Assessment Center Planning and Implementation Guide

The National Assessment Center Association (NAC) is thrilled to release an Assessment Center Planning and Implementation Guide that supports local communities in developing an Assessment Center that is responsive to local community needs and processes. This guide is designed to promote discussions on best practices, help local planning teams navigate essential decisions, and anticipate potential challenges in implementation. It will aid in identifying key partners and stakeholders, determining the target population for the Assessment Center, establishing a referral process, and addressing critical considerations.

Assessment Centers throughout the United States are known by many names such as resource, intervention, diversion, access, or connection centers. They offer a valuable resource to youth, families, and communities by providing early intervention and an avenue to address concerning behavior. Assessment Centers disrupt existing pathways to juvenile justice and child welfare systems by creating a single point of access to community-based resources and supports. Assessment Centers identify underlying issues and needs of youth and families and partner with them to access individualized , community-based supports and services. Assessment Centers can disrupt pathways by intervening through schools, at point of or after arrest, at the request of parents/caregivers, or through partnerships with other community stakeholders.

This guide provides communities that are considering adopting the Assessment Center Framework as a mechanism to divert and prevent young people from entering the juvenile justice or child welfare systems with a comprehensive overview of Assessment Centers, defines best practice, and outlines essential planning steps. Whether you are just beginning to organize your efforts or are in the midst of executing a plan, this guide provides the tools, insights, and practical steps needed to ensure success. If further support is needed in the planning and implementation process, communities are encouraged to reach out to the NAC for more information on technical assistance.

This user-friendly guide covers the following:

• Underlying Assumptions: Ensure community consensus on the need for improved youth and family services, adequate resources, and stakeholder knowledge before starting the Assessment Center planning and implementation process.
• Understanding Assessment Centers: Assessment Centers act as a neutral hub to address underlying issues, collaborate with families, and connect with community resources to support youth and families.
• Cross-system Collaboration: Effective stakeholder engagement is vital for creating a unified vision and addressing youth needs.
• Creating a Diverse Planning Team: Form a diverse team of stakeholders to ensure clear roles, collaboration, and effective decision-making.
• Statement of Need: Clearly define and communicate the need for an Assessment Center to guide planning and stakeholder engagement.
• Understand Current Practices and Policies: Understand local and state policies to inform procedures and staff responsibilities within the Assessment Center.
• Identifying Target Population and Referral Processes: Use Critical Intervention Mapping to develop referral pathways and connect youth to community supports.
• S.M.A.R.T. Goals: Set clear, measurable goals to ensure focused and effective planning and implementation.
• Assessment Center Operations: Follow the Assessment Center Framework for developing operations, staffing, and policies to ensure best practices and sustainable outcomes

To access the Assessment Center Planning and Implementation Guide, CLICK HERE.

To complete the text boxes, please download the guide to your desktop and open it. It will open as an Adobe PDF, allowing you to fill in the fields.

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