Frequent Questions

Juvenile Placement

What/who determines where juveniles are placed?

Placement is guided by the standardized intake process Youth Level of Service/Case Management Inventory (YLS CMI 2.0), medical necessity and managed by the Director of Juvenile Services.

What options does the DOC have on where to place a youth committed to them?

There are a number of options in which to place a youth committed to the DOC. They include placement with the Department of Human Services, in foster care, in a community based program or service, or in private care facilities.

What happens when a youth is placed in one of the programs?

Each youth placed in an out-of home program is provided a treatment plan.

Parents, the committing judge and the Juvenile Corrections Agents (JCA) receive monthly reports on the youth's progress toward meeting their treatment plan goals. The progress reports include areas of progress, areas needing improvement, medical issues, mental health issues and education progress and status.

JCA’s participate in monthly treatment team meetings to include the youth, placement staff, and the family whenever possible. The JCA reviews the youth’s progress on treatment plan goals and evaluates the effectiveness of the services based on results of the risk/needs assessment. This is accomplished utilizing the staffing process as well as monthly contact with the youth and his/her family. That contact may be telephonic, written, or in-person. The JCA makes a written recommendation if they support reauthorization of services or if referral to a less restrictive treatment alternative or home will be pursued.

Can a youth committed to the DOC be sent to more than one program?

Yes. Depending on their programming and treatment needs, youth could take part in more than one program.

What happens when a youth completes their programming/treatment?

They could be discharged from the DOC or return home and be placed on aftercare supervision or placed in another setting.

What happens if a youth completes their DOC programming but their home environment isn't appropriate to return to?

They could be placed in a secondary placement, in a DOC foster care home or other foster care program, or in an independent living program, where they live on their own while holding a job or furthering their education or another appropriate alternative such as placement at Job Corps.