The RFK National Resource Center is delighted to offer Peer Mentorship, a valuable opportunity for leaders, practitioners, and collaborative teams from sites embarking on reform efforts to learn from the experience and expertise of the RFK National Resource Center’s Practice Networks. Mentors represent communities from across the nation that have championed change, leading to enhanced system performance and improved outcomes for children and families. Practice Network Members have a deep understanding of the processes, challenges, barriers, and benefits of juvenile justice and child welfare reform efforts. With their on-the-ground experience, members of our Practice Networks are uniquely qualified to offer peer-to-peer mentorship, guidance, and support to other communities.
Matching Process
Representatives from communities taking on DSY and/or PSR reform efforts are encouraged to contact our Director of Program Administration, Sorrel Lewis, at slewis@rfkchildren.org, to connect with a Peer Mentor. Our staff can help identify your need or review your question and can pair you with the appropriate Peer Mentor.
Peer Mentorship Topics
The RFK National Resource Center’s Peer Mentors offer expertise, backed by successful on-the-ground experience, in an array of important topics and issues.
Example Topics
• Establishing and maintaining a multi-disciplinary infrastructure for reform
• Dual status youth court practices
• Data driven practice
• Information and data sharing
• Joint assessments and case plan development
• Joint case management for dual status youth (including specialized units)
• Child welfare best practice for dual status youth
• Probation best practice for dual status youth
• Risk-needs-responsivity assessments
• Organizational culture change
• Alternatives to detention & formal processing
• Family and youth engagement
• Community engagement (schools, law enforcement, etc.)
• Quality assurance/evaluation
• Commercially Sexually Exploited Children
• Trauma (screening, assessment, treatment)
• Cross-training
• LGBTQ youth
Types of Peer Mentorship
We currently facilitate Peer Mentorship on an “informal” and “formal” basis:
Informal Mentorship
“Informal” Peer Mentorship is available to all communities and stakeholders with questions about dual status youth or probation system reform. This type of peer mentorship provides assistance on a specific issue or topic on an as-needed basis. To learn more, please contact us!
Formal Mentorship
“Formal” Peer Mentorship is available to sites receiving Technical Assistance through the RFK National Resource Center. Following a very thorough matching process, sites are paired with a peer mentor or team of mentors. The mentor(s) provide ongoing support throughout the duration of the technical assistance, routinely communicating with the site as reforms are developed and challenges inevitably arise.