In short, this means we’re taking a risk because, without additional funding, we may not be able to replace those open positions.

Our implementation strategy involves rolling out increases in phases. We began with Direct Care staff. Line-level caseload-carrying staff are next.

After that, we will focus on all other staff and management. I ask for your patience as we engage in this process and work our way to you.

On a different, but also important topic, the spring season this year brings a legislative session for Texas.

I encourage everyone to follow the session and stay connected on what decisions could affect our juvenile justice system here in Texas.

Currently, there are several bills related to juvenile justice, but the big ones to follow are House Bill 1 and Senate Bill 1, as these bills will set the state budget.

Enjoy the spring weather everyone, and safe travels to all

who are traveling for a well-earned and well-deserved Spring Break!

In honor of Women's History Month, stories of amazing women working in juvenile justice will be highlighted in a "Women's Wednesday" segment.

Log in to JDAI Connect and join the discussion every Wednesday. Women will share what sparked their passion for working with and on behalf of youth, families, and communities. This segment is not only for women – anyone can share an inspiring experience, gem, or story about a woman who touched their lives.

International Women’s Day is celebrated on the 8th of March. It's a global day celebrating women's historical, cultural, and political achievements.

Get to Know Lina!

Q: What is your first goal in your new role?

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First and foremost, my goal is to understand the operations, culture, and workforce needs thoroughly. I will accomplish this by meeting with the various stakeholders in leadership roles, staff, juvenile probation officers, and juvenile development officers to get a barometer for where the strengths and opportunities are for the organization.

Once I get an assessment, I will develop a strategic plan to guide the department’s workforce, recruiting, policies, and staff retention to support the department's mission.

Inclusion means making every effort to create a culture where everyone feels valued, respected, and welcome—an environment where everyone can participate in organizational activities and be informed. Diversity means recognizing that everyone has something unique, whether background, education, or other factors.

Embracing diversity means valuing those differences to create a culture to respect individuals on their merits and work. A culture of inclusion and diversity leads to more innovation, creativity, productivity, and ideas that lead to better insights and solutions.

It is a perfect encapsulation of celebrating inclusion and diversity by bringing attention to the accomplishments women have made in society. Recognizing these women helps us work towards a more equitable and just society. It is a time to celebrate and work towards a future where gender does not limit an individual's potential or opportunities.

Q: What is the most exciting

My new role allows me to combine all my experiences as a retail store manager, employment law attorney, and advisor to County officials regarding compliance with County, State, and federal regulations and employee issues.

Now I get to share my knowledge to develop others to adopt a mindset of managing to achieve objectives while applying best practices of human resources. When everyone is working towards a common goal with standard metrics, it allows more focus on what we are all here for, increasing the chances of making a positive change for the youth entering the system.

My first job was working with my father filing papers and running errands for his company. He taught me that every job is essential in a business, from being the idea person to the person who implements them.

My first job after graduating from college was working at Kmart in its management training program, where I got to announce blue light specials.

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I am a homebody for the most part, but I consider myself a Houston foodie. You will often find me exploring new brunch places around town on the weekends. I like supporting our local restaurants, especially since the pandemic hurt so many.

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I have a twin sister and have never tried to count 99 bottles of beer on a wall.

Human Resources is developing new department-wide initiatives to continuously improve the onboarding process.

The new Human Resources Information System (HRIS) went live on March 1st to aid our internal practices and automate several functions within the HR division.

Employees can apply for open positions by completing an application and uploading their resumes to the new HRIS.

On January 10, 2023, Commissioners Court amended the County's Paid Parental Leave Policy. Employees who have worked for the County as regular full-time employees for at least a year immediately preceding the birth or adoption of their child born or adopted on or after January 14, 2023, will be eligible for up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave.

During January, we welcomed 15 new employees. We want to invite each one of you to welcome and support our new hires in acclimating to their new positions.

The Education Services Division continues to be youth-centered through the implementation of a project based learning (PBL) competition.

PBL is a student-centered pedagogy involving a dynamic classroom approach. Students are believed to acquire more profound knowledge by actively exploring real-world challenges and problems. A contest is held for each core subject area; Math, Science, Social Studies, and English. Each campus will have a campus level competition, with the winner moving on to the district level competition.

Education Services also implemented time towards the end of the school day called "Bridge" at our facility campuses to bridge the gaps in the students learning. During this time, students can work on their GED, credit recovery, vocational exploration, and accelerated learning based on their needs.

Recently, ETC and GRIP Court staff recommended that a judge not send one of their students to placement at HCLA. Instead, the judge gave the student probation beginning in the community with a requirement to attend the ETC. This decision allowed ETC staff and the student to explore alternatives to detention.

The ETC continues to provides a youth-centered approach to juvenile justice!

HCYV teacher Phelitria Barnes used a hands-on approach to teach her student how exact dimensions are essential when constructing fences for private property or horse pastures due to the local topography.

Every Monday, a meeting is held to review the detention population report. We call it “The Monday Meeting.”

The meeting is the brainchild of recently retired Assistant Executive Director Dr. Diana Quintana and was created to assist with managing the population of youth in detention.

Facility Population Manager Alison McGallion, now leads the meetings, along with DRU and Private Placement Administrator Jennifer Derouen, Intake Administrator LaShunda Law, and Pre-Adjudication Team (PAT) Supervisor Christine Rivera.

Additional participants include representatives from YDD and Health Services, and the latest member of the team is our newly appointed Assistant Executive Director, Dr. Matt Shelton.

The group reviews all new Intakes into detention from the previous week. They discuss and help determine release options, reimagine alternatives to detention, and assist with supervision plans and testing needs.For cases not appropriate for release, the group discusses the next steps needed to get the case to court for adjudication and disposition. There is an additional review of youth younger than 14 years old and youth in detention for over 200 days.

Each year, a group of managers from the Court Unit and a few, other designated staff from the department have the opportunity to attend the annual Texas Juvenile Law Conference.

This year’s 36th Annual Juvenile Law Conference was held at Horseshoe Bay Resort.

Our Director of Legal Services & Public Affairs, representatives from our Education Services Division, and members of our Executive Team were in attendance.

Additional conference attendees included Alison McGallion, (Facility Population Manager) Candace Williams, (Court Administrator) Zachary Pratt, (Specialty Court Program Manager) and agency Representatives Renee O’Neal, Kristina Arceneaux, and Chris LaSalvia.

The conference is offered to juvenile justice practitioners, including prosecutors, defense attorneys, judges, probation staff, state agency staff, advocates and law enforcement officers. The conference presentations focused on current trends in Texas juvenile law. A few trending topics covered this year were Dual Status Kids – Issues and Ethics, In-School Interrogations, Using Special Education Issues for Diversion, and Age 18 Issues: Avoiding Ethical Pitfalls.

There was also a preview of Legislative Bills pending in the House and Senate that will impact juvenile justice practices and an impressive presentation from TJJD Executive Director, Shandra Carter, discussing the current state of TJJD and future plans. The conference is always informative and interactive, offering many networking and collaborating opportunities.

LaShunda Law is the new Intake Administrator. LaShunda joined the Intake Team on January 30, 2023, and brings with her a wide range of progressive managerial and probation experience, having worked as a supervisor in the Therapeutic Connections Unit (TCU), YESS Program, the Intensive Supervision Program and as the Field Services Court Coordinator.

Additionally, LaShunda was a Special Assignment Officer who conducted case file audits, provided assistance and training to officers and managers, and assisted with preparation for state audits. She was also a probation officer with the Mental Health, Intensive Supervision, and Deferred Prosecution Units.

LaShunda will be a great addition to the Intake Unit and Intake & Court Services team!

Jermaine Thomas was recently selected as the new Intake Supervisor/Detention Hearing Representative. Jermaine began his career with HCJPD as a Juvenile Supervision Officer. He then spent several years working as an Intake JPO where he quickly mastered the duties and functions of the position and was often called upon to act in a “lead” role.

Jermaine sought to increase his knowledge and experience by transferring into a Court JPO position. After a few months, he was offered the opportunity to fill in as an interim Intake Supervisor. As the interim supervisor, Jermaine has done a great job coaching new staff, organizing and updating documents, and identifying additional community resources to offer to the youth and families that come through Intake.

As the Detention Hearing Representative, we are confident that Jermaine will continue to exemplify the same work ethic, resourcefulness, compassion, and leadership.

Please join us in congratulating and supporting Jermaine in his new role!

Help us welcome the newest additions to our team! 

JPOs Yvette Velasquez and Robert Maldonado

Find pictures like this and others on our social media

channels or through the Social Media Hub on SharePoint.

Become a healthier you by taking advantage of these programs, services and incentives. It is the mission of the Benefits & Wellness Office to promote the wellbeing of employees and retirees through initiatives that:

Find the Benefits & Wellness Newsletters on SharePoint on the Benefits & Wellness Information page as an additional way to stay connected with all the incredible opportunities available to employees.

Wear green on Friday, March 17th.

Spring begins March 20th.

beginning Friday, March 30-April 2, 2023.