CQIS

OJJ works to ensure that youth receive the highest quality services from our staff and providers through regular reviews. The CQIS Quality Assurance Review Process assists decision makers and practitioners in OJJ to improve operations, meet the agency’s goals and objectives and assist youth in the redirection of their lives.

Continuous Quality Improvement Services (CQIS) is a performance-based and results-driven competency and efficiency management system for the Office of Juvenile Justice (OJJ). CQIS staff seeks to ensure the optimal operation of all areas of care, intervention and support for youth and families of OJJ through service development and delivery, organizational monitoring, behavioral research, as well as, policy review and development. CQIS seeks to ensure that OJJ will have sound policy and operations supported by well trained staff which is measured through regular outcome data tracking, comprehensive compliance monitoring and rigorous program evaluation utilizing quality data that results in continuous quality improvement.

CQIS activities include:

  • ACA Accreditation: This section oversees the agency accreditation process by ensuring compliance with all rules and regulations of the accrediting authority through periodic reviews of protocols and process indicators.
  • Data Warehousing: The Data Warehouse provides OJJ with an integrated environment for the collection, classification, analysis and interpretation of data to reveal patterns, anomalies, key variables and relationships.  It is also beneficial for identifying, monitoring and measuring quality processes over time and is key for measuring performance based and quality assurance standards.  In the future we hope to utilize the technology for data mining, text analytics and forecasting.  In short, it enables OJJ to turn a vast amount of data from multiple sources into meaningful information that is used by the agency every day.
  • Grant Funding: The CQIS Department regularly seeks and manages grant funding for enhanced programming, equipment, and consulting services.
  • Investigative Services: The investigative arm of the Deputy Secretary is headquartered at Central Office in Baton Rouge. IS has field offices in every secure care facility. These field offices answer to Central Office IS leadership and functions independently from the facility leadership. The primary mission of IS is the protection from harm of the youth in our care.
  • Policy and Facility Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). The CQIS staff is responsible for drafting agency policy as needed and conducting annual agency policy review to ensure that all policies are current and in compliance with federal and state statutes, ACA and the U.S. DOJ Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) Standards, as well as, regulatory requirements such as Civil Service Rules, the Louisiana Administrative Code, Revised Statutes, and Risk Management Regulations. CQIS staff reviews statutes, standards, rules and regulations for changes and/or amendments. When applicable, revisions are made to policies to ensure they are current and in compliance, following approval by Executive Staff.
  • Continuous Quality Improvement Services. CQIS staff is responsible for the development of measurable performance standards and indicators for monitoring the day-to-day operations of the three (3) secure care centers for youth and eleven (11) regional offices located statewide. Quarterly monitoring occurs throughout the year to ensure compliance with agency policy and adopted standards is being met. Technical assistance is continuously provided to assist field staff in targeting systemic issues and developing solutions. Instruction and guidance is also provided to the field for all established performance standards measured. Comprehensive reports are produced outlining targeted monitoring areas, outcome measures, suggestions for improvement, and a time line for correcting deficiencies.
  • Correctional Programs Checklist (CPC). OJJ is focused on implementing effective systems that reduce youth recidivism.  In July 2010 the Agency adopted the evidence-based CPC to evaluate all specialized secure and non-secure residential programs. The purpose of the CPC is to document the strengths and weaknesses of youth treatment programs, and provide recommendations for improvement with the goal of ensuring that youth are participating in effective programs.
  • Risk Management. All state agencies in Louisiana are required to implement a loss prevention program to reduce or eliminate the risks of doing business. The ultimate goal is to create a safe work environment and an awareness of safety practices among employees in order to prevent accidents that cause injury or death to employees or the public and to prevent damage to public property.
  • Performance Based Standards. PbS balances the juvenile justice system’s responsibility to protect the public by keeping youths in custody secured and providing appropriate rehabilitative services to prevent future crime. PbS guides operations so that youths are safe in the facilities and return to the community with the skills and resources to grow up to be successful citizens. PbS also encourages facilities and programs to work closely with communities, families and social supports to ensure youths’ re-entry is a collaborative effort.