Human Services Annual Report Fiscal Year 2023

Community Engagement and Resources

Community Engagement and Resource's mission is to connect people to services and opportunities to engage with the community. This department is a resource hub for all those who live, work and play in Chesterfield to be knowledgeable of services they can access.

The three divisions within CER include Aging and Disability Services (ADR), Community Engagement and Mobility Services. CER hosted several events throughout the year to include Three Kings, Senior Prom, Senior Day, Community Cup and an inaugural Earth Day event. CER also launched a Volunteer Recognition program that those who have served as a County Volunteer for over 25 years or have been in the Senior Volunteer Hall of Fame now have a brick commemorating their service on the County Complex.

Our Division of Community Engagement, Office of Diversity and Multi-Cultural Services hosted Juneteenth and was also an integral part of Chesterfield’s first Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Plan adopted by the Board of Supervisors. Community Engagement also recognized our volunteers through Community Champions and a “Thank You” reception. The Youth Advisory Board completed their capstone project and installed sensory kits in each of the libraries.

Mobility Services continued record breaking ridership numbers and heavily promoted Access on Demand to make sure all residents are aware of the service.

Our Workforce Development Committee was the recipient of the ICMA Economic Mobility Grant launched a program focused towards young adults, the program Learn, Explore, and Advance with Possibilities (LEAP) focused on improving interview skills, job recruitment, work/life balance and financial literacy.

Fiscal Year 2024 Goals

The goals of the Department for the upcoming year include:

• Continue to serve as a resource guide for Chesterfield County
• Expand the voice of our multi-cultural community through engagement and conversation
• Provide resources to caregivers and seniors to age well
• Engage our youth in workforce development opportunities
• Celebrate our volunteer community through engagement and recognition

Community Correction Services

Community Corrections Services provides local probation and pretrial services for the localities of Chesterfield and Colonial Heights and victim advocacy and clinical services for victims of Domestic Violence.

Pretrial Services

Pretrial Supervision and Pretrial Investigations continued to see an increased demand for services. During the Fiscal Year (FY) FY 2022, 2823 individuals were referred from the Chesterfield and Colonial Heights Courts for Pretrial Supervision. The number of individuals referred in FY21 was 2447. Pretrial Officers make referrals to substance abuse and mental health counseling. They perform drug and alcohol testing. Pretrial Services provides GPS and remote breath monitoring. Officers also create court appearance plans with individuals under supervision. The number of Pretrial Supervision Days was 168,691. For FY23, the appearance rate for Pretrial clients was 91% (appearing for court dates) and the public safety rate was 97%. In FY23, 1,482 Pretrial Investigations were completed. Pretrial Investigations assess a defendant’s likelihood of committing a new offense while awaiting trial and their likelihood of appearing in court. Pretrial Services remains an effective alternative to incarceration for individuals awaiting trial.

Local Probation

Local Probation services continued. The number of individuals placed on Local Probation increased to 2,028 from 1,672. All three Chesterfield Courts are served by Community Corrections Services. Probation Officers refer individuals under supervision to substance abuse counseling, mental health services, anger management and perform drug and alcohol testing. For FY23, 80% of misdemeanor clients successfully completed local probation and 59% of felony clients successfully completed local probation.

Harm Reduction

Harm Reduction efforts continued in FY23. Community Corrections Services has a dedicated Pretrial/Probation Officer supervising individuals in the community who use one of the three approved forms of Medication Assisted Treatment. Officers also distribute Naloxone at intake, drug testing events and-on-demand. The Naloxone distribution started in January 2022 and has distributed 829 doses through June of 2023.

Domestic and Sexual Violence Resource Center (DSVRC)

Clinical and Victim Advocate Services continued throughout FY23. Clinical services resumed in person. Victim Advocate services continued to be provided in person at the ChesterfieldJuvenile and Domestic Relations Court. The two victim advocates provided primary services to 737 victims of domestic violence. Victim services included court accompaniment, safety planning, counseling referrals and coordination with other community partners. The Domestic and Sexual Violence Resource Center continued to lead the Chesterfield Fatality Review team and serve as the primary staff for the Chesterfield Domestic Violence Task Force.

Fiscal Year 2024 Goals

• Seek and obtain grant funding to provide supportive services to Pretrial clients who need assistance with transportation to court and office visits.
• Obtain and implement a data base for the Domestic and Sexual Violence Resource Center.
• Seek accreditation for the Domestic and Sexual Violence Resource Center.
• Have a dedicated Peer Support Specialist for Community Corrections Services.
• Implement strategies to address Secondary Traumatic Staff experienced by staff including the use of resiliency buddies.
• Have two additional staff become train the trainers for Effective Practices in Correctional Supervision.

Training and Committees

Staff attended refresher training for motivational interviewing, emotional intelligence, and effective practices in community supervision during FY23. Two staff completed Crisis Intervention training with the Chesterfield Police Department. Committees remain a very active part of Community Corrections Services. FY23 saw the entire staff attend a Cultural Competency Training facilitated by Deputy County Administrator, Dr. James Worsley. Community Corrections Services has six Spanish Speaking Staff. The RITMO committee was formed during FY23 to better serve the non-english speaking population. RITMO is the Spanish word for Rhythm and stands for Resources, Inclusion, Transition, Multilingual and Orientation.

Judicial Branch: Courts

The Chesterfield Circuit Court, General District (GD) Court, and Juvenile and Domestic Relations (J&DR) District Court (“the Courts”) together comprise the judicial branch of local government. For purposes of interaction and collaboration with County administration, both District Courts and the Circuit Court Judges’ Chambers are part of the Human Services Division, while the Circuit Court Clerk’s Office, a constitutional office led by elected Clerk Wendy Hughes, is part of the Community Operations Division. The Courts’ “business” is the administration of criminal and civil justice for the citizens of Chesterfield County.

Every city and county in the Commonwealth of Virginia has a GD court, a J&DR court, and a circuit court. The jurisdiction (authority) of each court includes:

• GD – bail determinations, preliminary hearings and misdemeanor criminal trials where the victim is not a family/household member or a child, non-family protective orders, small claims, civil matters up to a certain dollar amount (depends on tort; some concurrent jurisdiction with circuit court), landlord/tenant, garnishment hearings and traffic violations for adults.
• J&DR – bail (adult) and detention (juvenile) determinations, all crimes committed by minors (juvenile delinquency) and involving child victims, preliminary hearings and misdemeanor criminal trials for adults for crimes within family/household (domestic assault), traffic violations for juveniles, child paternity / custody / visitation, child and spousal support, family abuse protective orders, child abuse and neglect, and children in need of services or supervision (“CHINS”), e.g., truancy.
• Circuit – appeals from the district courts, felony trials for adults and juveniles certified as adults (and associated misdemeanors), divorce, civil matters over a certain dollar amount (some concurrent jurisdiction with GD), name changes, property disputes, and concealed weapons permits. All jury trials are held in circuit court.

Population increases continue to drive caseload growth. The resulting workload, technology needs, and facility space issues are the primary drivers of capital and operating budget requests to the County. The Courts operated under a declaration of judicial emergency ordered by the Supreme Court of Virginia (SCV) from March 16, 2020 through June 21, 2022. As mandated by the SCV, Courts have remained open [on-site], functioning, and accessible to the public; the Circuit and General District Courts never closed due to a COVID exposure. With SCV approval, the Circuit Court resumed jury trials in November 2020, among the first Courts in the state to do so. Each Court offers many online services and remote court appearances where possible and authorized. However, generally, court proceedings require in-person appearances by the involved litigants, attorneys, witnesses, judges, clerks, and support staff.

Juvenile Justice Services

The Department of Juvenile Justice Services serves, supports, protects and empowers the court involved youth and juvenile victims of Chesterfield County and the city of Colonial Heights.

The department manages a multifaceted network of juvenile-focused programs and facilities, including the Juvenile Detention Home, the Adolescent Reporting Program, the Davis Child Advocacy Center and several community-based programs funded in part through the Virginia Juvenile Community Crime Control Act (VJCCCA).

Detention Home

The purpose of the Juvenile Detention Home is to provide a safe, secure, and supportive environment for court-involved youth with the goal of promoting individual growth through education and empowerment. The detention home also houses two treatment programs and alternatives to secure detention.

Information and Statistics

• The Detention Home had 338 admissions in FY23, a 60% increase from FY22. Of those 338 admissions, 27 were served in our treatment programs. An additional 160 juveniles, who would otherwise be detained in detention, were placed on electronic monitoring, house arrest, or diversion outreach. This was a 40% increase from FY22.
• Four students earned their high school diploma during the 2022-2023 school year. Another seven students earned their GEDs and two earned National Career Readiness Certificates (NCRC) certificates. Two residents were released in April and graduated from their home schools. One resident completed three of four GED tests and was able to earn their GED upon returning to the community.
• Juvenile Justice Services was happy to host two German students as interns for four weeks. Henry Eichner and Katja Ulmen, students at the University of the German Armed Forces in Munich and officers in the German Army, are studying the criminal justice system in the United States and reached out to Chesterfield Juvenile Detention Home to support their studies. During their time they observed detention home operations, shadowed Home Incarceration Officers, spent time observing court in both Chesterfield and Colonial Heights, had a Q&A session with Judge Landry, shadowed the Court Service Unit, participated in CARP’s Youth Conservation Corps for a day, did a ride-along with Chesterfield County Police, observed forensic interviews at the Davis Child Advocacy Center, and toured Blue Ridge Detention in Charlottesville. They were gracious enough to participate in the detention home’s summer enrichment program where they gave an overview of German culture to residents. Thank you to all our partners for making this a wonderful experience for these two students and thank you to Henry and Katja for enriching the department’s summer. Their time with the department went so well they returned to Chesterfield County this year and worked with the CCPD Training Academy.

• The Detention Home was awarded a grant through Virginia Foundation for Healthy Youth to facilitate two new substance use groups for residents in treatment programs. Thanks to the grant, residents now participate in Botvin Lifeskills Training and the Stanford University Tobacco Prevention Toolkit, which focuses on the dangers of vaping and e-cigarettes. These groups are facilitated in part by the new Instructional Assistant position which helps residents with post-grad opportunities.
• The Detention Home continues their wonderful partnership with Chesterfield County Public Libraries (CCPL). This year, the focus was on refreshing the library, which is a partnership between detention, CCPS, and CCPL, and allows the students to have access to all of the books that CCPL has to offer. The detention home is so lucky to have their very own volunteer librarian, Julie Grimes, who worked with Ms. Quinn Quash, the English Teacher to rebrand the book cart into the Book Bison.

Chesterfield Adolescent Reporting Program (CARP)

• CARP was recognized with a NACo Award for its Educational and Vocational Connections Coordinator (EVCC) position. The EVCC guides young people involved with the Juvenile Justice System in returning to and completing their education. Connections can be made with a public home school, an alternative program, community college, Job Corps, or a traditional college depending on where the student is in their educational journey. The key is that the EVCC advocates for students who often feel disenfranchised after being out of school for an extended period.
• CARP, in collaboration with the 12th District Court Service Unit, is now offering Restorative Conferences as an alternative to court sanctions. Restorative Conference is a formal meeting of a crime victim and perpetrator. The meeting allows a victim to say how the crime impacted them and express what could be done to “make things right.” All parties must agree to the terms ahead of time and complete the alternative sanction within a clearly defined time frame. This can include writing an apology, repairing items, or paying for damage. By doing this, first-time offenders learn a valuable lesson about the impact their actions have on others.
• Visions Substance Abuse Awareness Program began offering an alternative for youth suspended for a first-time substance abuse violation at school. The anticipated goal of the program is to introduce a variety of techniques to help students minimize or end their substance use. There were 29 students referred to the program and 28 of the 29 students completed successfully. The program had a 97% success rate for the year.
• The Juvenile Court Navigator had 54 referrals with a 95% successful completion (some cases remain open). The greatest accomplishment was developing a formal referral resource with a LatinX mental health clinician.

Davis Child Advocacy Center (CAC)

• The Davis CAC became an Accredited Child Advocacy Center through National Children’s Alliance in January 2023. The CAC Multidisciplinary Team (MDT) was recognized for this achievement by the County Board of Supervisors on February 22nd. Multiple members of the multi-disciplinary team attended to also be recognized for their collaboration and dedication for their role in achieving accreditation.
• The Davis CAC MDT was the recipient of a NACo 2023 Achievement Award for enhancing the protection of children in Chesterfield County through cooperation and collaboration in investigations and prosecutions of reported child abuse.
• The Davis CAC conducted 318 forensic interviews. An additional 11 forensic interviews were conducted off-site by ChildFirst trained MDT members due to imminent safety concerns for the child.
• Chesterfield County Police Department’s Vulnerable Populations Division acquired a facility dog through Canine Companions in February. They have partnered with the CAC to provide services to children and families who visit the CAC. To date, Hobbes and his handler, Master Detective Laura Kay, have been utilized 63 times.
• The Davis CAC held an MDT retreat for our partner agencies. The retreat was a great way for partners to continue to build rapport outside of the hard jobs that are done in the CAC. Staff engaged in team-building activities facilitated by county Parks and Recreation, pour painting, line dancing, pickleball, and lunch. The benefits of this retreat include long lasting relationships, stronger communication, and deeper respect among partners. The MDT created pour-painting canvases to hang in the hallway at the CAC. This reminds staff of the team’s collaboration.

• The Davis CAC staff attended the Chesterfield Child Safety Fair April 29th. This was a way for  CAC staff to bring awareness to child safety. The CAC created fidgets to give out to children during the fair. Fidgets are great for children to use in the hands while being nervous, anxious, impatient, or bored.
• The Davis CAC started a cultural competency board in the lobby for children and families. Cultural competence encourages acknowledgement and acceptance of difference in appearance, behavior, and culture. In this field, staff encounter diverse clients from a wide range of backgrounds. Having this in the lobby makes clients feel included and safe at the center.
• Family Advocate staff completed the Regional Children’s Advocacy Center’s (RCAC) Victim Advocate training. This training was 24.0 credit hours required in the National Children’s Alliance Standards for Accredited Members. This training covered the nine competencies set forth in those standards and included an increase in skills and knowledge for the unique role of the victim advocate. Skills included understanding strategies to engage and empower caregivers, increase knowledge of multi-disciplinary team dynamics, and demonstrate knowledge of responding to the needs of children and families.

• The part-time Forensic Interviewer, who now facilitates Chesterfield MDTs Case Review meetings, attended the Fundamentals of Team Facilitator Training. This training fulfilled the 8 hours of core training for MDT Facilitators required in the 2023 National Children’s Alliance Standards for Accredited Members. The training included learning skills to recognize the strengths and challenges of the CAC/MDT model, understanding the importance of the MDT Facilitators role, identified core responsibilities, and applying strategies for building trust throughout our MDT.
• The CAC Leadership Team created three additional virtual MDT Onboarding Ulearn Trainings. There are now seven completed trainings with one focused on educating the MDT on child strangulation cases.
• The MDT participated in a GOOD TO GREAT: Enhancing MDT Effectiveness and Functioning training offered through National Children’s Alliance. This training seeks to empower teams to take responsibility for their own effective functioning and offers tools and approaches that support healthy collaboration. It was a great experience and provided the MDT with additional tools for successful team functioning.
• The CAC Director was asked to join the Board of Directors of the CAC State Chapter (CACVA). She is now an active Board Member and sits on the Governance Committee to assist with strategic planning for growth of CACs, review board expectations, policies, and bylaws.