The SPEP™ Assessment Score is based on four areas of information: service category, quality of service delivery, amount of service, and risk level of youth served. This pages provides details about each score area.
SPEP™ Scoring Template: This template shows the sections that make up your SPEP™ score, and the total possible points for each section. You can download this form on the SPEP™ Resources page
Service Categories and Amount of Service (aka dosage): The SPEP™ score includes points for the type(s) of service your programs provide, and the number of weeks and hours youth are in the program. This document outlines the number of points each service is eligible for, and the target number of weeks and hours the youth should receive for that service.
Quality of Service Delivery: An important part of your SPEP™ score comes from the Quality of Service section.
Services are scored on 4 areas of quality. These areas include:
- Written protocol
- Staff training
- Staff supervision
- Organizational response to drift
Risk Level of Youth Served: Another main part of the SPEP™ score is the risk level of youth served by your program. The Commonwealth has adopted the “Youth Level of Service”, or YLS, as its measure of youth risk level. Scores are based on the proportion of moderate to high-risk youth participating in your services. Juvenile justice services have been shown to be most effective with higher risk youth, so the SPEP™ awards more points for higher proportions of high-risk youth served. Please note that not all programs are designed or appropriate for high-risk youth, or a mix of youth-risk levels. This document provides a brief overview of the YLS.
Research & Resources
Looking for more information? Check out the SPEP™ Resources page for Research about SPEP™ and additional resources.