Congratulations on another productive year! It has been an immense honor and pleasure to serve as the Chair of the Interstate Commission for Juveniles for the past year. I am grateful for the opportunity to work alongside an outstanding group of professionals with an unwavering commitment to the goals and objectives of the Interstate Compact for Juveniles. Despite the profound impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and unprecedented staffing challenges, you worked diligently throughout the year to ensure the welfare and protection of ICJ youth, their families, and communities.

To ensure that all ICJ juveniles and families are safe, secure, and treated equitably, the Commission focused on four strategic priorities this year:

1. Improving UNITY Data System for better outcomes;

2. Promoting leadership development and racial justice;

3. Addressing gaps in ICJ Rules and resources; and

4. Leveraging relations to promote awareness and improve outcomes.

Information about significant advances made is provided throughout this report. You will also find a detailed outline of new initiatives developed by the Executive Committee to advance these priorities over the course of the next three years.

The report also provides information about Commission operations, interstate juvenile annual data, and highlights the collective accomplishments of the ICJ Offices and Commission leaders. It was a pleasure watching the Commission evolve as we tackled goals that forced us to stretch and position ourselves for a paradigm shift in the ICJ Rules, technology, and our overall approach to the Compact. We have made tremendous strides, but there is still work to do.

As I conclude my term as Commission Chair, I do so with a sense of pride and gratitude because we have demonstrated that we can and will succeed, even in the face of unparalleled times. As we embark on a new year, let’s continue to stretch and inspire each other to carry this work forward nationally and locally as servant leaders committed to equity and racial justice.

Thank you for the opportunity to serve as Commission Chair.

Sincerely,

/s/ Tasha M. Hunt, Commission Chairperson