Patricia Jenkins-Simmons

Patricia Jenkins-Simmons oversee the daily operations of the program and ensure that the program model, contract, and philosophical foundations of the restorative justice approach are incorporated into daily service delivery routine. She is responsible for ensuring the smooth flow of referrals of youth into the program and oversee the work of subcontractor for adherence to stated deliverables in the memorandum of agreement. Patricia supervises and coaches program staff in adherence to federal labor laws, YC policy and procedures, and the implementation of the program models outlined in the program manual and DCF contract agreement.  She ensures quality and completeness of all documentation; ensures compliance to all accreditation and licensing standards, and city, state, and federal requirements.  Before, she acted as liaison and interfaced with system issues with community agencies, including DCF, its Unified School Districts Connecticut Juvenile Training School (CJTS), local schools, private residential facilities, and after-school programs social service providers and employers.

When Patricia Jenkins Simmons was a part of the Transforming Youth Justice: A Development Leadership Program, she was a Program Director of Youth Continuum FREE Program. Now, she is a Therapist at Trinity One Counseling Center since September 2017.

Capstone Project: The family components have several jobs, sometimes 3-4 different avenues to equal the salary to support the family. I propose a Familia-navigator-a person who has had experience with the service system, not necessarily a professional-someone who can be trained to get the most up knowledge of the family components, service system, and community. This group of liaisons assists the family component through technology setting up facetime meetings. A parent cannot because of work and childcare needs, matching family components to mental health and other needs. The Navigator will help assist the family in becoming a gatekeeper. The Navigator will slow the frustration of family, youth, and system providers. I propose reaching out to all the neighborhood management teams, libraries, and organizations that could help get funding and support. Planning is with the administration to make sure all administrative guidelines are met. Further thoughts are needed, so I am meeting with parents to explore further.