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ViewAttendees 2

Symposia

Dissemination & Implementation Science

Session: Innovative qualitative approaches to understanding implementation processes and outcomes in legal systems that serve youth

2 - (SYM 69) Leveraging Leaders in Youth Legal System Reform Efforts to Identify Implementation Strategies That Improve Culture and Climate

Saturday, November 18, 2023
10:30 AM – 12:00 PM PST
Location: Sol Duc (708), Level 7
The staggering iatrogenic effects of the youth legal system and the incarceration of youth (e.g., increased mental health concerns, increased vulnerability to complex trauma) have led researchers and community providers to recognize the urgent need for legal system reform. With the goal of reducing research-to-practice gaps, the field of implementation science can help with these reform efforts (Eccles & Mittman, 2006). In particular, implementation strategies are the techniques that are used to enhance the adoption, implementation, or sustainment of an identified practice (e.g., reform efforts) to make enduring changes in service environments (Proctor et al., 2013; Powell et al., 2017). Given the importance of organizational culture and climate as determinants of implementation (Aarons et al., 2011), identifying the specific implementation strategies used to target culture and climate is key to understanding how to improve youth outcomes and deter the effects of legal system involvement. Using a unique ethnographic approach, this study harnessed discussions collected as part of the National Partnership for Juvenile Services (NPJS) annual leadership institute, a conference attended by a nationally representative network of youth legal system leaders. The institute consisted of webinars focused on using evidence-based leadership techniques within youth legal system settings (e.g., creating a trauma-responsive environment). The research team qualitatively analyzed the recorded webinars via thematic analysis to identify the implementation strategies that leaders used to target the culture and climate of their unique context. Preliminary results demonstrate a variety of implementation strategies (e.g., identify barriers and facilitators, conduct local needs assessment) that are used by leaders to influence the culture and climate of their settings, which in turn may improve service outcomes and the well-being of youth in their care. Emergent themes across these implementation strategies will be gathered to understand, in their own words, the ways in which leaders work to improve the culture and climate of youth legal system settings. This study highlights the preparation stage of implementation and the results will inform future implementation endeavors. In particular, these efforts will support developing and piloting implementation strategies aimed at better aiding leaders in youth legal system reform and ultimately, improve conditions of confinement for youth in their care.