Pennsylvania's Juvenile Firesetting Intervention Protocol
The Pennsylvania Intervention Protocol for the Prevention and Mitigation of Juvenile Firesetting is designed as a resource and guide to assist communities and regional
organizations in creating, operating and managing effective Juvenile Firesetter Intervention programs. The protocol is divided into eight major elements that are considered essential
in creating successful programs. They are:
Division One - Juvenile Firesetters and their Families
Division Two - Identification and Screening
Division Three - Juvenile and Family Interview
Division Four - Program Components and Intervention
Division Five - The Optimal Community / Regional Network
Division Six - Program Operations and Management
Division Seven - Program Educational Component
Division Eight - Regional/Local Program Components
A juvenile firesetting intervention program must be part of a community or regionally based network that offers a continuum of care designed to provide a range of intervention services
including prevention, education, immediate treatment, and graduated sanctions, to juveniles and their families. Community and regional juvenile firesetter intervention programs must be
diverse in composition and include multiple disciplines that continually have contact with juveniles. They include: public and private school systems, fire service
professionals, mental health professionals, school social workers and counselors, children and youth social service workers, juvenile justice probation officers, law enforcement and other
like team members. All of these and other like professionals should be part of the planned and coordinated effort to reduce child set fires.
The Pennsylvania Intervention Protocol for the Prevention and Mitigation of Juvenile Firesetting offers a specific set of programmatic tasks that will ensure the delivery of swift
and effective intervention to this at-risk population and their families.