Community Juvenile Services

Wyo. Stat. Ann. tit. 14, ch. 9
in effect

Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 14-9-102 Purpose.

(a) The purpose and intent of this act is to: (i) Establish, maintain and promote the development of juvenile services in communities of the state aimed at allowing early identification and diversion of children at risk of entry into the juvenile court system and preventing juvenile delinquency; and (ii) Allow decisions regarding juvenile services to be made at the local level.

Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 14-9-103 Definitions.

(a) As used in this act: (i) "Account" means the community juvenile services block grant account created by this act; (ii) "Community board" means a community juvenile services board providing juvenile services under this act; (iii) "Department" means the department of family services; (iv) "Juvenile services" means programs or services provided to children at risk of coming under the jurisdiction of the juvenile court. Programs or services may include: (A) Needs screening and evaluation; (B) Treatment planning and follow-up; (C) Case management; (D) Family preservation services; (E) Mental health treatment; (F) Substance abuse treatment; (G) Mentor and tracker services; (H) Community service and restitution programs; (J) Out-of-home placement; (K) Remedial education services; (M) Pretrial diversion programs and graduated sanctions. (v) Repealed By Laws 2008, Ch. 57, § 2. (vi) Repealed By Laws 2008, Ch. 57, § 2. (vii) "Advisory board" means a board established by a board of county commissioners which meets the requirements of W.S. 14-9-105(b); (viii) "This act" means W.S. 14-9-101 through 14-9-108.

Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 14-9-104 Account created.

There is created the juvenile services block grant account into which shall be deposited all funds appropriated by the legislature for the purposes of this act.

Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 14-9-105 Community juvenile services boards; advisory boards.

(a) A county may, in accordance with the Wyoming Joint Powers Act, enter into an agreement with one (1) or more counties, any or all cities within the county or counties, and any or all school districts within the county or counties, to form a joint powers board or, by an agreement among the entities specified in this subsection, to serve as a community juvenile services board under this act. Any board formed under this subsection shall comply with the requirements specified in W.S. 16-1-105. The board formed under this subsection shall include, at a minimum, representation from five (5) of the following entities within the jurisdictional boundaries of the community juvenile services board: (i) A representative of local field offices of the department of family services; (ii) A representative of local public health; (iii) A representative from the local school districts; (iv) A representative from prosecuting attorneys' offices; (v) A representative from local police departments and sheriff's offices; (vi) Representatives from the boards of county commissioners; (vii) A representative from a local or regional mental health or substance abuse provider; (viii) A representative from the public defender's office; (ix) Any other professional the board of county commissioners or joint powers board may appoint, who has particular knowledge or expertise in children or young adult services. (b) As an alternative to a community board, the county commissioners of a county may form a juvenile services advisory board. In forming an advisory board the county commissioners shall include representation from at least five (5) of the entities specified in subsection (a) of this section.

Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 14-9-106 Community board powers; requirements of boards and counties.

(a) A community board may: (i) Receive funds from any source; (ii) Employ staff using any available funds; (iii) Expend funds to provide directly, or to contract for, juvenile services. (b) Subject to this act, a community board or a board of county commissioners which has appointed an advisory board in accordance with W.S. 14-9-105(b) shall: (i) Review existing community juvenile services within its jurisdiction; (ii) Develop a community juvenile services strategic plan to accomplish the following purposes: (A) Use of a uniform screening instrument; (B) Assessments of referred children by licensed professionals who may include medical, mental health, social service and educational personnel; (C) Procedures to facilitate referrals of youth and families of youth needing services by: (I) School districts; (II) Law enforcement; (III) Licensed mental health care providers; (IV) Licensed health care providers; (V) A court; (VI) The department of family services; (VII) Community youth organizations; (VIII) Families of youth needing services; (IX) Self-referred youth. (D) Periodic review of the strategic plan. (iii) Repealed By Laws 2013, Ch. 20, § 2. (iv) Repealed By Laws 2013, Ch. 20, § 2. (v) Repealed By Laws 2008, Ch. 57, § 2. (c) A juvenile services advisory board shall provide advice to the board of county commissioners concerning the availability and need for juvenile services within the county and the expenditure of any funds received by the county pursuant to this act. The advisory board may also assist the board of county commissioners, or the appropriate county official as directed by the county commissioners, in preparing the strategic plan required by this section and the grant application required under W.S. 14-9-108. (d) The community board shall not provide any services to any child without first obtaining written consent from the child's parent or guardian unless participation in the program or service offered by the community board is a condition of court ordered probation or suspension of sentence. A court of limited jurisdiction may authorize the community board to provide services to a child if, after a hearing, the court finds that the child's parent or guardian unreasonably refused to provide written consent for the child to receive services.

Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 14-9-107 Administration of block grant program; powers of department of family services.

(a) Subject to the availability of funds, the department of family services in cooperation with the department of health and education shall administer a community juvenile services block grant program to assist communities to develop and maintain juvenile services. (b) The departments of education, family services and health shall promulgate reasonable rules and regulations necessary to carry out the purposes of this act including rules relating to: (i) Grant application procedures; (ii) Grant eligibility; (iii) Procedures for distributing block grants; (iv) Research based strategies; (v) Graduated sanctions and intervention levels for all juveniles.

Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 14-9-108 Grant eligibility; allocation of funds.

(a) To qualify for a grant under this act, an applicant shall: (i) Be created as a community board as provided by W.S. 14-9-105 or be a board of county commissioners which has appointed an advisory board in accordance with W.S. 14-9-105(b); (ii) Submit a grant application; (iii) Receive certification from the department of family services that the strategic plan developed by the community board or county addresses the purposes of this act; (iv) Develop a system for: (A) Central intake and assessment of juveniles with an initial point of contact established within the community; (B) The development or adoption of criteria for juvenile diversion, short-term detention and longer-term shelter care services, including standards for assessments, admissions, twenty-four (24) hour intakes, predispositional detentions and shelter care standards; (C) The development of a continuum of nonsecure services, including early intervention, diversion, community service and other sanctions which may include citations, counseling, parenting education, day treatment and aftercare following twenty-four (24) hour placements; and (D) The identification of other funding sources for local juvenile services. (b) Repealed By Laws 1998, ch. 8, § 2. (c) For grants awarded to community boards, services for juveniles under this section shall be paid cooperatively by the departments of family services, health and education to the providers of those services. For grants awarded to counties acting with an advisory board, services shall be paid by the county from grant funds provided to the county. (d) Systems approved by the department under this section shall provide for confidential proceedings and records.
Source: WY Statutes (Official Site)URL: https://wyoleg.gov/statutes/compress/title14.pdfFetched: 10/4/2026