(Excerpted from Issue in Brief, Vera Institute of Justice, December 2000)

Respite Care: A Promising Response to Status Offenders at Risk of Court-Ordered Placements

by Fiza Quraishi, Heidi J. Segal, and Jennifer Trone

"At San Francisco's Huckleberry House, counselors hold an initial two-hour reunification session, usually within the youth's first two days at the house. Prior to that meeting, the assigned counselor meets separately with the youth and his or her parents to discuss sources of conflict and resources the family can draw on to prevent and better manage conflict in the future. These resources might include relatives or close family friends who are willing to help care for the youth when problems arise or when the child and parents simply need a break from one another. Counselors also help parents consider whether local after-school programs or community-based organizations could help guide and support their son or daughter.

"When the family meets together, the counselor leads a structured discussion about issues raised in the individual meetings. Ultimately, the family must either set a date when the child will return home, ideally within two days, or schedule a follow-up family meeting within a week or so and set some interim goals. If no other relative or close friend can provide temporary shelter, the child remains at Huckleberry House."


This excerpt was published by the Vera Institute of Justice in the December 2002 Issue in Brief. To read the entire article, please visit the Vera website at www.vera.org or download an Acrobat PDF of the article by clicking here.