Plan in Jeffco would align teen services

By Berny Morson, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Monday, January 21, 2008

Under a recommendation by a University of Colorado sociologist, Jefferson County would have a streamlined system unlike any in the U.S. to help troubled teenagers.

The system would be a single entry point into treatment, both for youths in the juvenile- justice system and others who are not criminally charged.

The idea comes from Delbert Elliott, who runs the Center for the Study and Prevention of Violence at CU.

Elliott, who was brought in about six months ago by Jeffco's Juvenile Services Planning Committee, discussed his ideas last week with county commissioners.

Elliott said the system should operate off one database that can be accessed by the many agencies that work with youths, including schools, police, social service providers and juvenile justice workers.

That way, the different agencies can see what steps already have been taken to help a child, Elliott said.

Elliott described a facility that would have two entrances, one secure for youths who are arrested and another for youths and their parents who come for counseling voluntarily or by referral.

All youths would be given the same battery of assessments, allowing workers to create a database that can be analyzed.

Jefferson County has a juvenile assessment center in Golden. But the system is not as streamlined as the one Elliott is suggesting.

Centers also are operated in Larimer, Adams and Weld counties. Arapahoe and Douglas counties have a joint center.

Juvenile Court Judge Brian Boatright, who heads Jeffco's Juvenile Services Planning Committee, said Elliott's recommendations will be discussed at a retreat by the group's executive committee in the spring.

morsonb@RockyMountainNews.com or 303 954-5209