4.231 Size

Source:

See generally Institute of Judicial Administration/American Bar Association Joint Commission on Juvenile Justice Standards, Proposed Standards Relating to Architecture for Group Homes and Secure Detention and Corrections Facilities, Standards 5.2 (draft, 1976).

Commentary

This standard recommends that no more than twelve juveniles be placed in any group home. Accord, National Advisory Committee on Criminal Justice Standards and Goals, Report of the Task Force on Juveniles Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Standard 24.4 (1976); Institute of Judicial Administration/American Bar Association Joint Commission on Juvenile Justice Standards, Standards Relating to Architecture of Facilities, Standard 4.2, and Institute of Judicial Administration/American Bar Association Joint Commission on Juvenile Justice Standards, Corrections Administration, Standard 7.10 and Commentary [hereinafter cited as IJA/ABA, Corrections Administration]. Most state agencies as well recommended ten or twelve as the upper limit for group home programs. See, IJA/ABA, Corrections Administration, Standard 7.10 and Commentary.

Despite disagreements over the exact number of juveniles that should be placed in a group home, there is a definite consensus the number must be kept small. The size of the facility always affects the services offered. See Standards

low in a group home, the ratio of staff to juvenile will remain high, fostering the development of a close and personal relationship between them. The high ratio allows for greater supervision, greater interaction, and greater trust and respect. See IJA/ABA, Corrections Administration, Standard 7.10 and Commentary. Placing no more than twelve juveniles in a group home also eliminates an institutional atmosphere and permits better relationship to develop between the residents. Consequently, the day-to-day functioning of the group home will be smoother.

The small facility also fosters reintegration into the community. The fewer differences perceived between the group home and the other homes in the neighborhood will enable the juvenile to see him/herself as part of the society and not as an outsider. The community should not perceive the group home as a corrections facility. Keeping the number small creates the appearance of a normal household, thus creating more community acceptance.

Finally, since the facility will most often be a renovated house, the size of the building itself will make it impossible to house a larger number of juveniles without violating housing codes, eliminating the privacy of the residents, or simply overcrowding the building.

Related Standards

4.11 Role of the State

4.2112 Training Schools-Size and Design 4.2191 High Security Units-Size 4.221 Camps and Ranches-Size 4.261 Detention Facilities-Size

4.232 Staff

Staffing should depend upon the size of the home, and as this may vary, considerable flexibility is required. At a minimum, there should be one adult on duty at all times. In addition, there should be one caseworker for every twelve or fewer children, with the qualifications described in Standard 4.2122. Where there are clusters of group homes with populations under twelve, arrangements should be made for the caseworker to share his/her time among the homes according to the above ratio.

Where houseparents are utilized, appropriate relief should be provided to include weekend relief, vacation time, sick time, and some free time.

Sources:

See generally John McCartt and Thomas Mangogna, Guidelines and Standards for Halfway Houses and Community Treatment Centers, 47, and 151-156 (1973).

Commentary

This standard recommends the minimum staff to be provided for all group homes. An adult should be available 24-hours-a-day and one caseworker should be provided for every twelve juveniles. The qualifications of the caseworker are the same as for those serving in training schools. The standard recognizes that when houseparents are residing in the group home, they should receive some free time and assistance including vacations and relief on the weekends and when sick, and some leisure time during the day.

The Institute of Judicial Administration/American Bar Association Joint Commission on Juvenile Justice Standards, Standards Relating to Corrections Administration, Standard 7.10 (C) (5) (1977), the National Advisory Committee on Criminal Justice Standards and Goals, Report of the Task Force on Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Standard 24.4 and Commentary (1976), and the American Correctional Association, Commission on Accreditation for Corrections, Manual of Standards for Juvenile Community Residential Services, Standard 6122 (1978), all recommend that there be at least one adult on duty at all times in a group home. A juvenile may need assistance at anytime. There should always be someone accessible and responsive no matter when the need arises. According to McCartt and Mangogna, Guidelines and Standards for Halfway Houses and Community Treatment Centers (1973) [hereinafter cited as Halfway Houses], all staff members must agree to work other than 'regular hours' before they accept employment with the agency

since the nature of the services of a group home requires someone to be on duty at all times. Ch. X, 151. See also Standard 1.41.

The standard recommends that there be one caseworker for every twelve juveniles in the group home. This is a higher ratio than recommended for the training school population. See Standard 4.121 recommending a ratio of 1:20. Because of the greater variety and number of staff employed in training schools, e.g., a psychologist, psychiatrist, child-care worker, caseworker, educational diagnostician, teacher, and vocational and academic counselor, and because the children are all physically housed and treated in one place, one caseworker is sufficient for twenty residents in a training school. Since fewer personnel will be available in the group home and since the provision of services is scattered throughout the community, one caseworker to twelve residents is necessary.

The standard recommends that the qualifications of the caseworker be the same as those serving in training schools. See Standard 4.2122. That standard requires that the caseworker have a bachelor's degree with courses in social work, psychology, or the behavioral sciences along with one year of full-time, paid employment experience working with adolescents. See also Standard 1.41. Standard 1.425 would also require that caseworkers receive preservice and inservice training to remain knowledgeable in legal developments, court procedures and social work theory. See also Halfway Houses,

supra.

Houseparents can service a vital role in the group home by providing full-time, live-in supervision. Most commonly, houseparents are a nonprofessional married couple but sometimes they are live-in, unrelated persons. See Standard 4.251 for qualifications of foster parents. It would be unrealistic to expect them to play this demanding role without appropriate benefits. The standard recognizes this need and requires that weekend relief, vacations, sick leave, and some leisure time be provided. Accord, Halfway Houses, supra.

The National Council on Crime and Delinquency's publication, "The Maryland Group Home Program," describes some of the possible group living staffing patterns. In the traditional group home, the employed houseparents are on duty 24-hours-a-day but are given relief time by another couple or person. Other group homes use a greater number of staff who work in shifts, for example, twenty-four hours on, forty-eight hours off. The standard recognizes that each state will have to determine the best way to operate its group homes. But whichever way is chosen, adequate relief time is necessary to maintain good mental health and high morale and to permit time for the resident staff to attend to personal business and pursue other interests.

4.233 Services

In-house services at all group homes should include shelter, food, recreation, temporary financial assistance, and individual and/or group counseling. Juveniles placed in group homes should have access, as their particular needs require, to services in the community which are not provided in-house. Among the community services which should be available to such juveniles are: medical, psychiatric, and dental care; psychological evaluation, counseling, and therapy; vocational training; vocational and/or employment counseling and evaluation; employment placement; and academic upgrading. Supplementary services in these areas may also be provided by the group home.

Before or upon admission to a group home, a juvenile and, whenever possible, his/her family should assist in the preparation of an assessment of needs and the development of

a plan establishing goals to be achieved during the juvenile's stay. In helping the juvenile to accomplish these goals, the group home's role should be similar to that of a properly functioning natural home, including the provision of necessities; assisting juveniles to overcome difficulties in a broad range of areas; and serving as a place to which juveniles can turn in time of need.

A single case record for each juvenile admitted to a group home should be maintained.

Sources:

See generally J. McCartt and T. Mangogna, Guidelines and Standard for Halfway Houses and Community Treatment Centers, 83, 85, and 87 (1973).

Commentary

This standard outlines the services which should be available to a juvenile who is placed in a group home. These services are divided into two types. Some services such as shelter, food, recreation, financial assistance, and counseling must be provided within the home itself. Other services including medical, pyschiatric and dental care, psychological evaluation, therapy, vocational training, and employment counseling should be provided by community resources. However, the group home may supplement those services when appropriate. The standard urges that the juvenile and his/her family participate in an evaluation of the juvenile's needs and help plan a program to meet those needs. It further recommends that the role of the group home be much like that of a natural home by providing necessities and moral support to the juvenile.

Not all juveniles residing in group homes will be in need of treatment. Some will be placed there for other reasons, see Standard 4.23 and Commentary, and will need little more than occasional counseling. Upon admission to the group home, an assessment of the juvenile's needs must be made a plan establishing goals for the juvenile during her/his stay in a group home should be developed. See also Standard 4.2141. The juvenile and his/her family should be involved in setting goals for the juvenile during the period of residence. Involving the juvenile in the treatment program will increase the likelihood of cooperation and involvement. It per' its the juvenile to retain a feeling of autonomy even though others are controlling much of his/her activity. Accord, J. McCartt and T. Mangogna, Guidelines and Standard for Halfway Houses, B. 15 and 16 (1973) [hereinafter cited as Halfway Houses]. Involving the juvenile's family in this process is also important since they have significant information about the juvenile. Further, their participation will give the juvenile support and assist in the reintegration process.

The standard suggests that the group home serve the function of a natural home to assist the juvenile in developing both physically and mentally. Some of the factors which go into ensuring this kind of environment are included in Standards 4.41-4.410 which apply to all residential facilities. In a normal, natural home a juvenile would expect to find similar protections. Similarly, a group home is expected to meet basic human needs. Accord, National Advisory Committee on Criminal Justice Standard and Goals, Report of the Task Force on Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Standard 24.4-24.12 (1976); Institute of Judicial Administration/American Bar Association Joint Commission on Juvenile Justice Standards, Standards Relating to Corrections Administration, Standards 4.9 and 4.10.

Single case records should be maintained to provide the staff with a comprehensive view of the juvenile's progress. Single case records provide for continuity of services whenever staff personnel change. Accord, Halfway Houses, supra at 19, 20, and 21. See also Standards 1.51, 1.52, and 1.533.