Maryland Department of Juvenile Services

As a results-based system, the DJS Continuous Quality Improvement process establishes and tracks performance measures that are operationalized as Best Practice Standards. These Standards are organized in the following categories:

	Safety and Security
	Behavioral Health Care
	Education Services
	Medical Care
	Staff Training

The DJS Quality Improvement Standards are based on:

	DJS Policy Directives, which incorporate best practice standards for juvenile justice. Many of the Department's recent policy directives can be reviewed at www.djs.state.md.us/policies.html
	DJS Standards for Juvenile Detention Facilities, which can be reviewed at www.djs.state.md.us/publications.html
	Standards promulgated by professional associations, such as the National Commission on Correctional Health Care (see www.ncchc.org)and the American Academy of Pediatrics (see www.aap.org)
	Promising and evidence-based practices that reflect contemporary, optimal levels of practice for residential juvenile facility operations.
	Code of Maryland Regulations (COMAR, see www.dsd.state.md.us/comar)
	American Correctional Association (ACA) standards (see www.aca.org/standards)
	Federal constitutional standards, which are incorporated in the Settlement Agreement between the State of Maryland and the U. S. Department of Justice. Information about the Settlement Agreement and about federal civil rights of institutionalized persons, including youth in juvenile correctional facilities, can be found at www.usdoj.gov/crt/split/