus on the youth’s sexual knowledge and level of risk to the community.

DCJD provides several in-house mental health and substance abuse services. Youth in detention can receive individual counseling, crisis management, psychiatric care and psychological assessments. Youth in the residential placements receive individual therapy, group therapy, crisis management, and family therapy. Youth and families in the community can participate in services through SAU and FFT. They can also engage in individual therapy, family training, anger management, and positive development group. All Clinical Services can be provided in English and Spanish. All therapists are trained in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). About 75% of staff are trained in trauma informed therapies such as Trauma-Focused CBT and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT).

Youth Village. Youth Village is a 72-bed, non-secure placement for males that have lower level offenses. In addition to receiving individual, group and family therapy, many of the youth in this program benefit from vocational programming. For example, the youth in this facility can earn certificates and receive training in culinary skills, forklift driving, surveying, or welding.

Medlock Treatment Center. Medlock is a secure facility that serves up to 72 adjudicated males. Youth in this program typically have serious offenses. Youth must demonstrate successful social skills and behavioral change and rehabilitation. They learn about thinking errors that led to their placement. The program uses Aggression Replacement Training (ART) to aid in shaping violent and maladaptive behaviors. Youth in this program receive individual therapy, family therapy, and groups.

Letot Center. Psychology staff offers individual, group, and family therapy along with crisis intervention and assessment services within Letot. Consultation and staff training are ongoing. Therapeutic groups focus on truancy, anger management, setting boundaries and runaway prevention; aftercare groups are also offered. The Letot clinical team focuses on strengthening the youth’s ability to make healthy decisions, build positive relationships, and manage stress and emotions appropriately.

DCJD also has several specialty and diversion courts. The following section describes some of the community-based and residential programs that address mental health as well as program goals and populations served.

Mental Health Court. Mental Health Court diverts youth with first-time offenses and a mental health disorder from further justice system involvement. Youth served by this program are assigned a probation officer and participate in weekly court hearings, in-home therapy with Functional Family Therapy, and psychiatric services through Dallas Metrocare. Youth learn coping strategies and address the issues that led them to their involvement in the system.

E.S.T.E.E.M. Court (Experiencing Success Through Empowerment, Encouragement and Mentoring). ESTEEM Court is a diversion program for girls that is targeted specifically at reducing the potential for sexual exploitation and trafficking among girls considered at-risk. The program includes intensive supervision, weekly court hearings, individual and group therapy, in-home family therapy, and mentorship with community leaders.

Diversion Male Court (D.M.C.). DMC is a diversion program for first-time offending males from high-risk communities with first time misdemeanors or offenses such as burglary, theft, assault and criminal trespassing. The program goal is to reduce the disproportionate representation these youth in the juvenile justice system. Probation officers and community service providers work together to help youth focus on prosocial behaviors, link youth to case management, mentoring programs and other services they might need to address individual needs.

Drug Court. Drug Court is a diversion program for first-time offenders on misdemeanor drug offenses. The purposes of the court is to divert youth with only substance abuse issues into treatment and away from entering the criminal justice system.

Individual Counseling. Youth attend therapy with a counselor to discuss a variety of concerns including: decision-making, setting boundaries, gang involvement, drug use, family relationships, self-esteem, grief, suicidology, relationships with peers, trauma, and depression.

Family Counseling. Youth and their families attend approximately 6-8 sessions with a counselor to discuss a variety of concerns including: improving family communication, developing boundaries, and developing appropriate privileges and consequences.

English/Spanish Multi-Family Anger Management Program Group. The groups consist of 5 weeks of weekly 1.5 hour sessions. Youth and their parents learn triggers and coping skills for anger and discuss how anger affects the parent-youth relationship. Youth and their parents are taught and encouraged to practice appropriate communication skills and emotion regulation.

English/Spanish Family Training Program Group. The groups consist of 5 weeks of weekly 1.5 hour sessions. Youth and their parents discuss rules, boundaries, and appropriate discipline techniques for parents. Families are encouraged to improve communication skills between youth and parents. Families are taught how to establish behavioral contracts and to agree on age appropriate privileges and consequences with regard to rule adherence.

Aftercare Group. Participating families attend 5 weeks of weekly 1.5 hour sessions. Youth that are transitioning from an out-of-home placement attend this group for five weeks. Youth develop relapse prevention tools and parents learn to identify warning signs.

Hoping to Overcome and Prevent Exploitation (HOPE). This group is for youth who are at-risk for or have been involved in exploitation and/or human trafficking. HOPE aims to serve as a tool to decrease the risk that a youth will begin or continue to be exploited. This is accomplished by identifying these youth and providing them and their families with interventions targeting their specific treatment needs.

Functional Family Therapy (FFT). FFT is an evidence-based, clinical counseling model in which licensed counselors help youth and their families learn to communicate and address family dynamics. The services are home-based and offered to youth on probation and in some diversion programs. DCJD currently has eight FFT therapists including a supervisor.

Special Needs Diversionary Program (SNDP). SNDP provides mental health treatment and specialized supervision to rehabilitate juvenile offenders and prevent them from returning to the criminal justice system. The program is administered in a collaborative model by the Texas Juvenile Justice Department and the Texas Correctional Office on Offenders with Medical and Mental Impairments. The program provides mental health services and specialized supervision to children and youth on probation who have significant mental health needs. In Dallas County, this program is provided through a partnership with Metrocare.

Outpatient STARS. The STARS program stands for Successful Thinking and responsible Sexuality. This program is for youth that have sexual behavior problems and have been adjudicated on a sexual offense. Therapists meet with youth on probation in the community once a week for group therapy. The goals of the group center on taking responsibility, repairing relationships and building trust, as well as relapse prevention. Youth receiving services from this program are required to undergo polygraphs as part of their treatment.

The Dallas County Juvenile Department Substance Abuse Unit provides effective and compassionate education and treatment modalities to assist youth and their families establish a lifestyle free from alcohol and drug use. Our goal is to assist through education, counseling and supporting those individuals that find themselves struggling to reach and maintain sobriety. Since 1990, the SAU has assisted thousands of youth and their families in the Dallas Metroplex. The Substance Abuse Unit continues services to youth graduating from the Residential Drug Treatment program as well as youth court ordered to receive drug treatment. The Substance Abuse Unit offers individual, group and family counseling to families with a substance abusing teenager.

Services include:

• Assessment: Structured interviews with the youth and available family to determine if drug treatment or other services are needed.
• Intervention Program: Drug education and intervention services to youth assessed as needing less than substance abuse treatment, but more than just education about substance abuse. This level provides family participation and drug testing.
• Supportive Outpatient Counseling: This includes individual and family therapy sessions in the homes of clients and multi-family group sessions at the offices of the Substance Abuse Unit.
• Intensive Out-Patient: Youth in this program receive intensive services to educate and treat addiction. Students attend their own schools and attend at least 5 hours of therapeutic services per week. This includes individual, group and multi-family therapy.
• Community Education: Counselors and staff conduct presentations in schools, community forums, and other educational venues about the dangers of drugs and alcohol.
• Practicum Training: The unit serves as a clinical training institute for counselors pursuing a career as social workers and Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselors (LCDC). Interns from various community colleges and universities take advantage of our intern/practicum program which is supervised by licensed counselors. We also offer training and education to counselors in the community who are interested in continuing their education in the Substance Abuse Field.