BECCA Services
Office of Juvenile Court
Juvenile Court is comprised of the following services.
The At-Risk Youth Court Program is the process of seeking Court intervention to address problems with running away, substance abuse, or behavior beyond the parents' control that endangers the health, safety, or welfare of the youth or another person.
Parents initiate this process by filing a petition. This may result in Court intervention and eventual confinement if a youth is found to be in contempt of the Court's efforts to remedy the behavior that makes the youth at risk. The goal of this program is not to confine youth but to eliminate and/or treat the at risk behavior.
Truancy
The Truancy Court Program is the process of seeking Court intervention to address school truancy issues. School Districts initiate this process by filing a petition.
This may result in Court intervention and eventual confinement if a youth is found to be in contempt of the Court's efforts to remedy the truancy issues.
Child in Need of Services (CHINS)
The Child in Need of Services (CHINS) Court Program is the process of seeking Court intervention to address problems with running away, and substance abuse and/or behavior beyond the parents' control that endangers the health, safety, or welfare of the youth or another person.
Another basis for filing a CHINS Petition is when the youth is in need of necessary services but either lacks access to or declines to use such services. A parent, child, or the Department of Children, Youth and Families (DCYF) may initiate this process by filing a petition.
This may result in Court intervention and eventual confinement if a youth is found to be in contempt of the Court's efforts to remedy the behavior that makes the youth in need of services. The goal of this program is not to confine youth but to eliminate and/or treat the at risk behavior.
A primary difference between ARY and CHINS is that CHINS involves seeking an out of home placement. ARY is designed to assist parents while the youth continues to reside in the home.
