Programs & Services of the Juvenile Court

The Fairfield County Juvenile Court offers a range of programs grounded in restorative-justice best practices to support youth and families and to reduce further involvement in the juvenile justice system.

Behavioral Health

Licensed social work and mental health professionals within the Juvenile Court's Behavioral Health (BH) team provide mental health and substance abuse assessments for juveniles referred from Court Case Managers and Specialists or by the Judge/Magistrates. When further counseling or treatment is needed, the team refers the youth to the most appropriate community resource or provides short-term in-house counseling.

The BH team is also available for immediate lethality screening and referral when a youth is at risk for suicide or is a threat to others, and provides case consultation services to all Court staff. A Behavioral Health Specialist focused on family engagement works to engage, educate, advocate for, and support parents and caregivers, and facilitates meetings to support family voice and choice.

Resource Center

The Juvenile Court Resource Center (RC) provides a combination of interventions and programs to better serve youth and families, law enforcement, and other community partners. The RC is located in Connexion West, a community center in a former elementary school in Lancaster.

Programs and services include Assessment Services (Community Request for Services and On-Call Services), Reporting Services, Mentoring, Community Service, Workforce Development, and the Youth Subsidized Employment Program. The purpose of the RC is multifaceted:

  • To provide high-risk, Court-involved youth a safe, structured environment to develop skills, connect to community resources, and build positive relationships that improve daily living and reduce further justice-system involvement;
  • To promote public safety through around-the-clock availability to local law enforcement for emergent needs related to juveniles displaying unruly or delinquent behaviors;
  • To use trauma-informed practices that encourage schools, law enforcement, community partners, and families to refer youth for skills development and resources;
  • To assess youth for underlying issues, intervene with safety plans, and provide appropriate services and referrals to behavioral health and community partners;
  • To assist youth exiting detention with their transition back into the community; and
  • To provide mentoring and positive community-engagement opportunities while modeling appropriate social interaction and promoting resiliency.

These skills, outlined in the Fairfield County Juvenile Court Guiding Principles, include Pro-Social skills, Moral Reasoning, Academic / Workforce Development, and Independent Living.

Reporting Services

Reporting Services provides high-risk, Court-involved youth a safe and structured environment to develop skills, connect to community resources, and build positive relationships. Primary goals are to improve daily living and reduce further justice-system involvement, with programming based on cognitive behavioral change and structure.

Originally funded through the Ohio Department of Youth Services, Reporting Services provides intensive supervision plus supportive services addressing the identified needs of referred juveniles. Youth ages 12 through 18 are referred most commonly by Court Services and the Judge/Magistrates, and less frequently by Diversion Services. Eligible youth may be ordered at various stages: pre-adjudication, by the Court at adjudication, or as a condition of probation.

Eligible youth are those who are not a danger to themselves, others, or the property of others; a youth who is a flight risk is not eligible. Programming runs three hours after school Monday through Thursday during the academic year, and 3.5 hours in the afternoon during summer. Transportation is provided to and from the Resource Center, allowing staff to engage youth in meaningful conversation.

A standard referral is for 25 days. Upon completion, youth may return for a 10-day referral to continue skill-building and supervision. Reporting Services may also provide temporary supervision when parents or guardians are unable to do so.

Mentoring

Mentoring provides Court-involved, at-risk youth opportunities to work one-on-one with a screened and trained adult mentor. Studies show that more than 76% of at-risk young adults with a mentor aspire to enroll in and graduate from college, versus 56% of those without a mentor.

The program offers three approaches: one-on-one (a pre-screened adult matched with a youth by shared interests, meeting at least two hours weekly for six months), group (two adults facilitating four to six youth over a six-week period), and team (for example, established youth groups such as the Connexion West Mentor Academy).

Community Service

Court-involved youth participate in community service work through which they may regain community trust, pay restitution, and fulfill obligations while developing new skills and building relationships with adult mentors. Youth complete projects with Court staff at sites throughout Fairfield County and may volunteer independently at partner sites such as Connexion West, Lancaster Parks and Recreation, Habitat for Humanity, local churches, and the Pickerington food pantry.

During the summer, Court staff collaborate with Fairfield County Sheriff's Office School Resource Officers on community projects such as park cleanups, landscaping, and painting. Sites have included Habitat for Humanity ReStore, food pantries, Maywood Mission, Foundation Dinners, local churches, and highway cleanup sites.

Workforce Development Program

In keeping with restorative-justice principles, the Workforce Development (WFD) Program prepares Court-involved youth for the workforce and increases their ability to obtain and retain employment using a five-step approach:

  1. Assessment
  2. Job Readiness Assistance
  3. Individual Job Search
  4. Job Placement
  5. Job Retention

The WFD Coordinator meets with youth and parents to conduct a comprehensive assessment, identify barriers, and determine the level of assistance needed. Youth attend Job Readiness workshops covering interviewing, time management, work habits, attendance, communication, conflict management, workplace relationships, hygiene, and appropriate work attire. The Coordinator also helps youth create resumes, understand job postings and networking, complete applications and employment paperwork, review employer expectations, determine schedules, arrange transportation, balance school and work, and communicate with supervisors. Workplace issues are identified early and addressed to avoid resignation or firing.

Subsidized Youth Employment Program (SYEP)

SYEP provides subsidized wages to at-risk youth while giving employers incentives to provide participants with 120 hours of quality on-the-job training. Youth ages 15 to 18 who have multiple barriers to employability can be placed with public, private, or non-profit employers, with the goal of transitioning into unsubsidized employment.

Participants attend Job Readiness workshops to prepare for placement. Since the program's inception in 2018, Juvenile Court has partnered with TeenWorks, which provides administrative oversight. Funding sources have included the Fairfield County Board of Commissioners, Fairfield County Foundation, Columbus Foundation, and United Way of Fairfield County. The Court's Workforce Development Coordinator maintains consistent contact with employers and youth to monitor progress and provide support services.