Introduction
To maintain program integrity and accountability, administering agencies must define the population that the juvenile holdover program will serve. The more specific the program is in defining its target population, the easier it will be to ensure appropriate referrals to the program. Consideration should be given to starting with a narrowly defined population and then, if needed, the target population can be expanded. There also are important legal considerations involved in the identification of a target population, which the reader can review in chapter 4, “Legal Issues.”

The identity of the target population will emerge through the data collected, and the problem areas identified in the needs and resources assessment. The target population defines the type of youth who will be served by the juvenile holdover program. It describes them demographically (age, gender, and residence), by legal status (custody or voluntary), and by types of offenses or behaviors (e.g., misdemeanor, felony, status). Once the target population is defined, it is crucial that program organizers and staff outline a referral and screening process to protect the integrity of the program.

By the end of this chapter, the readers will be able to:

• Explain how the target population is defined.

• Define a target population.

• Determine criteria for admission.

• Identify potential referral sources.

• Establish a admission process.

Defining a Target Population
According to a survey conducted by the American Probation and Parole Association (APPA, 1999) the majority of juvenile holdover programs operating across the United States are designed to be used as a short-term holding program for low risk or nonviolent juvenile offenders or children in need of care. Respondents to the survey indicated that the juveniles served by their juvenile holdover programs include:

• Children in need of care (CHIC, also referred to as CHIPS, CHINS, or PINS).

• Juvenile petty offenders.

• Juvenile status offenders.

• Delinquents charged with low level offenses.

The types of specific offenses reported being handled by juvenile holdover programs include (APPA, 1999):

• Truancy.

• Driving while driver’s license was suspended.

• Driving under the influence of alcohol.

• Sale of marijuana or other drugs.

• Possession of marijuana or other drugs.

• Simple and domestic assault.

• Minor in possession of alcohol.

• Vandalism.

• Disorderly conduct.

• Shoplifting or misdemeanor theft.

• Felony theft.

• Runaway.

These results indicate that, nationwide, juvenile holdover programs are being used as a response for a wide range of problem behaviors among youth. However, on a local level, programs should target offenses and offenders for services according to the unique needs of the particular community. Some important things to remember when defining the target population include (Godwin, Steinhart, and Fulton, 1998):

• It must meet an identified need.

• It must be related to the program’s purpose, goals, and objectives.

• It must be one to which services can realistically be provided.

Chapter 2, “Beginning the Planning Process: Defining the Problem,” discussed the need to involve stakeholders when conducting a needs and resources assessment during the program planning process. As program organizers and staff review information collected from the needs and resources assessment, the following questions can assist them in defining the target population (Godwin, Steinhart, and Fulton, 1998):

• Currently, how are juvenile cases being processed through the system?

• What role does each agency play in this process?

• What are the main types of offenses or problem behaviors being committed by youth for which there is an inadequate system response?

• Currently, what type of constraints are agencies under that hamper their ability to serve the juvenile offenders mentioned above (e.g., laws, policies, time, funds)?

• To what types of programs and services in the community are youth referred?

• What can the juvenile holdover program do to help each agency respond to the needs of youth in the community?

Program organizers and staff also need to understand the purpose of the program and agree to the established goals and objectives when determining an appropriate target population (Carter, 1993). An issue that can cause severe conflict within a jurisdiction is an expectation that a holdover will provide a specific service in fulfillment of a purpose for which it was not created nor designed. In addition, the target population chosen for the program needs to be one for which the program can provide adequate services. For example, if the program is designed to be a nonsecure juvenile holdover program, then it would be inappropriate for it to receive referrals of youth who have been charged with a violent crime or who have the propensity to be violent. While flexibility is an important design element for a new program, a juvenile holdover program should not be asked to stretch too far beyond its intended role(s). If the juvenile holdover program’s purpose and services are understood and accepted by all referral sources, this potential source of tension among participants in the system can be reduced significantly.

Establishing Criteria For Admission
Establishing the admission criteria for youth placed in a juvenile holdover program is another task involved in defining the program’s target population. Admission criteria are precise statements that make it clear which youth are included in the target population and eligible for admission to the juvenile holdover program and which youth are excluded. Laws and regulations are usually written in a manner that defines who may be placed in specific programs or facilities. Therefore, defining who may be admitted to a juvenile holdover program can serve to safeguard the rights of the youth and provide liability protection for the program.

Issues to consider when establishing admission criteria include:

• Basis (i.e., reason) for placement.

• Legal authority to hold a youth.

• Age.

• Gender.

• Geographic service area.

• Maximum length of stay allowed.

• Types of offenses and/or problem behaviors allowable.

• Current probation status.

• History of behavior or acting out episodes during prior placements.

• Detoxification concerns.

• Medical concerns.

• Mental health concerns.

• Other criteria as determined by the governing body and/or the program funding sources.

This is not an exhaustive list of criteria to be considered. Additional criteria may be determined by the program’s governing body and/or funding sources.

The following section provides additional information program organizers and staff may want to consider when examining some of the admission criteria issues identified above. In particular, issues related to the basis for placement, legal authority to hold a youth, age, gender, and geographical service area of the program will be discussed.

Basis for Placement
Juvenile holdover programs can be designed to serve one or a multiple of placement needs for youth. Reasons for placement that should be considered include:

• Children in need of immediate care. These are juveniles generally identified as needing shelter care. They have not been taken into custody nor charged with criminal offenses. They may be victims of abuse or neglect, or they may need care because no other responsible adult is immediately available. They also may be runaways who live in a different community or curfew violators and cannot be immediately reunited with their family.

• Youth being held because the parent cannot be located. If a youth’s parent or guardian cannot be located, often law enforcement officers will warn and release a youth charged with an offense, unless there are special circumstances related to an offense that requires a youth to be detained. The juvenile holdover program offers law enforcement an option in addition to the usual secure juvenile detention facility. Rather than warning and releasing the young person, law enforcement officers can take the youth to the juvenile holdover program to be held (short-term) until the parent or guardian can be located and pick up his or her youth. Once care of the youth is assured, the law enforcement officer can return to his or her primary duties.

• Youth being held for law enforcement purposes. Sometimes, a decision is made by law enforcement officials that they need more time and/or access to a youth in order to complete their investigation. In this situation, the youth’s stay at the juvenile holdover program is considered to be an extension of direct law enforcement custody and the youth is being held on behalf of law enforcement. In this type of scenario, the young person may be held for the same amount of time that he or she could have been held in the direct custody of law enforcement officials or secure detention before they must be charged or released. See chapter 4, “Legal Issues,” for a more complete discussion of this issue.

• Youth being held pending an initial court appearance. State statutes or regulatons usually define the types of juveniles that may be held in a custodial setting while awaiting an initial court appearance. Statutes also establish the length of time between initial detention and that initial court appearance. Youth sent to a juvenile holdover program under these auspices are considered administrative holds on behalf of the court.

• The youth may be held pending additional court action. Juvenile court usually involves a series of hearings. The first may be to authorize detention. An additional hearing may then be scheduled to address arraignment issues. If there is a not guilty plea in a juvenile offense or Child in Need of Protection and Service (CHIPS, also CHINS, PINS, or CHIC) matter, a trial must be scheduled. Often, a pre-trial conference is also scheduled. If there is a finding of delinquency or CHIPS, there is often a period of time allotted to the court for an investigation to be completed by probation or social services before a dispositional hearing is held. In some situations as allowed by statute, the court may want to have a youth held at a juvenile holdover program throughout part or all of this type of process.

• Administrative holds by court officials. Some jurisdictions allow short term administrative holds by probation officers. If this is an option, it needs to be determined if the juvenile holdover program will serve this function. Social workers with CHIPS or similar cases may be authorized to hold youth for short periods of time on an administrative basis or to make emergency placements until the court can become involved if necessary. This is an option that must also be considered in determining the categories of youth eligible for admission.

A juvenile holdover program generally is not designed to provide the same level of security as a physically secure juvenile detention center. Public safety concerns may dictate that the risk presented by certain offenses or offenders exceeds that which is determined to be reasonable for a juvenile holdover program. Juveniles alleged to have committed certain offenses may need to be held only in secure facilities to ensure the safety of the community, other residents, and the staff. Also, some of a youth’s physical or mental health needs may require a more structured or specialized placement.

The point at which the line is drawn between eligible and ineligible offenses for placement in a juvenile holdover program may differ from program to program. Variables such as the level of security available at the program site, training of staff, availability of backup staff, and resources will influence that decision. The unique needs of a youth must be evaluated against the ability and capability of the physical site and staff to safely and effectively manage a particular youth’s individual situation.

An example of an enhanced juvenile holdover program with the expanded capacity to handle a youth with a more serious charge or a history of violence would be a temporary, secure juvenile holdover program. In Minnesota, there are a few 8-day secure holdover programs that operate within jails or other secure facilities and are staffed by trained juvenile detention workers or correctional officers with specialized training in working with juveniles. These facilities have the capacity to isolate and secure a youth within a designated area of the facility.

Legal Authority to Hold a Youth
The legal basis for holding a youth in a juvenile holdover program must be clearly established. It must be anchored by reference to particular enabling statutes of the state in which the program is located. See chapter 4, “Legal Issues,” for additional information on this issue.

Age
Another factor to consider when establishing admission criteria is the age of youth. For example, program planners must determine if the program will admit children and youth of all ages, including pre-teens if necessary, or if it will develop its program for adolescents only. Often, the need falls somewhere in the middle. Infants and small children are usually best placed in emergency foster homes. A factor to consider is the age of jurisdiction of the juvenile court. This varies from State to State, and is a legal boundary that may be a useful reference when establishing the age range for the program. Minimum and maximum age ranges should be established and stated in the admission criteria. The established policy should recognize the limitations of the program to provide services to certain age groups, yet allow for flexibility when needed.

Licensing guidelines also may influence the establishment of age parameters for the program. For example, mixing youth ranging in age from infancy to 18 may not be allowed in some facilities. It is possible that two types of licensing or certification may be required – one for younger children and another for adolescents.

Male and Female
Gender issues are another critical factor to consider when establishing admission criteria. For example, a decision to admit both males and females will have a direct impact on the requirements for a site for the juvenile holdover program. Privacy issues are very important, and program organizers and staff must assure that these rights can be adequately protected and that amenities and services available for both genders are essentially equal (e.g., convenient access to bathroom facilities, private sleeping areas).

The age and gender of youth accepted in the program will have an impact on the design of the daily program and activity schedule (e.g., facility specifications, amenities required, food provided, recreational equipment, or programming needed). More information on these types of issues will be discussed in chapter 7, “Site and Facility Issues.” How programs are staffed (e.g., same-gender staff) will also be affected by decisions made relative to the target population and admission criteria. More information on staffing is discussed in chapter 8, “Staffing and Staff Training.”

Geographic Service Area
In addition to the basis for placement, age, and gender of the youth admitted to a juvenile holdover program, the geographic area the program will service must be clearly identified. Will the program serve a specific city? Will the program serve a county or multiple county area? It is not necessary for the youth involved to live in the specified area, but law enforcement officers and other referral sources must know that the program provides beneficial services for them. See Figure 5-1 for a statement describing a sample target population for a juvenile holdover program.

Admission Standards
Each program should clearly establish the admission criteria based upon its own program resources and constraints and identify the cut-off for admission standards. For example, if a program has determined that it will accept youth detained for a minor in possession of alcohol offenses, the program must have a procedure in place for assessing whether the youth is under the influence of alcohol and, if so, whether there is a danger to the youth or others. Factors to be considered in developing policies and procedures related to cut-off standards for admission include:

• Site characteristics. This includes the level of security the juvenile holdover program can provide to contain the youth, manage potential acting out behavior, and keep potential intruders from entering the facility to gain access to the youth.

• Staff expertise. This refers to the level of training and expertise the staff on duty have to supervise specific types of youth placed in the program. For example, can they provide services such as mental health crisis intervention, basic medical care for a sick youth, or basic care for a youth in the process of detoxification.

• Availability of support or back-up resources. If specialized assistance is readily available to the program (e.g., emergency medical care), a youth who presents a higher level of risk may be prudently accepted for admission. Another factor is the availability of additional staff coverage. If additional staff can be brought to the site, it is often possible to accept youth into a program who would not be admitted if only one direct care worker was available.

Figure 5-2 is an example of a health care policy statement developed by the Attendant Care Program in Wellington, KS, that addresses some of these issues.

Establishing Referral, Intake, and Screening Processes
Once the target population for the juvenile holdover program has been defined, referral, intake, and screening processes must be outlined to assure appropriate referrals are accepted into the program. Issues to consider include defining referral source(s), establishing an intake procedure, notifying appropriate persons and entities of a youth’s admission to the program, and outlining a screening process providing an initial assessment for each referred youth.

Referral Source(s)
Sources of referral to the juvenile holdover program must be identified and legitimized. Legitimatization means that all of the system participants recognize the validity and legality of a certain organization or individual making referrals for placement.

For most juvenile holdover programs, law enforcement officers will be the primary source of referrals. There may be several different reasons for an officer to initiate a referral. Readers should recall that a key need and objective usually identified in the planning process of a juvenile holdover program is for a short-term holding program in which a law enforcement officer can place a youth so that the officer can return to his or her primary patrol duties. This alleviates the officer from having to sit with a young person for an extended period of time while certain logistics are being worked out (e.g., finding an alternative placement, locating the youth’s parent or guardian, parent or guardian traveling a long distance to come pick up the youth, completing investigation details, and awaiting a pending court appearance).

Law enforcement officers are not the only potential referral sources for a juvenile holdover program. Other referral sources may include:

• Juvenile court—when it determines that a youth needs such services.

• Social workers—when placements fail or an individual or a family crisis occurs.

• Juvenile probation officers – when placements fail, an individual or a family crisis occurs, or when there is a need for immediate incapacitation to protect the public or the individual youth.

• Medical or mental health facilities – when some level of continued care and supervision beyond acute intervention is needed.

• Parents or guardians – in times of crisis.

• Schools – although the concerns they identify will almost always lead to the involvement of a social service, juvenile court, or probation agency.

If allowed according to geographic service area criteria established for admission, a juvenile holdover program also may receive referrals from neighboring jurisdictions that do not have a comparable resource in their communities.

Intake Process
When a juvenile holdover program receives a referral from an approved source, staff or volunteers must be able to determine if the youth(s) should be admitted to the program. This is done through an intake process. The intake process should include gathering pertinent information related to the youth and providing an initial screening process to determine the presence of a problem, substantiate that there is reason for concern, or identify the need for further evaluation (Crowe and Reeves, 1994). An admission or referral form should be completed during the intake process with assistance from the referral sources as well as from youth self-report. The admission or referral form should clearly state the admission criteria for the program and it may be useful to ask the referral source to check off or otherwise identify the specific criteria they feel pertains to the referred youth. In addition, the admission or referral form should contain the following information:

• Youth’s name and contact information.

• Youth’s date of birth.

• Name and contact information for the youth’s parents or legal guardian(s).

• Description of the presenting offense or problem.

• Date and time placed in the juvenile holdover program.

• A brief summary of any known previous history, including prior offenses that may be related to the reason for the referral or may be helpful to staff working directly with the youth and family.

• Any immediate emotional, medical, and/or mental health concerns.

• Name and contact information for victim(s).

• When and to whom the youth should be released.

• Name and contact information for the person and agency making the referral.

• Additional documentation and information the juvenile holdover program may want referral agencies to provide includes:

• When and how parents or guardians were notified that the youth was placed at the juvenile holdover program.

• If no notification has been made, the number of attempts that have been made to contact the parent or guardian(s).

• Tentative release plans.

• Copies of any statements, comments, or requests submitted by victims.

• Any additional information that could enhance the ability of the holdover program to effectively serve the youth and family.

• History of abuse or protective orders.

Most juvenile holdover program staff have final authority to determine who will be accepted into the program. Therefore, a policy and procedure also should be outlined establishing how program staff should respond when inappropriate referrals are made. If the program’s purpose statement allows for some flexibility to make limited exceptions to the admission criteria, the basis for making those decisions must be set forth in policy. In addition, the individual authorized to make such decisions, usually defined by job title, needs to be identified in the policy statement. Finally, it is important to establish a procedure for keeping a complete record of the rationale and process used to make exceptions for admission.

Notifying Appropriate Persons and Entities
Parents and guardians should be among the first persons to be notified of a youth’s placement in a juvenile holdover program. Policy and procedures need to be developed that establish who has the responsibility for notifying a youth’s parent or guardian and how the notification should be made (e.g., in-person, telephone, letter). Oftentimes, the holdover staff will make this initial notification because they are often in the best position to explain what the next steps for the youth will be and how the parents or guardians can be involved. Even in cases where notification has been made by another entity (e.g., law enforcement), contact from juvenile holdover program staff is usually conducted as a follow-up to the initial notification. It is important, however, that notification procedures be clearly defined and designated and that notification of parents and guardians is documented. Although confidentiality is an important tenet in situations involving juveniles, there may be other persons or entities (besides the parent or guardian) who have a legitimate need to know that a juvenile has been admitted to a juvenile holdover program. For example, social workers and probation officers with open cases will need to be notified in most situations. There also may be situations in which the school must be notified or when it would be helpful to inform school authorities that a youth has been admitted. Scenario 5-1 provides an example of how notification to additional individuals can be beneficial to the youth and the justice system. A policy must be developed to guide staff in determining if and when other persons or entities should be notified of a juvenile’s admission to a holdover program. This policy should be reviewed carefully on a case-by-case basis.

Scenario 5-1: Belinda
Does Someone Care?
Belinda was placed in a juvenile holdover program by a police officer after she was found in the local park at 1:00 a.m. talking with several young adult males. Belinda is 11 years old. She had run away from a foster home located about 75 miles away. She told the officer who picked her up that another foster youth in that home, a 14-year-old boy, had been trying to touch her in a sexual way and that she was afraid to go back there.

After she was admitted to the holdover program, the staff on duty conducted an informal interview with her and learned that Belinda had been in court about two weeks ago and placed in the foster home. During the course of the discussion, Belinda told the staff about her social worker and someone she called her guard who was always with her in court and who came to visit her regularly wherever she was living. Unfortunately, Belinda couldn’t remember this woman’s last name but said that “Harriet” always told the judge about what Belinda wanted and what she thought would be best for her. Because of the staff member’s comprehensive training and orientation to the child welfare system, she figured out quickly that Belinda was talking about a court appointed special advocate (CASA). She called the local police dispatcher who had access to basic computerized juvenile court records and determined that Belinda did, in fact, have a court appointed special advocate. Her name was Harriet Wilson and the court file included a phone number for Ms. Wilson. The staff member had already contacted the social worker, who had not mentioned anything about a court appointed special advocate being active in Belinda’s case.

Therefore, as soon as she finished her conversation with Belinda, she called Harriet Wilson and filled her in on what had occurred. As a volunteer CASA, Ms. Wilson has important responsibilities and obligations. It was very important that she be informed about what had happened. She came to visit first thing in the morning and within one hour, she was talking with the social worker and the judge about a different placement for Belinda. By noon, Belinda had been discharged from the juvenile holdover program – less than 12 hours after she had been admitted.

Outlining a Screening and Assessment Process
Another task when designing the intake process is the development of screening criteria upon which youth will be assessed as a part of the process for admission to a juvenile holdover program. There are four primary objectives for using an established screening process:

• To ensure that all youth are treated in the same manner. This objective makes certain that admissions decisions are not influenced by forces other than the criteria themselves. Checks must be in place to assure that admissions decisions are not influenced by who the youth is, who brought him or her to the juvenile holdover program, or the circumstances of his or her apprehension.

• To affirm that a referred youth meets the established criteria of the program and is, therefore, an appropriate admission. This objective assures a straightforward determination is made that the youth meets admission criteria and does not present any factors that should exclude his or her acceptance into the program (e.g., Is the youth too young? Is the youth intoxicated to the point that the program cannot provide adequate services?). Basing admission decisions on established criteria helps protect the youth, the referral source, and the program itself.

• To identify issues of immediate concern that will help direct the care provided for the youth. Program staff need to develop and establish screening tools to determine if there are issues present such as immediate medical needs (e.g., detoxification needed for a youth under the influence of drugs or alcohol); immediate mental health issues (e.g., suicide risk); and/or immediate threat or imminent risk of danger presented by the youth to others (e.g., acting out, and/or aggressive behavior). Also, in some situations, the program will need to be prepared to offer physical and emotional protection to a youth placed in its care from others who may be seeking to harm or intimidate him or her.

• To identify areas of potential concern that should be addressed in more depth by the holdover staff or others with responsibilities for the youth, such as social workers or probation officers. Screening can identify issues that do not present acute concerns but represent issues that should be followed-up within a short period of time. These are problems with a potential imminent impact on the youth or their family but do not necessarily create an immediate crisis that must be addressed by the holdover’s staff on duty at the time of intake. This information can be passed on to others with case responsibility or addressed by the holdover’s staff as a follow-up responsibility. For example, a youth may not be intoxicated at the time of intake but screening information reveals that abuse of alcohol and participation in high risk behavior, such as driving while intoxicated, is frequent for this youngster. This issue does requires follow-up. The alert to these issues that is passed on to others resulting from the intake screening is a clear example of another helpful outcome of a holdover program.

In many situations, volunteers or attendant care workers are being called in to care for youth placed in a holdover program. It is helpful if law enforcement, an intake coordinator, or another on-duty staff can conduct a screening to determine if the youth appears to be appropriate for admission to the program, prior to calling in a on-call volunteer worker. Appropriate screening questions include:

• Is the youth in need of immediate medical attention? If yes, law enforcement should address these needs prior to admission in a juvenile holdover program.

• Is the youth in need of detoxification? If yes, the juvenile holdover site may be an inappropriate placement depending upon the design of the program and the resources available.

• Does the youth agree to follow the rules of the holdover site? If not, the youth can be denied entry.

Admission log notes can include information such as behavior and attitude to the presence of cuts and bruises.

To provide structure and consistency to the screening information collected by a juvenile holdover program, checklists have been developed that can help staff identify areas of potential concern and guide them in an interview that explores these areas with the youth. Such checklists are commonly used to review potential physical and mental heath concerns. Others have been developed that explore family functioning. Usually these tools pose a question or identify an area of potential concern and ask for a basic yes or no response. If a yes response is indicated, the forms usually request additional information or a description of the specific problem identified.

There are several formal screening instruments available that could be utilized by a juvenile holdover program. One example of a screening instrument is the Problem Oriented Screening Instrument for Teenagers (POSIT). This is a 39-question survey that provides information on potential problems in one or more of 10 psycho social functioning areas. The areas include:

• Substance use/abuse.

• Physical health status.

• Mental health status.

• Family relationships.

• Peer relations.

• Educational status.

• Vocational status.

• Social skills.

• Leisure and recreation.

• Aggressive behavior and delinquency.

The POSIT is an example of one screening and assessment tool that can be used by a juvenile holdover program. Program organizers and staff are encouraged to review screening and assessment tools prior to making a decision on which one to use. See appendix C for additional examples of decision trees and screening and assessment instruments.

When a youth is admitted to a juvenile holdover program, it is essential to explain the intake and screening process to the youth, as well as what will happen while he or she is in the program. The individual completing the intake screening or the holdover staff providing care for the youth needs to discuss critical information with the youth as soon as possible. Information to discuss directly with youth includes:

• An overview of the program and its purpose and how these relate to this youth’s current situation. The explanation needs to be as personalized as possible.

• An explanation of what will happen to the youth while he or she is in the holdover program. This should include an explanation of the process and well as a review of the activities that will be scheduled or options available at the youth’s choice.

• An explanation of what will happen next (e.g., wait for parent to pick-up the youth, court appearance, transfer to another facility and/or program).

• A review of the youth’s basic rights while in the care/custody of the juvenile holdover program.

• A review and explanation of the expectations or rules of the program and facility. This should include a clear explanation of the consequence for violation of those norms and the options available if the youth feels that the consequences were inappropriately applied.

Development of Procedures Unique to Each Program
Juvenile holdover programs are unique to each community and may vary as to where they are located. Some are located in administrative areas of law enforcement agencies, county complexes, nonsecure areas in jails, or juvenile detention facilities while others are located in the facilities of community-based organizations, such as probation offices, private nonprofit agencies, or emergency shelters. These sites, each with unique characteristics, account for the individual variances found among the referral, intake, and screening procedures established for holdover programs. Following are examples of three different holdover programs and their intake procedures.

Wright County, MN
The juvenile holdover program is a nonsecure program located in the administrative wing of the county jail complex. A law enforcement officer brings the youth to the intake/processing unit of the jail and after completing the necessary paperwork to transfer custody and leaves the youth with a jail staff member. This provides an advantage to the law enforcement officer because he or she is then able to return to duty rather than having to supervise the young person. A jail staff member conducts an initial intake with the youth, obtaining background information, and making a final decision as to the appropriateness of the youth for the juvenile holdover program. If the jail staff member determines that the youth is acceptable for juvenile holdover, an attendant care worker is contacted. The jail staff member then takes the youth to the room used for juvenile holdover and waits with the youth until the attendant care worker arrives. Once the attendant care worker is present, this worker does another assessment to ensure that the youth does not need medical or any other form of immediate care. The attendant care workers also keep a log detailing activities that occur while the young person is in their care.

Wellington, KS
In contrast, Kansas statutes require that each of its 105 counties participate in the Juvenile Intake and Assessment System. This statewide intake and assessment system is an information gathering process by which juvenile offenders and/or children in need of care are evaluated by a trained professional whenever youth are taken into custody by law enforcement.

In Wellington, KS, the nonsecure attendant care program is located in the community corrections office and staffed by on-call volunteers. When needed, the law enforcement officer contacts the intake worker who meets the officer and youth at the community corrections office, which provides services for both intake and the attendant care (juvenile holdover) program. Upon completion of the intake and the assessment process, the intake worker makes a recommendation to the law enforcement officer for release, placement in a nonsecure setting, or placement in secure detention. The intake/assessment process includes a juvenile intake questionnaire and the Problem Oriented Screening Instrument for Teenagers (POSIT). A sample of the POSIT and the Kansas Intake and Assessment Questionnaire is provided in appendix C. The law enforcement officer has the final say at this time and can accept or reject the intake placement recommendation.

In the process of considering the least restrictive appropriate placement or release option, the intake worker will consider the following continuum of detention resources for their recommendation:

• Release to the parents, another family member, or friend.

• Short-term holding program – such as juvenile holdover or attendant care.

• Court alternative home.

• Shelter facility.

• Foster care placement.

• House arrest or electronic monitoring.

• Any of the above and referral to community agencies for counseling or services.

• Secure detention.

During the intake and assessment process, the intake worker provides crisis intervention, conflict resolution, and referrals to community agencies for the juvenile and the family. After the recommendation for placement or release is determined, the intake worker completes a contact report on the youth. This report is forwarded to the county attorney indicating the present offense information, placement outcome, and any record of prior contact with the intake and assessment system. The county attorney is responsible for making any further determination for case processing, including diversion, or filing a petition for adjudication.

If it is determined during the intake process that a short-term, nonsecure placement in attendant care is appropriate, the attendant care coordinator is contacted and the intake worker remains with the youth until the attendant care worker arrives. The attendant care site is located in one room of the community corrections office. The room contains a bunk bed, television, rocking chair, children’s toys, and books.

The attendant care worker is a quasi-volunteer who has been contacted by the program coordinator and will remain with the youth until the parents arrive or another attendant care worker takes over. All attendant care workers are considered employees of the county. They receive a small stipend but do not receive any other benefits.

Great Falls, MT
The holdover site in Great Falls, MT, is located in the Cascade County Regional Youth Service Center. The regional detention center provides a combination holdover program, with both a secure facility for juvenile offenders and a nonsecure area for the attendant care or holdover program. Law enforcement officers bring youth to the center. Initially, all youth are admitted to the holdover program until the law enforcement officer or juvenile probation officer determines if the youth should be placed in detention or attendant care. If the youth does not require secure detention, but the parents cannot be located, the youth remains in the attendant care program. Youth in the attendant care program remain in the central administrative area until the parents are located. This area provides couches, television, and a family room atmosphere. Meals are provided by the detention center.

Conclusion
Each juvenile holdover program meets the needs of the individual community it serves, and that individualized program design process begins with the determination of an appropriate target population. Almost all implementation planning will hinge upon the target population. The definition of the population must meet specific criteria for admission. Referral sources must be involved in this planning and any agency or person who might refer a child or youth to the juvenile holdover program must have a clear understanding of the admission criteria.

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