Frequently Asked Questions

A few core pieces you can use right away. Each one can later turn into parts of real software.

• Discovery Guide — a simple plan for what to ask and what to collect (interviews, forms, lists of data you already have).
  In software: becomes the questions on intake forms, required fields, and import checklists.
• Data Map — a picture of the information we track and how pieces connect (youth, cases, programs, dates).
  In software: becomes database tables, field names, dropdown options, and validation rules.
• Step-by-Step Flows — who does what, in what order, and what happens next (the “road map” for the work).
  In software: becomes screens and buttons in order, task checklists, due dates, and reminders.
• Decision Rules (Policy Rubric) — how to make a call the same way every time, with clear reasons and a place to note exceptions.
  In software: becomes if-this-then-that logic, required notes for overrides, and audit trails.
• Scorecard & Report Templates (KPIs) — which numbers matter, how to calculate them, and example report layouts.
  In software: becomes dashboard charts, weekly/monthly reports, and trend lines (30/90/180/365-day follow-ups).
• Update Plan (Governance) — who keeps things current, how often to review, and how to fix problems we find.
  In software: becomes roles and permissions, change logs, and a regular review schedule.

These are examples. EDORA is modular—add what you need now and grow it as your tools and team grow.

Arkansas at the center, with surrounding states (TX, OK, LA, MS, MO, TN) featured through state briefs, pipelines, and topic articles (detention, diversion, reentry, mental health, education, housing). See Learn → State Briefs and pipelines for structured overviews and source links.

• Arkansas — State Brief: methods-first notes, series breaks around 2018–2019, equity-ready fields, and links into pipelines and data sources.
• Texas — State Brief: cohort alignment, series breaks post-2018, and wiring for fast metrics across large geographies.
• Oklahoma — State Brief: focus on rural access and provider coverage; clear handoffs between county and state; emphasis on plain-language fields for consistent intake.
• Louisiana — State Brief: coordination between courts, community programs, and education services; examples for service matching in multi-parish contexts.
• Mississippi — State Brief: small-n safeguards and de-identification patterns; steady definitions for diversion vs. detention to keep numbers comparable.
• Missouri — State Brief: cross-border considerations with AR/OK; alignment of terms so reports line up (youth, events, time windows).
• Tennessee — State Brief: reentry timelines (30/90/180/365 checks), school re-enrollment notes, and simple KPIs that fit local data systems.

EDORA uses familiar tools as examples so the patterns make sense in real life. Here’s what they are and where they’re used—kept vendor-neutral.

• SAVRY (Structured Assessment of Violence Risk in Youth) — a research-based checklist for youth violence risk and protective factors. Used by many jurisdictions across the U.S.; developed by academic researchers, widely taught in justice settings.
• YLS/CMI (Youth Level of Service / Case Management Inventory) — measures a young person’s needs and risks to guide services and supervision. Originated in Canada; widely adopted in U.S. juvenile systems; published and maintained by specialty assessment publishers.
• RAI / RANA (Risk Assessment Instrument / Risk & Needs Assessment) — local or statewide intake tools that score detention/diversion decisions. Often created or adapted by states/counties; names vary but the idea is the same: quick, consistent intake decisions.
• JCMS — Juvenile Case Management System (Texas). State system used by Texas juvenile departments for case tracking and reporting.
• JOLTS — Juvenile Online Tracking System (Oklahoma). State system for Oklahoma juvenile cases, referrals, placements, and outcomes.
• TFACTS — Tennessee Family and Child Tracking System (Tennessee). State system used for child welfare/juvenile case information in Tennessee.
• Education & Reentry — school supports and return-to-school steps: IEPs (special education plans under federal IDEA law), credit transfer, re-enrollment timelines, and McKinney-Vento services (for students experiencing homelessness). These touch local school districts and state education agencies across the region.

EDORA doesn’t bundle or run these systems. It shows how to map to them—standard field names, clean handoffs, clear decision points, and reporting templates that fit whatever tools you already use.

1. Make a clear picture of what you do today (“map your current state”).
   Write down the steps from intake → decisions → services → reentry. Who does each step? What info do they need? What forms or systems do they touch? EDORA’s Discovery Guide and Data Map give you simple worksheets to fill in.
   In your tools: this can be a Google Doc for steps and roles, plus a spreadsheet listing fields you collect (name, DOB, school, needs, dates, etc.).
2. Turn your decisions into simple rules you can explain.
   A “rubric” is just a checklist for how to decide. Example: “If risk is low and school attendance is steady, suggest diversion; if not, ask for a supervisor review.” If someone makes an exception, have them write why (that’s an “override” note).
   In your tools: a one-page “If this, then that” table in a doc; later, those rules become form logic or validation in your case system.
3. Pick a few numbers to track (“KPIs”) and set a time window.
   KPIs (key performance indicators) are the scores that tell you if things are working. Start simple: “% of youth re-enrolled in school within 30 days,” “% with a first appointment within 7 days,” “% with no new referrals in 90/180/365 days.”
   In your tools: use a spreadsheet or a reporting tool (Excel, Google Sheets, Power BI, Looker) and EDORA’s example formulas/layouts to make a small dashboard.
4. Set a steady review schedule and stick to it.
   “Cadence” just means how often you meet. Do a short monthly check-in: look at the KPIs, check for fairness (are results similar across race, disability, or rural/urban?), find bottlenecks, and write down changes.
   In your tools: a calendar event with a simple agenda, a shared doc for notes, and a change log that says what you updated (rules, forms, fields).
5. Connect your map → rules → numbers.
   Make sure each step in the flow has fields to capture the needed info, and make sure each KPI shows up on a report. If a KPI is missing data, add the field to the form. If a step slows you down, fix the rule or the handoff.
   In your tools: update the spreadsheet of fields, tweak forms, and refresh the report template. Small tweaks each month beat big rewrites once a year.

No new platform required. EDORA is the house plan and scorecard. Your current stack—docs, spreadsheets, case systems, and dashboards—does the work.

We keep the work clear and fair. “Methods” means how we name fields, count things, and check our own work. “Equity checks” means looking to see if different groups of youth are getting the same access and fair results.

• Use the same names for the same data. If two places track the same thing, call it the same name (e.g., “Date of Intake”).
  In your tools: one shared spreadsheet or data dictionary with exact field names and definitions.
• Clean and combine numbers the same way (“normalization”). If data comes from different sources, line it up so it matches (dates, codes, categories).
  In your tools: simple rules in Sheets/Excel (lookups, category maps) or in your database to keep values consistent.
• Handle small groups carefully (“small-n”). When a group has very few youth, don’t publish exact numbers to protect privacy and avoid misleading rates.
  In your tools: show “<10” or combine with a larger group; add a footnote so readers understand.
• Mark breaks in the data. If a rule changed, a form changed, or a system changed, add a note so trends aren’t misread.
  In your tools: a “series break” note on the chart and a line in the changelog with the date and reason.
• Define who’s in the count (“cohort”). Be clear about who you include (e.g., “all youth starting services in 2024”).
  In your tools: a filter you can read in plain English (“start_date in 2024; county in AR/OK border region”).
• Check your own math (“reproducible”). Write down how you calculated a number so someone else can get the same result.
  In your tools: keep formulas in a shared doc; version your files (v0.9, v1.0) so edits are tracked.

Equity checks (fairness)

• Access. Are services offered at the same rate to different groups (race/ethnicity, disability, rural/urban)?
  In your tools: side-by-side percentages by group on a simple chart.
• Outcomes. Do results look similar across groups (school re-enrollment, time to first appointment, new referrals)?
  In your tools: the same KPIs broken out by group (30/90/180/365-day windows).
• Overrides and errors. When staff make exceptions to a rule, write why. Watch for false positives/negatives (e.g., flagged as high risk but did well).
  In your tools: an “override reason” field and a monthly review of a few cases to spot patterns.

EDORA also uses simple follow-up windows (30/90/180/365 days) so you can see short-term progress. Use person-based rates when you want to know “how many youth,” and event-based rates when you want to know “how many times.”

Yes—this is the “A-Ha!” moment. EDORA is the blueprint. Once you have the fields, flows, rules, reports, and roles nailed down, you can build almost any system on top of it for the Mid-South juvenile justice world.

What this can turn into:

• Casework & intake tools — guided forms, checklists, and task queues that follow the step-by-step flows.
• Diversion decision support — “if-this-then-that” rules with clear reasons and a simple place to record exceptions.
• Court & scheduling helpers — hearing dates, reminders, and service appointments tied to the plan steps.
• Provider matching & referrals — map youth needs to local programs, track warm handoffs, and follow up on first visits.
• Education & reentry workflows — school re-enrollment, IEP continuity, credit transfer, and 30/90/180/365-day check-ins.
• Messaging & notifications — plain-language texts/emails for youth and families, built from the same fields and rules.
• Dashboards & scorecards — KPIs and report layouts that show trends and fairness across counties and groups.
• Data exchange & APIs — clean field names and mappings so systems can share data without guesswork.
• Policy & privacy guardrails — example role scopes, audit notes, and small-n protections you can implement in your stack.

In practice, EDORA becomes your reference architecture and acceptance criteria: vendors and builders are measured against your blueprint—field names, flows, rules, reports, and governance. The clearer the blueprint, the better the build.

EDORA is a framework & reference architecture—a playbook of patterns, models, maps, and templates. It guides how to collect information, analyze strengths and gaps, and design humane casework flows. You use the artifacts with your existing tools (docs, spreadsheets, case systems, BI).

When we say framework, we mean: discovery guides, data dictionaries, process maps, decision rubrics, KPI catalogs, reporting templates, and governance patterns—not running features.

• EDORA doesn’t run your day-to-day work. It won’t open cases, schedule appointments, or send reminders.
  Use instead: your case management system or calendar tools. EDORA shows the steps; your tools do the clicking.
• EDORA doesn’t control who can see data (permissions). It models example roles, but it doesn’t enforce access or logins.
  Use instead: your existing system’s permissions. EDORA gives sample “role scopes” to copy.
• EDORA doesn’t host live dashboards. It offers report templates and example charts—not a website you log into.
  Use instead: Excel/Sheets or BI tools (Power BI, Looker, etc.). Plug in EDORA’s layouts and formulas.
• EDORA doesn’t replace your laws or policy. It lines up with policy and cites sources, but policy still rules.
  Use instead: your official policy manual. EDORA maps decisions so they match the rules.
• EDORA doesn’t store your data. It’s a set of documents and templates. Your data stays in your systems.
  Use instead: your databases and secure storage. EDORA gives the field names and definitions.

Think “house plan,” not “house.” EDORA is vendor-neutral and system-agnostic—use it with the tools you already have.

EDORA keeps people safe and data private by showing how to share numbers without exposing anyone. It gives examples and templates; your system enforces the rules.

• De-identification (remove names). Share counts and trends, not full names, addresses, or IDs.
  In your tools: export reports without personal columns; use anonymous IDs if needed.
• Small-n protection (hide very small groups). When a group has only a few youth, don’t show exact numbers so no one can guess who it is.
  In your tools: display “<10” or combine with a larger group; add a footnote.
• k-anonymity thresholds (minimum group size). Set a clear cutoff (for example, “we only show numbers when at least 11 youth are in a group”) so privacy is consistent.
  In your tools: add a rule to your report that hides rows below the cutoff.
• Role scopes (who should see what). EDORA includes example role **scopes** (what each role can access). Your agency sets the binding permissions in your own system.
  In your tools: map the example scopes to your case system’s permissions.
• Explainable decisions (no black boxes). Use clear “if-this-then-that” rules and write a short reason when staff make an exception (an “override”).
  In your tools: add a required “Reason for override” field and include it in audits.

EDORA is a set of documents and templates—no data is hosted or shared by EDORA. You control your data, your systems, and your governance. EDORA simply shows safer ways to report and decide.