Children & Youth

This Health and Human Services Unit provides services to children, youth, and families. The two primary functions of the unit are to assure the safety and well-being of children and to promote responsibility and accountability in juvenile offenders. The also complete court order home studies and stepparent adoptions.
  
In addition to these services, this unit also licenses foster homes for children and kinship homes, and provides family skills.
  

Child Protection
Child Protection Services provides assessments, and ongoing services for children who are in need of protection and services. Child welfare intervention is sometimes needed to assist families in stressful / manageable situations.

Additional Programs & Tasks
  1. Juvenile Justice holds juveniles accountable and protects the community. Juvenile Intake provides intake and monitors dispositional orders for the Court for delinquency and truancy as well as for other status offenders.
  2. Substitute Care makes recommendations to court for placements in alternate care facilities / foster homes / correctional facilities due to safety issues within the family, special needs of the child, or for community safety. Permanency planning is conducted to ensure that a child is reunified with their family or that the child quickly attains long-term stability.
  3. Coordinated Services Team (CST) consists of a family support team including informal and formal individuals such as relatives, friends, neighbors, therapists, school personnel and social workers. The team supports the child, family and each other throughout the process. Both planning and interventions rest on the combined skills and flexible resources of this diversified, committed group of individuals.
  4. Growing Incredible Families Together (GIFT) is available to first time parents.
If you are interested in becoming a foster home, or have questions about foster parenting, contact the Foster Care Coordinator at 715-339-2158. If you need an interpreter or special accommodations, please contact the agency so arrangements can be made in advance.