Williamson County Juvenile Services (WCJS) is being recognized as a Trust-Based Relational Intervention® (TBRI®) Ambassador Organization from the Karyn Purvis Institute of Child Development, which is a program through the Department of Psychology at Texas Christian University (TCU). This program has only recognized four other organizations nationally and gives this title exclusively to those it identifies as key partners who have long-term relationships with the Purvis Institute and are furthering its mission at a systemic level using TBRI®. Specifically, WCJS is being recognized for their work in comprehensively implementing TBRI® throughout all department services and programs as well as extending TBRI® training opportunities across youth-serving and juvenile justice systems across the state.
TBRI® is an attachment-based, trauma-informed intervention program that is designed to meet the complex needs of vulnerable children. TBRI® emphasizes the use of connection and trust to address needs of children who have experienced adversity, early harm, toxic stress and/or trauma. This type of intervention is used in the Williamson County Juvenile Services program to help nurture and empower the youth who are part of the juvenile justice system.
“As Juvenile Board Chair and Juvenile Judge, I would like to express what an honor it is to be the first juvenile justice department to hold this prestigious designation,” said 277th Judicial Judge Stacey Mathews. “I believe the work being done by the Karyn Purvis Institute and our organization is setting a new standard for how juvenile justice programs can be administered by serving the unique needs of youth and families here in Williamson County and across this country.”
WCJS operates a comprehensive juvenile services system created to serve youth arrested for delinquent conduct, youth at-risk of entering the juvenile justice system, as well as students referred through school expulsion. WCJS started in 1979, and through support from the Williamson County Commissioners Court, the Williamson County Juvenile Board and the Texas Juvenile Justice Department, WCJS has grown into a premier organization that provides progressive, innovative programming while collaborating with other organizations that share similar service philosophies. The WCJS vision is to make a difference in the community by creating opportunities for positive change through hope, empowerment, prevention and accountability.
Assistant Executive Director Matt Smith describes TBRI® as the framework that is transforming how juvenile services practitioners interact with their clients. “Traditionally, our systems have focused primarily on symptom and behavior management, falling short in reducing recidivism,” Asst. Executive Director Smith said. “Over the last decade, we’ve become so much more aware that the large majority of youth we encounter in the school discipline and juvenile justice systems stem from a root cause of childhood adversity. TBRI® has equipped our staff with a mindset and a skillset to meet the need behind the behavior that help youth heal and progress in their ability to connect in safer and healthier ways, ultimately improving individual youth and family outcomes while also increasing public safety.”
The Karyn Purvis Institute of Child Development is a program of the Department of Psychology in the TCU College of Science & Engineering in Fort Worth, Texas. Their mission is to perform research, education, training and outreach efforts to improve the lives of children who have experienced abuse, neglect and/or trauma. Their research and interventions are empowering parents, professionals and students with trauma-informed strategies that improve outcomes for children and youth.
“Williamson County Juvenile Services has raised the bar for the ways in which we care for children and families,” said Daren Jones, Associate Director of Training & Consultation Services for the Karyn Purvis Institute of Child Development. “They are always reflecting and assessing their practice and seeking ways to improve. They see the needs of the children and youth in their care and meet the needs. They see the needs of their staff and meet the needs. They see the needs of their community and meet the needs. WCJS brings the TBRI® Mantra of ‘Stay calm, See the need, Meet the need, Don’t quit’ to life, and that’s why we recognized them as a TBRI® Ambassador Organization. We at the Karyn Purvis Institute of Child Development feel very fortunate to walk with them as we all work to change the world for children.”
The current TBRI® Ambassador Organizations include: All God’s Children International; Crossroads NOLA in New Orleans, Louisiana; Global Impact International/Restoration Rome in Rome, Georgia; and Methodist Children’s Home in Waco, Texas. The Institute provides training, consultation and ongoing support to TBRI® Ambassadors and partners with them to implement TBRI® in systems of care and practice, relying heavily on the unique expertise of the Ambassadors.