Y Mississippi » Systems integration

Agency integration, 2016

• Child welfare

  Mississippi Department of Child Protection Services

  Centralizes child welfare administration services at the state level.

• Integration level

  Umbrella agency integration (separate division/offices)

• Juvenile corrections

  Mississippi Department of Human Services, Division of Youth Services (DYS)

  Does not centralize administration of delinquency services at the state level.

Coordination, 2014

• Uses for coordination
• Does not use for coordination

• Data sharing

  Facilitated through the use of statewide information systems allowing for consistent data sharing between systems.

• Committees or advisory groups

  Multidisciplinary groups that often have regularly scheduled meetings to brainstorm ways to improve systems integration.

• Formal interagency MOUs

  Collaborative agreements to guide systems integration efforts

• Informal interagency agreements

  Commonly based on historical practice, mutual trust, and recognition of the need to collaborate in order to serve dual-status youth.

• Statute and/or rules

  Rules that mandate systems integration efforts

Summary

Although child welfare services and juvenile justice services are administered by divisions within the Department of Human Services, in Mississippi there are no formal state-wide efforts to coordinate system integration between the delinquency and child welfare systems. There are no formal data sharing agreements, but the Mississippi child welfare data system can be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. The child welfare data system, however, is not designed to produce reports on dually involved youth. Further, there have been no formal, state-wide efforts to coordinate or establish collaborative funding agreements. 

No documentation exists of formal local court rules or administrative regulations addressing dual jurisdiction. Collaborative case management may occur informally at the local level through shared information between case managers, inter-agency planning, joint case management, and multi-disciplinary teams. 

Mississippi does not have a unified state court system, but some smaller jurisdictions may have a de facto unified system as a single judge may hear both delinquency and child protection matters. In these jurisdictions, there is increased probability for joint hearing appearances by probation officers and social workers.  In fact, some informal dual status coordination occurs in eight to ten jurisdictions throughout the state. These efforts usually take the form of standing local committees, interagency councils, formal memoranda of understanding, or informal inter-agency agreements.

Reported data