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Bridging the Gap: The Family Navigator Model as a Catalyst for Trust, Access, and Partnership
SESSION INFO
Tuesday, August 18, 2026
3:15 PM - 4:45 PM
Session Type: Workshop
For many youth and families, walking into a courthouse is overwhelming, confusing, and often intimidating. What if their first point of contact was not the system—but a trusted guide with lived experience? This session highlights Cook County Juvenile Probation’s innovative Family Navigator model, a relationship-centered approach designed to support youth and families from the moment they enter the court building. Family Navigators—individuals with lived and learned experience—serve as trusted partners who help families understand the process, reduce fear, and build meaningful connections with probation and court stakeholders. This role goes beyond navigation; it creates a bridge between systems and communities, fostering trust, improving engagement, and centering the voices of those most impacted. Participants will explore how this model strengthens outcomes by humanizing the court experience, enhancing communication, and reinforcing a trauma-informed, equity-centered approach to juvenile justice. This interactive session provides practical tools to replicate or adapt the Family Navigator model in other jurisdictions.
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SESSION PRESENTERS
Aaliyah Phillips
Family Navigator, Cook County Juvenile Probation and Court Services
Aaliyah Phillips is a Family Navigator with the Cook County Juvenile Probation Department, supporting justice-involved youth and families through advocacy, resource navigation, and relationship-centered engagement. With over 10 years of experience in youth development, community organizing, and restorative justice, she brings both professional and lived experience to her work. Aaliyah is known for her trauma-informed, healing-centered approach and her ability to build strong partnerships across courts, schools, and community organizations. She is passionate about strengthening family systems and advancing more equitable, responsive, and transformative approaches within juvenile justice.
Melissa Spooner
Interim Director, Cook County Juvenile Probation and Court Services
With a passion for facilitating positive change within the juvenile legal systems, Melissa Spooner is a dedicated expert in cognitive behavioral interventions, risk assessment, case management and gender responsive programming. Over the course of 27 years, Melissa has amassed a wealth of experience within Cook County Juvenile Probation and Court Services, undertaking a variety of roles that span the spectrum of responsibilities and encompass interactions with staff at all organizational tiers. Melissa has successfully implemented specialized training curriculum and programs aimed at equipping probation officers and related personnel with the essential tools to address barriers young people face. With this extensive background, Melissa has ascended to a Section Chief Probation Officer which is an Executive-level position within Juvenile Probation. Melissa’s experience spans direct engagement with young individuals in the community, supervising teams responsible for assisting adjudicated youth, implementing specialized programs, alternatives to detention, probation transformation, data, research and policy. Melissa creates opportunities within the juvenile system to build relationships with stakeholders and provide guidance to help youth and families to navigate challenges. As a seasoned educator, Melissa holds a dual Bachelor’s degree in both Psychology and Criminal Justice and a Masters of Art in Administration of Justice. Melissa’s engaging instructional style involves clear communication, dynamic visual aids, and hands-on activities, ensuring participants remain actively involved and eager to learn. Whether face-to-face or online, Melissa prioritizes creating a collaborative and stimulating environment that empowers individuals to grasp new skills effectively while enjoying the process.
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