Supporting Youth, Empowering Staff: a Journey to Reduce Room Confinement

This conversation between Dr. Jean Denious, CEO of Omni, and Chandra Winder, one of Omni’s juvenile justice experts, draws on insights from the Reducing Room Confinement Project at the Douglas County Youth Center.

Funded through a grant award from the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), the project examined the use of room confinement in juvenile detention and identified sustainable, safe alternatives that support both youth and staff. Jean and Chandra reflect on what was learned and what it might mean for the future of reform efforts, centering the importance of prevention, the realities staff face, and the systemic supports needed to reduce harm and promote long-term change.

Jean: Before we dive into facility-based interventions, let’s talk about what can be done to keep youth out of these settings in the first place.

Chandra: Absolutely. It’s important to recognize that while we want strong services for youth in detention, the greater aim is to reduce the number of youth who enter these systems at all. There’s a growing understanding of the behavioral health needs of youth, and when we invest in early intervention and community-based alternatives (like juvenile diversion or problem-solving courts) we’re often able to address underlying needs before they escalate.

Jean: We see that across so many of our justice projects at Omni. These earlier interventions can have a tremendous social return on investment. Not only are they more cost-effective, but they result in stronger outcomes for youth, families, and communities.

Chandra: Right. And even though crime rates among youth have decreased over the past few decades, we’ve also seen that the smaller number of youth who do end up detained are often facing more complex and serious challenges. That makes it all the more important to continue investing across the continuum, from prevention to intensive support in detention settings.

Jean: So let’s turn now to that setting: once youth are in facilities, why is room confinement being used?

Chandra: When we started looking at the data, to really understand what prompted the use of room confinement we found that staff were using room confinement most often in response to fighting and assaults on other youth or staff. Room confinement was used as a tool to keep staff and the other youth in the facility safe. So, if we want to reduce its use, we have to offer alternatives that still ensure safety. And we need to give staff both the tools and the time to adopt these alternatives.

Jean:  I can understand the need to keeping people safe from fights and assaults; what can be done to reduce these incidents in the first place?

Chandra: A lot of it starts with relationship-building and structure. Facilities need to ensure that youth have access to programming, mental health supports, and trauma-informed approaches that de-escalate conflict. Creating environments that reduce stress and increase predictability helps prevent the kind of behaviors that often lead to assaults.

Jean: And what about staff? What kinds of supports do they need?

Chandra: Staff are a crucial part of the equation and most frequently the fights or assaults that led to room confinement occurred when only one staff person was on a unit. If we want to reduce these types of incidents (and the use of room confinement in response), we have to ensure there are enough staff and that those staff are equipped and supported to address these events. That means validating staff concerns, ensuring adequate staffing levels, and providing de-escalation tools and trauma-informed training. It also includes foundational things like compensation, benefits, and time for reflection and processing after critical incidents.

Jean: That’s something we heard clearly in the Douglas County Youth Center project, right?

Chandra: Yes. If we want to reduce reliance on room confinement, we have to offer alternatives that still ensure safety. We also need to provide staff with the resources and space needed to integrate these alternatives.

Jean: Some of the changes in the facility during this project seemed to reflect that understanding.

Chandra: Definitely. One shift was giving staff the opportunity to meet regularly with facility leadership. That helped surface concerns and fostered a sense of support. We saw the beginnings of a culture where staff felt more seen and heard.

Jean: It’s like how on an airplane we are told to put on our own oxygen mask first before assisting others. You can’t support others if your own needs aren’t met.

Chandra: Exactly. Addressing staff well-being isn’t a nice-to-have. It’s essential. It creates the conditions for staff to show up mentally and emotionally ready to engage with youth, which ultimately supports everyone’s safety.

Jean: So, say a youth is in a facility and does assault another person. What are the alternatives to room confinement in that moment?

Chandra: Dedicated de-escalation spaces or staff trained in behavioral interventions. Facilities can also implement structured programming that redirects behavior while keeping the youth integrated into the community, rather than isolating them.

Jean: And all of this circles back to your earlier point: it’s not just about responding in the moment, it’s about building a system that’s proactive, equitable, and centered on both youth and staff needs.

Chandra: Yes. And to sustain that kind of system, we need champions, time, and funding. Facilities often rely on external sources (state, federal, or private grants) to make these changes possible. And when those investments happen, the returns can be measurable, both in safety and long-term outcomes.

Jean: And that’s why continuing to center prevention, early intervention, and models like the Social Return on Investment (SROI) framework are so important. They help our partners measure impact, make the case for resources, and build the case for broader systems change.

Chandra: That’s what keeps me hopeful. The growing understanding of the impact of trauma, of what youth need to thrive, and of how we can support staff… that opens the door for real change. And Omni gets to be part of that work.