Promoting Stability for Youth Returning from Residential Care: Attorney Perspectives

• Author: Jacqueline Huscroft‐D'Angelo,Lori L. Synhorst,Alexandra L. Trout,Matthew C. Lambert,Patrick M. Tyler
• Date: 01 September 2018
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1111/jfcj.12113
• Published date: 01 September 2018

Promoting Stability for Youth Returning from

Residential Care: Attorney Perspectives

By Patrick M. Tyler, Alexandra L. Trout, Jacqueline Huscroft-D’Angelo,

Lori L. Synhorst, and Matthew C. Lambert

ABSTRACT

Aftercare services have been suggested to improve reintegration for youth

departing residential care programs. The purpose of this study was to collect views

from legal professionals about the challenges youth and families face during reinte-

gration and solutions to improve stability. Views were collected from 14 legal pro-

fessionals (e.g., guardian ad litem, legal counsel) through a survey and 90-minute

nominal group technique focus group. Results indicated parent expectations about

Patrick M. Tyler, Ph.D., LIMHP, LPC is an independently licensed mental health practitioner and

licensed professional counselor in the state of Nebraska. He has over 22 years of clinical, administrative and

research experience working with youth and families in residential and family-based services and over ten

years in the area of aftercare research. Dr. Tyler is currently the clinical supervisor of a randomized controlled

trial at Boys Town studying the design and efficacy of an aftercare intervention called On the Way Home

for youth departing residential care, and a senior researcher with the Center for Neurobehavioral Research

studying the neurocognitive underpinnings of emotional and behavioral disorders using fMRI.

Email: Patrick.tyler@boystown.org

Alexandra L. Trout, Ph.D., is a Research Professor and Co-Director of the Academy for Child and

Family Well Being at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Dr. Trout has spent the past decade working on

developing and evaluating programs to meet the reunification, transition, and health literacy needs of fami-

lies and youths with or at-risk of high-incidence disabilities. Email: alex.trout@unl.edu

Jacqueline Huscroft-D’Angelo, Ph.D., is an Assistant Research Professor in the Academy for Child

and Family Well-Being located in the Department of Special Education at the University of Nebraska-Lin-

coln. Dr. D’Angelo’s research interests include developing and evaluating interventions for students with

high-incidence disabilities, family support services, aftercare support for youth in out-of-home care settings

and developing tools to assess strengths and needs in students with emotional disturbance. Email: jndan-

gelo@unl.edu

Lori L. Synhorst, Ph.D., has spent the last 15 years as a Data Director for several grants in the Spe-

cial Education and Communication Department at the University of Nebraska. Her focus has been to man-

age the research data process and procedures and to collaborate with agencies and schools who work with

school-aged youth. Email: lsynhorst2@unl.edu

Matthew C. Lambert, Ph.D., is an assistant professor in the department of special education and

communication disorders at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Dr. Lambert is an educational psychologist

with expertise in the areas of research design, statistical analysis and measurement science. His research

focuses primarily on the assessment of child behavior and interventions for children with or at-risk for emo-

tional and behavioral disorders. Email: matthew.lambert@unl.edu

Juvenile and Family Court Journal 69, No. 3

©2018 National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges

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