Training Description
This session will introduce practitioners, administrators, and other juvenile justice professionals to the Forward-Focused Model, an empirically-guided treatment program for court-involved adolescents based on the most recent research and best practices in juvenile justice. Participants will learn about the manner in which the treatment addresses critical issues such as adolescent brain development, trauma, motivation, and various complex issues related to juvenile offending. The program is designed specifically for adolescents, ages 14-24, and has been implemented in state and county residential systems, community-based programs, court-based and probation programs.
Trainer Biography
Nancy G. Calleja, Ph.D., LPC is Professor and Chair of the Department of Counseling and Addiction Studies at the University of Detroit Mercy and the Clinical Director of Spectrum Human Services, Inc. & Affiliated Companies. Dr. Calleja has worked in juvenile justice for more than three decades as a clinician, clinical supervisor and administrator. She specializes in comprehensive program development and evaluation, and in the treatment of juvenile offenders, including those with sexual behavior problems. Dr. Calleja has published 30 scholarly articles and two books, and she consults nationally with governmental and non-profit organizations on business planning and specialized treatment program development and implementation.
Learning Objectives
This training is designed to help you:
- Examine the role that adolescent brain development plays in offending behaviors and how to integrate this knowledge into treatment
- Discuss multi-modal treatment components designed to promote long-term success and healthy development
- Increase knowledge of how the effectiveness of a treatment program is impacted by the clinical environment, fidelity, and outcome evaluation