Judge Teodosio To Speak At National Conference

Summit County Juvenile Court Judge Linda Tucci Teodosio will be a featured presenter at the 33^rd National Conference on Juvenile Justice sponsored by the National Council of Juvenile and family Court Judges and the National District Attorneys Association. The conference will take place March 26-29 in Denver, CO.

Judge Teodosio will address the conference on Tuesday, March 28^th, as part of a session entitled Diverting Youth and Mental Health Needs from the Juvenile Justice System. Judge Teodosio will discuss in detail the methods employed by the Court as part of its Crossroads Program, a voluntary intensive probation program serving youth with co-occurring substance abuse and significant mental illness.

Judge Teodosio created the Crossroads Program after research indicated that substance abuse and mental health issues are often intertwined and occur in a high percentage of court-involved youth at risk of incarceration. Judge Teodosio, together with the ADM Board and numerous other child-serving agencies in the county determined that if the Court could approach substance abuse and mental health issues as co-occurring disorders, it would better enable the youth to achieve wellness and thereby reduce recidivism. If deemed eligible, the youth enters the program, which normally lasts between a year to 18 months. The youth must adhere to the conditions of the program, meeting specific goals and incentives on an individualized case plan developed by the Probation Officer, family and community treatment providers. Progress is tracked by numerous contacts with their Probation Officer and frequent Court reviews. The youth must submit samples to assure that he or she remains free of drugs and alcohol. Once the youth successfully completes the terms of their probation, the charges and any probation violations against them are dismissed and their record is expunged. A graduation ceremony allows the youth, family and Court to celebrate the youth’s success.

The hallmark of the Crossroads Program is the involvement of many treatment providers in the Summit County community. This networking allows the program to identify specific areas of need of the juveniles in the program and direct them and their families to the agency that can best provide the necessary treatment.

“This is another opportunity to share with professionals from across the nation the manner in which the Court has succeeded in its treatment of youth battling substance abuse and mental illness,” said Judge Teodosio. “I hope that the program we have developed at the Court will inspire others to use Crossroads as a model for their own programs.”

Judge Teodosio has previously presented the Crossroads Program to conferences in California, Maryland and New York. In April, she will appear as a featured presenter at a national conference in Boston.