Deputy Secretary of Community Services for the Department of Juvenile Services presented the Thrive Academy, an intensive case management program launched in 2023 that pairs young people under active probation or aftercare with life coaches described as "credible messengers." The presentation was given to the Prince George's County Council Gun Violence Work Group during a public meeting.

DJS described the program as targeting youth identified as at highest risk of involvement in gun violence, either as victims or offenders, and said the model combines near‑term intervention, prevention work and community transformation. The deputy secretary said, "Thrive Academy is an initiative that we started in 2023, using as a new case management model using life coaches who are credible messengers." She added that the model emphasizes daily contact, in‑person interventions and a paired structure in which DJS case managers work alongside credible messengers.

The program is voluntary for eligible youth under active DJS supervision. The deputy secretary said referrals come from law enforcement, the state’s attorney, the courts and community members; partner organizations begin outreach within 48 hours of an accepted referral. She said the program provides a "suitcase of supports" including stipends for participation, assistance with education (DJS said it will pay a participant's first semester tuition on graduation from school), trauma‑informed therapy, workforce training and, in some cases, relocation assistance when returning home would pose a safety risk.

DJS cited early outcomes for the program overall (across multiple counties): 165 youth served since September 2023; roughly 3 percent were victims of nonfatal shootings, no enrolled youth were homicide victims, and about 19 percent were arrested for handgun possession or use while enrolled. The department said 78 percent of active participants were enrolled in traditional school, 16 percent had graduated or completed a GED, 9 percent were in vocational programs and 24 percent were employed. The deputy secretary told the work group that in Prince George's County specifically, 39 youth had been served as of February and the participants were predominantly male youth of color, most ages 16 to 18.

DJS said capacity in Prince George's County is set to increase: a second provider will begin work July 1, and the county should have capacity for up to 50 youth in the coming fiscal year. The deputy secretary described credible messengers as "the heartbeat of the program," people with lived experience who provide mentoring, mediation and rapid outreach during crises (for example, the presentation included an example of a credible messenger staying on the phone with a young person during an incident night to reduce the risk of immediate violence).

Work group members asked about referral pathways, the relative lack of female referrals, and whether schools are formally partnered to identify candidates. The deputy secretary said fewer girls have been referred and that DJS is working to improve routine coordination with law enforcement and with schools in high‑violence neighborhoods; she said Baltimore City has an example of school coordination that the department hopes to replicate in targeted Prince George's County neighborhoods.

The presentation closed with DJS staff noting how Thrive services are paused if a youth is rearrested or placed in custody but that credible messengers remain in contact during inactivity so relationships are not severed. The deputy secretary said alumni receive reduced supports over time and that some alumni are being trained for workforce roles to become peer leaders for current Thrive participants.

DJS named partner organizations and resources: the National Institute for Criminal Justice Reform (NICJR) as a consultant on the risk analysis, the Annie E. Casey Foundation for technical input, the credible‑messenger network CM3, and a local contract with Jacob's Ladder to deliver services in Prince George's County.

Meeting materials and slides were made available to work group members and will be posted publicly on the County Council website.

The work group moved on to discussion of policy recommendations after the presentation.