Introducing TJJD’s New Texas Model Managers
By TJJD Communications —
Across Texas, juvenile justice has undergone a transformation grounded in research, safety, and the belief that young people can learn the skills they need to change their lives.
At the beginning of 2026, The Texas Juvenile Justice Department (TJJD) marked 7 years of the Texas Model, and began rolling out an updated and expanded implementation of the agency’s foundational rehabilitative framework. At the center of this effort is a stronger emphasis on Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and other evidence-based, trauma-informed practices designed to help youth build emotional regulation, accountability, and lifelong coping skills.
The goal is to improve outcomes not only for youth, but for staff, families, and Texas communities.
What Is the Texas Model?
Background
The Texas Model is built on a foundation that began with TJJD’s implementation of Trust-Based Relational Intervention® (TBRI®). TBRI introduced a new way of understanding youth behavior by examining the impact of trauma and adversity on brain development, emotional regulation, and decision-making.
Through this framework, staff began learning how early experiences can shape how young people respond to stress, authority, relationships, and structure. Understanding trauma from a neuroscience perspective helped the agency move beyond simply responding to behavior and instead consider the underlying factors that influence it.
Tools such as Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) scores provide insight into the level of adversity a young person may have experienced and help inform individualized treatment planning. This trauma-aware approach allows staff to better interpret behavior, respond more effectively in the moment, and build relationships that support stability and growth.
This foundational understanding ultimately led to the development of the Texas Model.
The Framework
The Texas Model guides how TJJD operates statewide. It is an evidence-based approach focused on promoting lasting behavioral change and skill development in youth.
At its core, the model reflects the agency’s commitment to promoting public safety by prioritizing staff safety and retention, effective youth supervision, and meaningful opportunities for youth to develop the skills necessary for long-term success.
Rather than emphasizing compliance alone, the Texas Model prioritizes structure, treatment, and skill-building to help youth succeed long after they leave TJJD care. A key component of this approach is DBT, which provides youth with practical tools for emotional regulation, stress management, and healthier decision-making.
Facilities operate as structured, rehabilitative environments where expectations are clear, behavior is coached in the moment, and progress is reinforced. Staff are trained to move from an authoritarian approach toward a structured, relationship-based approach that balances accountability with connection while reinforcing the coping and interpersonal skills youth are learning through DBT.
Key Principles
The Texas Model is rooted in the understanding that for behavior to change, youth must first feel physically and psychologically safe. Facilities are designed to be structured, rehabilitative environments where staff have the tools to shape behavior, reinforce treatment goals, and maintain a positive, learning-friendly environment.
The model targets specific risk factors linked to reoffending while increasing protective factors that help youth:
- Connect positively with others
- Engage meaningfully in treatment
- Respond appropriately to environmental stressors
- Reintegrate safely into the community
The focus is on helping youth develop practical, real-world skills — not just follow rules while in a facility.
Purpose and Need
The Texas Model aligns with the Texas Legislature’s goals for the juvenile justice system: protecting public safety while promoting accountability, rehabilitation, care, and the holistic development of youth.
Research consistently shows that programs based solely on punishment or fear-based compliance do not produce long-term public safety outcomes. The Texas Model instead uses research-based practices to address the emotional and behavioral needs that often contribute to youth involvement in the justice system.
By strengthening skills such as emotional regulation, problem-solving, and interpersonal effectiveness, the model aims to reduce high-risk behaviors including aggression, self-harm, and substance use.
Evolution of the Model
TJJD first launched the Texas Model in 2019 with a focus on safety, trauma-informed care, and building trust between youth and staff.
Early initiatives included TBRI training, specialized treatment units, violence intervention programming, caregiver education, and structured youth groups focused on communication and emotional regulation.
Today’s rollout builds on that foundation. The current phase places a deeper emphasis on therapeutic skill development — particularly through DBT — while continuing to strengthen staff training, teamwork, and family involvement.
How The Texas Model Works
DBT in Daily Practice
Dialectical Behavior Therapy is a central component of the Texas Model. Youth participate in structured DBT skills groups and receive coaching throughout their daily routines.
DBT focuses on building skills in:
- Mindfulness
- Emotion regulation
- Distress tolerance
- Interpersonal effectiveness
- Problem-solving
These skills are not taught only in clinical settings. They are reinforced throughout the day in classrooms, living units, treatment groups, and everyday interactions with staff and peers.
Integrated Staff Roles
The Texas Model relies on teamwork. Rehabilitation is not the responsibility of a single role — it is shared across the entire staff team.
- Juvenile Correctional Officers (JCOs) provide safety and structure while reinforcing skillful behavior and responding to youth in crisis.
- Educators create classroom environments that support both academic progress and skill development.
- Case Managers help youth understand and practice new skills and prepare to use them after returning home.
- Mental Health Providers assess individual needs, develop treatment plans, and guide staff on youth-specific strategies.
Families, caregivers, county partners, and community mentors also play an important role in supporting youth as they transition back to their communities.
Together, these roles create a consistent, skill-focused environment throughout a youth’s day.
The Texas Model Managers
The Texas Model Manager role was created as part of the development of the Texas Model to ensure fidelity to the model, continuously monitor compliance and quality, and reinforce the milieu-based culture on which the Texas Model is built. Individuals serving in this role see themselves as a vital bridge between operations and treatment—helping staff feel supported, confident, and equipped to deliver the care and structure youth need to succeed.
We are pleased to share that all Texas Model Manager positions have now been filled across our five secure facilities, and we are excited to introduce them:
Lanaya Brewer, M.S., MFT, LPC
- Lanaya Brewer began her career as an award-winning animal behaviorist before earning her Master’s in Marriage and Family Therapy from Texas Wesleyan University and becoming a Licensed Professional Counselor. She has provided clinical services to diverse populations, including at Tarrant County Jail and with Homeland Security (ICE). Stepping into her role as Texas Model Manager at TJJD, Lanaya combines her scientific background and clinical experience to implement evidence-based practices with fidelity. She is committed to creating safe, structured environments where youth can develop life skills, experience meaningful growth, and transform their futures. The Texas Model aligns with her belief in structured, therapeutic approaches that produce lasting change for youth and communities.
Jessica Plata
- Jessica Plata has spent over eight years working with at-risk youth, joining TJJD five years ago as a Parole Officer and EPICS Trainer. After earning her graduate degree in Social Work, she served as a Mental Health Professional at Tamayo Halfway House and later at Evins in both the RDP and IIP programs, completing her clinical hours under supervision and earning her Licensed Clinical Social Worker credential. Guided by the principle, “Be who you needed when you were younger,” Jessica is passionate about supporting youth who have experienced trauma and instability. As Texas Model Manager, she applies her clinical expertise and commitment to nurture, structure, and skillful coaching to help youth succeed, while promoting evidence-based practices and meaningful behavior change aligned with the Texas Model.
Leslie Anaya
- Leslie Anaya, a Brownsville, Texas native, earned her bachelor’s degree from Schreiner University, a master’s in educational administration from Concordia University Texas, and is completing her MSW at Dordt University. A National Board-Certified Exceptional Needs Specialist and former foster parent, Leslie has dedicated her career to supporting youth with exceptional needs. She has served as 2018 ESC Region 15 Teacher of the Year, Education Policy Fellow, and Education Specialist with the Texas Education Agency, contributing to statewide initiatives. At TJJD, she has worked in multiple roles including JCO, Behavior Stabilization Unit Case Manager, and Case Manager Supervisor, and now serves as Texas Model Manager. Committed to trauma-informed practices and high-structure environments, Leslie is passionate about the Texas Model’s ability to transform lives, support staff, and create lasting positive impacts for youth, families, and communities.
Payton Barksdale
- Payton Barksdale serves as the Texas Model Manager at Gainesville State Juvenile Correctional Facility, bringing a strong foundation in human development and social work. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Family and Consumer Sciences–Human Development and Family Studies from Texas State University, where she discovered her passion for building relationships and advocating for at-risk populations. She went on to complete her Master of Social Work, with a final internship at Ayres Halfway House, where she later worked as a Mental Health Professional. In 2025, she transitioned to Gainesville State Juvenile Correctional Facility, continuing her work with youth before stepping into her current leadership role in March 2026. Guided by a long-held message to “believe in you,” Payton is dedicated to ensuring every young person she serves feels supported, valued, and empowered to build a meaningful future.
Valerie Saldierna
- Valerie Saldierna earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in social work from the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, where she was a Presidential Research Fellow and supported research initiatives as a graduate assistant. She joined TJJD at Evins in 2023, quickly becoming the BCA Superuser and leading the rollout of Behavior Chain Analysis while training Case Managers and Mental Health Professionals. Valerie has continued training staff on Texas Model concepts and applied for the TMM position to combine her research, clinical experience, and hands-on work with youth. Passionate about breaking barriers, she has witnessed how the Texas Model transforms youth rehabilitation, fostering cultural shifts and positive outcomes. As a TMM, she is dedicated to supporting staff, empowering youth, and driving meaningful change across TJJD.
Individualized Youth Support
Each youth’s treatment is guided by individualized plans based on their specific risks, needs, and responsivity. Mental health staff identify responsivity issues and skill gaps, and teams work together to help youth practice those skills daily.
Family engagement is also a key part of the model, helping caregivers understand the skills youth are learning and how to support their continued growth during reentry.
How This Will Impact Youth
For youth, the Texas Model means learning how to pause instead of react, how to communicate instead of escalate, and how to handle stress without harming themselves or others.
These are skills designed for real life — at home, in school, at work, and in relationships. The focus is not just on behavior inside TJJD facilities, but on preparing youth for success after they return to their communities.
Reentry planning reinforces DBT and other skills so youth can continue building on what they’ve learned in less structured environments.
“DBT has been proven to help people lead healthier lives. Through better emotional regulation, decision making skills and working towards a “life worth living” youth are able to pro-socially contribute to society. Taking those skills back home creates a better future for them and safer communities for all Texans” Dr. Evan Norton, Deputy Executive Director of Texas Juvenile Justice Department says.
Looking Ahead
Implementing the Texas Model statewide is a long-term effort designed to shift culture and practice over time. Ongoing staff development, coaching, and evaluation are key parts of the process.
TJJD will continue refining the model using data, staff feedback, and youth outcomes to ensure the approach is producing meaningful, lasting change.
Readers can learn more about the Texas Model and TJJD’s rehabilitative programs by visiting the agency’s Texas Model resource page and exploring related videos and interviews with staff and leadership.