The Mi Hermana’s Keeper Toolkit is for service providers, program administrators, researchers, policy analysts, and key stakeholders who are supporting Latina youth in prevention programs that aim to decrease the number of youth being referred to or placed in the juvenile justice system. This promising practices toolkit reflects the mission of Southwest Key Programs, “opening doors to opportunity so individuals can achieve their dreams” as well as the organization’s vision that “every person has an opportunity to thrive in a community that fosters success and social equity.”

The toolkit provides effective culturally responsive practices for prevention programs supporting Latina
youth who are at risk of placement in juvenile detention including recommendations, action steps for each recommendation, and targeted resources. Each recommendation and the corresponding action steps are included in a checklist that prevention programs can use to support direct practice, programming, and system changes. Through community-based participatory research, the toolkit is grounded in the voices of Latina youth, their caregivers, and key community stakeholders.