The Office of Children & Youth accepts all incoming reports of suspected child abuse and neglect, ensures the safety of children residing in the reported household, investigates the validity of reports, and provides services to families dealing with child abuse and neglect issues.
Information & Referral Services
The Office of Children & Youth provides information and referral services to approximately 6,000 county residents each year.This may include phone number and address information for appropriate community-based or public services, or direct brief casework assistance by a Children & Youth staff member.
Case Management Services
Children & Youth staff provide direct casework services to children and families dealing with issues of child abuse and neglect, along with the purchase, coordination, implementation, and evaluation of services for families in need of support.
Adolescent Services
Children & Youth staff provide assessment and casework services to families if a parent contacts the agency with concerns regarding their 10-18 year old child who has committed a specific act or acts of habitual disobedience of the reasonable and lawful commands of his/her parent, guardian or custodian.
Foster Care Services
Most children are served at home and families remain intact.When safety prohibits children from remaining at home, out-of-home placement may be necessary.Children & Youth staff recruit, study, train, and inspect foster homes to ensure the safety of the children residing there.
Permanency Services
In the majority of cases, children remain at home or experience brief out-of-home placement services with the goal of family reunification.In the event the child may not be able to return home, Children & Youth staff are working toward permanency from the first day of placement.Thus, if return home is not achieved in a timely fashion, Children & Youth staff are working concurrently toward adoption, independent living, permanent legal custodianship or another planned permanent arrangement for the child(ren).
Child Abuse & Neglect Educational Services
Children & Youth Staff provide educational meetings to mandated reporters of child abuse and neglect, as well as, attend community forums to increase child abuse and neglect awareness and foster parent recruitment.
