Strong participant engagement with youth workers trained in evidence-based and clinical techniques of behavior change was a core component of the Roca PFS Pilot. After an initial engagement and relationship-building phase, the youth worker developed an individualized service plan that included education and training activities, work-readiness activities, transitional subsidized employment (partially or fully funded by the Roca PFS Pilot), job placement, and post-employment follow-up.
The program provided up to two years of intensive services followed by up to two years of follow-up services in a three-phase approach. In the first phase, participants met with youth workers at least twice weekly to build trust until 10 total contacts had occurred (typically within two months). In the second phase, participants continued to meet with youth workers and began transitional employment and other program services. Participants had to maintain employment with a work crew for 60 consecutive days to move to the third phase and could be removed from a crew after receiving four write-ups for poor behavior. The second phase took an average of 15 to 18 months to complete. In the third phase, participants were assigned to a new youth worker with a larger caseload and met less frequently, with frequency of contact determined by the worker's assessment of ongoing need based on participant work stability and hitting plan benchmarks.
The Roca PFS Pilot was implemented in sites in and near Boston, Chelsea, and Springfield, MA.
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