This measure represents the proportion of service days for Juvenile Justice and Youth Services (JJYS) Custody youth, during specified State Fiscal Year Quarters, who are served in non-family based settings, such as congregate care or group homes. JJYS enrollment and service data are collected through the JJYS case management information system.

Results for this measure are updated quarterly, within 45 days after the end of each quarter.

JJYS strives to serve youth at home whenever safely possible. If a youth cannot be placed at home, the next best option is generally in a family-based setting such as proctor care. However, there are situations in which home and family-based placements are not possible and youth need to be placed in congregate care. For example, youth may need more care or supervision than can be provided in traditional home or family-based settings. Congregate care, or non-family-based care, is meant to provide short-term stabilization, but does not provide long term permanency. The overarching goal for this measure is to reduce JJYS custody youths' days of service for those enrolled in congregate care. This will be achieved by reducing days of service from the Fiscal Year 2018 - 2022 baseline, by 15% after 2 years, and 25% after 5 years.

Over the last several fiscal quarters, there has been an increase in the number of days JJYS youth spend in congregate, or non-family based settings. There are several factors that may contribute to this increase; One of which, may be related to the steady decline in availability of proctor homes who are able and willing to receive placements for youth, including medically fragile youth or those who may struggle with aggressive or problematic sexual behaviors. JJYS continues to engage with the Youth Provider Association to address recruitment, reassess contracts, and increase provider rates to address this deficit of available proctor homes.

Another factor contributing to the increase in days youth spend in congregate care settings may be related to the JJYS custody population largely changing over the last several years. Youth placed in JJYS custody are coming in with more challenging behaviors and complex needs. As a result, youth often need higher level of care and supervision, such as congregate care. JJYS continues to carefully assess youths' needs in order to make the best possible placement decisions. Furthermore, JJYS continues to assess youth progress and plans for transitioning to lower levels of care.