Youth Services Advisory Council

Meetings

  • 12:30 p.m.
  • 3rd Tuesday of each month
  • Freeholders’ Conference Room
    County Administration Building
    49 Rancocas Road
    Mount Holly, NJ 08060

Members

Membership includes representation from a variety of sources:

  • Juvenile Judge of Family Court
  • County Administrator
  • County Prosecutor
  • Other local representatives from social service, police, mental health, and youth providers

About the Council

The goal of the Workforce Investment Board's Youth Council is to create a unified youth service delivery system allowing eligible youth to receive the services they need to become prepared for both academic and employment success.

The council strives to plan and implement community based services and advocacy to reduce juvenile delinquency and improve the juvenile justice system. The council is also designated to administer the State / Community Partnership Family Court Grant Program and develop a comprehensive plan for services and sanctions for juveniles adjudicated delinquent, as well as programs for the prevention of juvenile delinquency.

The council was established in 1986 per N.J.A.C. 13: 90-2.3.

Committees

  • Youth Services Advisory Council Planning (YSAC)
    • Meeting dates:
      • 11 a.m.
      • 2nd Thursday each month
      • Freeholders’ Conference Room
        County Administration Building
        49 Rancocas Road
        Mount Holly, NJ 08060
    • Membership: Various YSAC members
    • Purpose: To ensure that the YSAC conducts all required planning as per state direction
    • Established: 1986
  • Allocations
    • Meeting dates: As needed
    • Membership: Various YSAC members
    • Purpose: Review RFPs and make funding recommendations; monitor existing contracts
    • Established: 1986

Program Highlights

The Division of Behavioral Health and Youth Services routinely fields inquiries for an array of different needs presented by the citizens of Burlington County. These range from dealing with mental illness issues, substance abuse matters, disability issues, need for day care, etc. All calls handled start with accessing the problem, understanding the need and making a referral to the proper provider agency. This I&R is provided Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

YSAC

The Burlington County YSAC oversees the State Community Partnership / Family Court / Juvenile Accountability Block Grant (JABG) funds. This grant provides a variety of services for court involved youth or youth at risk of court involvement. Services include, but are not limited to:

  • Sheriff’s Youth Development Camp, a diversion program for first time offenders
  • Family Crisis Intervention Unit (FCIU)
  • Striving to Overcome Adversity and Taking Responsibility (SOAR) program, which has 3 components: Intensive Case Management services, Life Skills, and an Intensive Supervision program
  • County Juvenile Detention Center In-House Behavioral Health and Substance Abuse program
  • Sex Offender Treatment Program

The YSAC also coordinates the provision of fire setter and sex offender evaluations as needed.

The YSAC administers and monitors the Host Home beds program for juveniles in crisis who can not return home.

Juvenile Detention Alternative Initiative

In 2007, the Juvenile Detention Alternative Initiative (JDAI) was launched in Burlington County. The objectives of JDAI are to:

  • Improve conditions of confinement
  • Minimize the number of youth who fail to appear in court or re-offend pending adjudication
  • Redirect public funds toward successful reform strategies
  • Reduce the number of children unnecessarily or inappropriately detained