The Louisiana Legislature in the 2011  Regular Legislative Session passed Senate Concurrent Resolution (SCR) 44  requesting the chief justice of the Louisiana Supreme Court to create a  Families in Need of Services Commission to study and issue recommendations  regarding the governance, structure, target population, and necessary legislation  for a Families in Need of Services (FINS) system by submitting a report of its  findings and recommendations to the Louisiana Legislature thirty days prior to  the 2012 Regular Louisiana Legislative Session. The final FINS Commission Report can be accessed here: FINS Commission Report-FINAL.pdf

SCR 44 stated the commission, as part of  its study, shall review nationally recognized state and local model status offender systems and programs in consultation with Louisiana Models for Change,  the MacArthur Foundation, and other key stakeholders. SCR 44 stated the  appointed commission’s study and recommendations shall address, but not be limited to the following.

• The identification of the state entity or agency best suited to govern,  regulate, and oversee FINS services throughout the state. Click here to download materials prepared on Best Practice  Considerations for Arriving at a State Entity or Agency.
• The refinement of a FINS target population that aligns with both  national best practices and the unique needs of Louisiana’s youth and families. Click here to download materials prepared  on Findings from National Models of Status Offenders in Defining a Target  Population.
• The inclusion of fundamental components of model status offender  programs in the recommended Louisiana system. Click here to download materials prepared on Findings from National  Models of Status Offenders in Defining a Target Population summarizing National  Models, Policies, and Practices of Service Needs of Status Offending Youth.
• The implementation of due diligence requirements that schools and other  agencies provide that diligent efforts have been made prior to referral,  ensuring that referring agencies have attempted all appropriate internal interventions  before referring to informal or formal FINS. Click here to download materials on National Best Practices regarding  Due Diligence prior to Referral of Status Offenders to Court.
• Alternative graduated sanctions and the possible elimination of  detention for status offending youth, which have been well-established to  expose status offenders to negative peer influences and other harmful  circumstances that can often worsen, rather than improve, their behavior. Click here to download materials on National  Models: Detention and Alternative Graduated Responses for Status Offending Youth.
• The selection of baseline data elements and a data management system to  collect and track outcomes, which is essential for both the success and  sustainability of reform. Click here to  download materials on Model Data Collection  and Outcomes for Best Practice Status Offender Programs.
• Proposed legislation for implementation of commission recommendations. Click here to download materials for  Examples of Model Status Offender Legislation.
• Click here to download a  Summary of Available and Relevant Louisiana Status Offender Data to Highlight  Service Needs.

Other supportive materials on best practices in status offending models are including below for download:

FINS Focus Groups study brief 2021

Clayton County Georgia Cooperative Agreement

Clayton County Georgia Blue Ribbon Commission Report

Coalition for  Juvenile Justice, “Deinstitutionalization of Status Offenders (DSO):  Facts and Resources,” 2011

Connecticut’s  Family Support Center Information and Practice Guide, 2010

Denver Public Schools  Discipline Matrix

Florida Network  FINS/CINS Operations Manual, 2010

Frick, Paul and  Tina Child, University of New Orleans, “Interim Summary of the Louisiana Models  for Change (LaMfC) Data Deliverables,” 2011

Frick, Paul and  Tina Childs, “Rapides Parish 2009 Ungovernable Referrals to Informal FINS.”

Hemmeter,  Sara.  “New York City Family Assessment  Program.”

Hornberger, Nancy  Gannon, “Improving Outcomes for Status Offenders in the JJDPA Reauthorization,”  Today Magazine, 2010

Justice Policy  Institute, “The Dangers of Detention: The Impact of Incarcerating Youth in  Detention and Other Secure Facilities,” Justice Policy Institute, 2006

Juvenile Justice  Project of Louisiana (JJPL), “The Dangers of Detention,” 2011 (This article  discusses the various dangers of detaining status offenders.)

Kendall, Jessica  R., “Juvenile Justice Status Offenses: Treatment and Early Intervention,”  American Bar Association, Division for Public Education, 2007

LSU Health  Sciences Center- School of Public  Health, “Improving Louisiana’s Status Offender System: A Summary of Program  Service Models from Connecticut, Florida, and New York,” 2011

LSU Health  Sciences Center- School of Public Health, “National Review of Model Status  Offender Program Services,” 2011 (This is a crosswalk of status offender  services with side-by-side comparisons of Connecticut, Florida, and Orange  County, NY.)

LSU Health  Sciences Center- School of Public Health, “Rapides Parish FINS Cases Data  Analysis for the Rapides Parish Court and FINS Program,” (2011)

MOU between City  of Laramie, County Attorney’s Office of Albany, Wyoming Department of Family  Service and Albany County School District (all in Wyoming)

Rapides Parish  “School Exhaustion Form.”

SRO Agreement  Marysville and Snohomish Counties, Washington

Vera Institute of  Justice, “Changing the Status Quo for Status Offenders: New York State’s  Efforts to Support Troubled Teens,” 2004

Vera Institute of  Justice, “History of Florida’s Target Population and Recommendations for Louisiana.”

Vera Institute of  Justice, “Making Court the Last Resort: A New Focus for Supporting Families in  Crisis,” 2008

Vera Institute of  Justice. Overview of Florida, Connecticut, and Orange County, New York status  offender models.

Vera Institute of  Justice, Presentation of 2008 FINS Survey Results.

Vera Institute of  Justice, “Snapshot of the Florida Network of Youth and Family Services.”