Judiciary Response to Self-Assessment

Judiciary’s Update to the 2009 DH Report Recommendations
The following describes the Judiciary’s actions and update to recommendations
presented by the 2009 facility self-assessment team. The sections and points listed
below correspond to the document structure used in the 2009 self-assessment.

Classification and Intake, and Environmental Issues
1. Train staff in the intake and classification processes to ensure consistency in the
process.
a. All admissions meet the detention admission criteria. If there are any
questions regarding an intake during non-business hours, an on-call
administrator is available to assist.
2. Train and supervise evening and weekend supervisors to maintain the same
standards and practices exhibited by the weekday business hour’s shift.
a. All admissions meet the detention admission criteria. If there are any
questions regarding an intake during non-business hours, an on-call
administrator is available to assist.
3. Support and encourage staff to change the “culture” to a more rehabilitative model.
a. On-going. Hale Ho`omalu Juvenile Detention Facility (DH) Administration
has demonstrated leadership in this area. Facility programming and staff
training is reflective of this shift in philosophy.
4. Develop more alternative placements.
a. The Family Court has developed alternatives to detention and continues to
further refine and develop appropriate alternatives. Some of the alternatives
to secure detention include:
1) Electronic Monitoring
2) Reporting Center (Leeward)
3) Supervised Released
4) Direct Admission to Home Maluhia
5) Intensive Monitoring (Fall 2011) Office of Youth Services (OYS)
Contract
6) Day Treatment (Fall 2011) OYS Contract
5. Develop closer working partnerships between staff and probation officers to better
meet the needs of youth during detention and in transitioning out.
a. Probation Officers and DH staff have effective working relationships and have
always worked closely on transitioning youth out of the facility. Most of the
youth are released within 5 days of admission. Annie E. Casey Foundation
(AECF) has noted that Hawaii’s average length of stay is low.
6. Include police officers and probation officers in staff trainings.


a. Training opportunities are inclusive of all staff. The HPD Major for Central
Receiving is a member of the JDAI Executive Committee and is invited to all
trainings.
7. Create one or more Memoranda of Understanding with community hospitals for
addressing mental health and substance abuse concerns of youth presenting for
intake.
a. DH Admission would exclude youth presenting with such concerns from
being admitted, and any youth presenting with these concerns after intake
would be assessed by a professional and transported to the appropriate
medical facility if warranted. Therefore, a MOU is not necessary.
8. Integrate mental health services with detention services more closely from the onset.
a. The DOH CAMHD has established protocols and additional resources to
ensure better integration of services.
9. Develop more partnerships with child welfare services.
a. On-going.
10. Develop and implement a data-driven quality improvement and assurance approach
for detention.
a. On-going. The inter-disciplinary team meets monthly.
11. Increase parent participation, including the use of video conferencing.
a. The Judiciary, in partnership with the Department of Health, Child and
Adolescent Mental Health Division (DOH CAMHD) and Hawaii Families as
Allies (HFAA) ensures on-site parent support. HFAA, a non-profit
organization, focuses on assisting parents or caregivers of children and youth
with emotional or behavioral challenges. The Parent Partner provides
individual or group support services. Caregiver participation in support
services are voluntary.
b. Video conferencing equipment is available and accessible. Staff will
accommodate requests for video-conferencing. However such requests are
not common as video conferencing requires that both parties have video
capability.
12. The fire extinguishers were not visible. In addition, there is no self-contained
breathing apparatus (SCBA) at the facility.
a. Fire extinguishers are located throughout the Kapolei facility in accordance
with Department of Planning and Permitting code, City and County of
Honolulu.
b. SCBA is not a requirement of the Department of Planning and Permitting
code, City and County of Honolulu. In fact, an inquiry was made to HYCF,
and two JDAI model sites (Multnomah, OR and Santa Cruz, CA) and all three
indicate that they do not have SCBA and have no intention of purchasing
such equipment. Evacuation of youth in a smoke filled environment should
be carried out by professionals trained to conduct such evacuations (e.g., fire
fighters) to avert serious injury or loss of life.

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Health and Mental Health Care
1. Develop and implement a complete array of protocols for dispensary and nursing.
a. Chapter 7 of the Hale Ho`omalu Juvenile Detention Facility Policy and
Procedure Manual addresses this issue. This has been completed but not
approved as of this date. However, nursing staff are being trained on the
contents of the chapter.
2. Develop, implement, and monitor a system ensuring chain of treatment
accountability.
a. Chapter 7 of the Policy and Procedure Manual addresses this issue. This
has been completed but not approved as of this date. Medical staff are
currently developing this system.
3. Keep prescription medications secure at all times.
a. The Kapolei facility has secure storage for all medications.
4. Update medical record forms (e.g., e.g., demographics, problem lists, medications,
allergies, laboratory results, etc.)
a. 24 new forms have been created.
5. Develop, implement, and monitor a safer process to ensure nighttime medication
compliance.
a. Additional resources have been added to ensure nighttime medication
compliance through increasing nursing coverage.
6. Consider electronic medical records.
a. This is being considered but is not a priority at this time.
7. Improve health education for youth.
a. On-going.
8. Identify a qualified professional to be accountable for these necessary services to
reduce fragmentation.
a. On-going.
9. Improve the institutional intake form to provide more mental health assessment and
treatment-relevant information, and train staff on appropriate administration of this
form and the MAYSI-2.
a. This has been completed in partnership with DOH CAMHD. All
administrators have been trained by CAMHD. DOH CAMHD is responsible
for mental health services in the facility.
10. Develop and implement expanded mental health treatment referral protocols based
on admission screening. Protocols should ensure that youth that meet the standard
for serious health/mental health care receive timely and appropriate care.
a. This has been addressed by DOH CAMHD staff.
11. Ensure adequate documentation of disposition of youth after intake screening for
mental health issues.
a. In process.

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12. Ensure that onsite mental health treatment for youth is adequate, individualized, and
discharge-oriented.
a. This has been addressed by DOH CAMHD.
13. Review Crisis Team services to ensure adequate synchrony, timeliness, and
communication.
a. Crisis Team services is a purchase of service managed by the Department of
Health. The DOH CAMHD Psychologist met with Crisis Team to resolve
service delivery issues.
14. Increase amount and quality of professional mental health staffing.
a. Mental health staff has been significantly improved since 2009. Current
clinical staffing includes:
1) Psychiatrist
2) Psychologist
3) Licensed Clinical Social Worker
4) Therapist
15. Integrate mental health professionals in the training of line staff, and in the
development and implementation of policies and procedures, and continuous quality
improvement efforts across all aspects of detention (e.g., isolation and restraints,
disciplinary processes, transition programming, etc).
a. The Psychologist as well as other CAMHD clinical staff assist in training when
appropriate and help develop training curricula.
16. Train employees in signs and symptoms of mental illness, child traumatic stress,
emotional disturbance, chemical withdrawal, intellectual disabilities and regression,
and provide adequate follow-on supervision. Train staff to apply Positive Behavior
Supports and de-escalation techniques.
a. Training in this area is on-going. We rely on both in-service training
opportunities and expertise from CAMHD clinical staff and trainings offered in
the community.
17. Ensure safety when using isolation and medical supervision of detoxification.
a. The design of the Alder Street facility was not conducive to maintaining youth
safety or privacy to use therapeutic interventions. At DH in Kapolei, the
practice of isolation is rarely used.
b. Detention admission criteria explicitly prohibit the admission of youth
experiencing active detoxification or withdrawal. Other youth who exhibit less
acute signs of detoxification or withdrawal will be placed under the
supervision of the medical unit as nursing coverage has been increased to
seven days a week until 9:00 pm. There is a 24/7 on-call physician. Any
youth in need of medical services will be transported to the nearest ER.
18. Expand timely assessment and subsequent onsite treatment for non-CAMHD as well
as CAMHD-registered youth.
a. The Judiciary and the DOH CAMHD have entered into a MOA that ensures
timely assessments of detained youth and on site treatment of youth.

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19. Ensure all detained youth with serious mental health care needs have access to
adequate mental health services.
a. The DOH CAMHD has provided additional clinical resources in the facility.
20. Make Detention Home a trauma-sensitive environment for youth.
a. The State of Hawaii received a federal grant administered through the DOH
CAMHD to develop a trauma-focused system of care. The Judiciary is a key
partner in this grant. Our staff will be included in training on trauma-focused
treatment approaches.

Access Issues and Programming
1. Probation Administrators should ensure mail to youth is unopened and delivered
within 24 hours.
a. Mail is delivered directly to youth, unread but screened for contraband within
24 hours of receipt.
2. Develop, implement, and monitor policy and procedure regarding a youth’s right to
express grievances over withheld mail.
a. Chapter 11 of the Policy and Procedures Manual.
3. Increase minimum length of phone calls to 10 minutes in length.
a. Phone calls have been increased to 10 minutes.
4. Ensure that policies and procedures for special visitations, especially family forums,
be developed, implemented, and monitored.
a. DH Administration and staff support all special visitations. In fact, the
standard visitation hours for DH include weekends and evening hours.
5. Improve and extend a multidisciplinary programming that is responsive to the needs
of detainees, such as informational and skill-building groups.
a. Programming at DH has improved. DH has partnered with community groups
for the provision of activities. We continuously work on developing more
programs for youth. Some of the programs developed include:
1) Art Classes
2) Opio Haku Molelo was developed by a community volunteer. This all
volunteer workshop works with youth on self expression through
writing.
3) Drug education
4) Life Skills
5) Yoga
6) Life after Prison
7) Other events in partnership with community groups including religious
groups.
6. Improve positive behavior management and decrease negative behavior
management.

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a. The Training Coordinator is working in partnership with CAMHD to develop
staff skills in evidence based approaches to dealing with problem behavior.

Education
1. Increase the number of mandatory instructional hours that focus on instruction in
core subjects (e.g., Math, Science, Social Studies, Language Arts) so that core
academic instructional time is comparable to that provided in Hawaii Department of
Education secondary schools.
a. Immediately following the findings, the school day at DH was established to
be from 8:00 am to 2:00 pm.
b. Olomana (the DOE school within DH) staff increased the number of classes
to six, 40-minute periods per day.
c. Olomana staff developed a voluntary after-school program that includes
activities such as Chess Club, holiday crafts, computer animation, and
Hawaiian Club.
2. Immediately halt the practice of prohibiting youth from attending school between
1:00-3:00 p.m. as a consequence/punishment for disruptive behavior or rule
violations.
a. This practice was immediately halted by DH and Olomana staff.
3. Use comprehensive educational screening procedures during the intake process to
identify youth who may be eligible for special education. Make timely referral for
SPED (Special Education Section) evaluation and requests for interim SPED
services and support.
a. Olomana School is addressing this recommendation.
4. Increase number of full-time SPED teachers for Detention Home and ensure that that
the SPED teacher-student ratio is adequate to meet the special education needs of
students with Individualized Education Programs.
a. Olomana School has four SPED teachers and two Educational Assistants on
staff.
5. Ensure that the school-based behavioral health specialist has timely access to
students’ Behavior Support Plans.
a. The School Based Behavioral Health (SBBH) Specialist ensures timely
access to Behavior Support Plans (BSPs). SBBH added a part-time
specialist to DH.
6. Utilize evidence-based reading and math assessments, and administer assessments
and progress monitoring within the context of a Response to Intervention model.
a. Botel Inventory, STAR reading and math assessments are administered. The
STAR is on list of accepted No Child Left Behind (NCLB) reading and math
assessments.

b. Students detained longer than 30 days are retested.
7. Develop policies and procedures to ensure that each detainee receives assignments
and homework from their home school.

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a. Home schools are contacted on the second day of detainment. Class
schedules and assignments are aligned individually to the youth.
8. Assign a fulltime teacher adequately certified to provide mathematics instruction to
students at the detention facility’s school. Ensure English Language Learner (ELL)
and Limited English Proficiency (LEP) students’ access to ELL instruction. Ensure
that the DH shop teacher is Career and Technical Education (CTE) certified.
a. One teacher is in the process of acquiring certification in math. Teachers
who are not certified in math are supported by mathematics master’s level
certified teachers provided by the DOE.
9. Develop a personally relevant and/or project based curriculum that guides
instructional activities for at least one academic class period per day. Incorporate
universal design principles to make the curriculum accessible to all students.
a. Olomana has incorporated classes that are personally relevant or project
based.
9. Provide equitable educational and positive youth development opportunities to all
youth regardless of gender, ethnicity, and/or disability.
a. School and extracurricular activities are available to all detained youth
regardless of gender, race, or disability.
10. Create education opportunities for students to develop and apply skills, attitudes and
behaviors of self-determination and self-advocacy, capacities that are positively
correlated with improved transition outcomes.
a. School and extracurricular activities are available to all detained youth
regardless of gender, race or disability.
11. Investigate funding sources to enhance students’ access to, and instruction in the
use of technology.
a. Olomana School provided 11 new computers, a LCD projector and ELMO
presenter for use by DH students. Extracurricular activities include computer
animation class.

Training and Supervision of Employees, Restraints, Isolation, Due Process
and Grievances, Safety
1. Upgrade staffing qualifications and salaries.
a. Measures have been taken to improve the caliber of staff. An additional
component has been added to the pre-employment screening process which
consists of a video testing product developed by Ergometrics and Applied
Personnel Research, Inc. Two test components of the Impact Video Testing
Product for Juvenile Justice Programs are being utilized. The first component
evaluates line workers in such areas as: Supportive Approach; Strong Adult
Presence; Motivation and Building Self-Esteem; Emotional Self-Control;
Professional Boundaries; Placing High Priority on Youth; Relations with Co-
Workers; Juvenile Officer Standard Reading Level. The second component
is the Impact Promote that assesses the candidate=s ability for supervisory
roles in a juvenile justice program. The test covers: Managing Performance;

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Training/Career Development; Interpersonal Relations with Staff and
Customers; Reliability/Integrity; Communication; Managing Conflict;
Managing Change; Changing Role to Supervisor; Working with Management;
Discipline and Managing Difficult Employees; Team Development/Delegation;
Prioritization/Effective Use of Resources.
2. Review and decrease excessive use of overtime.
a. The Judiciary has responded by adding additional positions and creating
intermittent positions.
3. Implement the new training manual developed for the National Juvenile Detention
Association immediately.
a. The Training Coordinator has implemented the HHJDF Behavioral
Management Plan and the Handle with Care Curriculum.
4. Develop policies and procedures ensuring that staff has adequate pre-job and follow-
on training, and monitor implementation of training program and staff participation.
a. Completed, Chapter 4: Training and Staff Development. This chapter is in
the process of being sent to the union for consultation.
5. Greatly increase the quantity and quality of staff supervision, interaction between
administration and staff, and frequency of staff meetings; establish continuous quality
improvement monitoring of supervision at facility.
a. HHJDF Administration is continuously working at improving in this area.
They have supervisory meetings and encourage open communication
between staff and administration.
6. Develop an adequate grievance process for youth and staff, ensure ability to submit
anonymous complaints about staff misconduct, and monitor effectiveness of
administration‘s response to each grievance in terms of continuous quality
improvement for youth voice and staff development.
a. Completed. Chapter 11: Juvenile Rights. Further, staff have the ability to
process grievances through the grievance procedure provided for in their
respective collective bargaining agreements (CBA); and for issues that may
not fall within the confines of the CBA, the Judiciary’s Internal Complaint
Procedure.

7. Develop, implement, and monitor policies and procedures regarding reporting of
child abuse, incidence reporting, and complaint reporting.
a. DH has always had written policies and procedures regarding child abuse
and complaint reporting. A memorandum dated August 27, 1987 is still in
effect.

8. Greatly increase, both qualitatively and quantitatively, staff training in response to
aggressive youth, including use of restraints, chemical agents, and physical force.
a. Chapter 4, Training and Staff Development. The Judiciary established a
permanent training coordinator position. This person is responsible for the
training program which specifically addresses these issues.
9. Develop, implement, and monitor policies and procedures regarding various forms of
restraints.

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a. Completed, Chapter 9. Security and Control. DH does not use chemical
restraints.
10. Collaborate with the Honolulu Police Department and the Sheriff’s Office to develop
a policy regarding least restrictive means necessary for youth transport.
a. Honolulu Police and the Sheriff’s transport youth in accordance with
applicable agency policy and procedure.
11. Ensure isolation is not used punitively, does not occur for lengthy periods, and is
appropriately used.
a. Isolation is rarely used at Kapolei and is no longer used for punishment or in
any inappropriate way.
12. Conduct a mental health review of the practices of isolation, voluntary time-out, and
room confinement to develop guidelines and alternative practices; ensure active
involvement of mental health professionals in monitoring current isolation and
reviewing past isolation incidents.
a. Completed, in partnership with CAMHD.

13. Ensure that all youth clearly understand the rules of the facility, consequences of
violating them, and how to appeal a punishment or file a grievance; implement
oversight of an adequate and formal due process procedure for disciplinary
procedures and ensure it is used to support youth.
a. Completed. Chapter 11, Juvenile Rights. The youth are advised of their rights
upon intake and rules are posted in the living modules. DH staff is working on
a handbook.
14. Develop adequate policies and procedures regarding use of corporal punishment,
isolation, and work detail; ensure regular continuous quality improvement monitoring
of all incidents and the grievance process to make positive changes in the facility.
a. The staff do not employ corporal punishment, rarely use isolation, and have
eliminated work detail.
b. The facility has created an open door practice for dealing with grievances and
provides language translators to assist non-English proficient youth.
15. Develop policies and procedures for meeting the special safety needs of LGBT and
other at-risk youth.
a. Completed. Chapter 11: Juvenile Rights.
b. Training on LGBT youth has been provided in response to this
recommendation. This will be an on-going training topic.
16. Develop improved safety-related policies, procedures, training and supervision in all
areas, e.g., continuous surveillance of all key areas, assault reporting, restraint
training and supervision, etc.
a. Completed, Chapter 9: Security Control and Supervision.
b. The Kapolei facility has video surveillance of all key areas of the facility. The
recorded surveillance tapes are secured with access only by Administration.
17. Develop policies and procedures regarding security measures, including that HPD
officers deposit firearms in a lock box when entering the facility.

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a. The Kapolei Facility has gun lockers located in the sally port and DH entrance
for HPD officers to safely secure their weapons.

Conclusions
The 2009 self-assessment team summarized the data into major subject areas in an effort to
prioritize the areas for corrective actions. Four specific categories were identified: 1) policy
and procedures; 2) training, supervision, and quality assurance; 3) health, education, and
mental health services; and 4) programming and transformation of the milieu from custodial
to rehabilitative.

Policy and Procedures
As evidenced by the findings, the undated policies and procedures manual did not conform
to current professional standards. The team recommended that the Judiciary completely
revise its policies and procedures governing the administration and operations at Hale
Ho`omalu.
• The Chief Court Administrator and Senior Family Court Judge formed a “policy and
procedures workgroup” and immediately deployed resources (3 program specialists
and other staff) to update the policy and procedures manual.
• All policies and procedures are written to conform to standards published by the
American Correctional Association (juveniles), JDAI, and the Prison Rape
Elimination Act (PREA). ACA, JDAI, and PREA professional standards are
comprehensive and constitute the best practices in the field.
• The update includes 13 chapters with multiple subchapters. All the chapters and
subchapters have been completed and are now in different stages of
implementation. Five chapters have been approved by the Union and are currently
being implemented: 1) Emergency Response; 2) Food Service; 3) Security Control
and Supervision; 4) Intake and Admissions; and 5) Juvenile Rights. The remaining
chapters are in the process of being transmitted to the union for consultation.

Training and Supervision
Training of staff was assessed to be inadequate. The assessment team concluded that the
new training manual developed by the National Partnership for Juveniles Services (NPJS)
should be implemented immediately to ensure the safety and well-being of youth in their
care.
• The Judiciary created a permanent full-time Training Coordinator position at Hale
Ho`omalu who is responsible for developing training curricula and training of staff.
• The Training Coordinator updates the HHJDF training manual to ensure that the
training of staff includes the most current practices and techniques. JDAI
professional standards have been included in the manual. The trainer trains using
the Handle with Care program.
• Measures have been instituted to improve the qualifications of staff working directly
with detained youth. Also, new hires are trained and oriented prior to working in the
modules or are trained as soon as possible (some training requires training in a
group format).

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Education, Health and Mental Health Services:
The team noted that accountability for services provided by staff in these core areas is
unclear in relation to the detention population. Health and mental health services are pieced
together resulting in a fragmentation of services. Each agency reviewed the
recommendations and instituted corrective actions. This self-assessment process was the
catalyst for unifying staff in all core areas. Some of the significant changes include:
• The DH instructional day conforms to the legal requirement of the DOE and
significant strides have been made to ensure that in-custody instructional services
meet the individual needs of detained youth. The facility has a computer lab where
youth have access to new computers and a fully equipped shop.
• The staff developed an After School Program for detained youth.
• Nursing coverage has been increased to include weekend and nighttime hours, and
there is 24/7 on-call physician services.
• Mental health staffing has been increased to include additional on-site clinical
services by licensed professionals.
• Coordination between agencies and cross training of staff has been achieved
through this collaborative model.

Programming:
The Superintendent of Hale Ho`omalu convened a task force comprised of staff,
stakeholders, and the community to assist in the development of in-facility programs. This
has resulted in additional programs and activities for youth ranging from manicures to self-
expression.

The Judiciary has invited the 2009 facility self-assessment team to assist with the 2011 self-
assessment process. This quality assurance process provides a foundation from which we
continuously strive to improve the conditions of confinement in collaboration with other child
serving agencies and the community.

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Judiciary Response to Self-Assessment

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Judiciary Response to Self-Assessment