The Somerset County Youth Services Commission, established in accordance with N.J.S.A. 52:17b-169, the law that reformed New Jersey’s juvenile justice system in 1995, was appointed by the Somerset County Board of County Commissioners as the designated planning body for the county's court involved and at-risk youth. The commission is charged with the task of defining this troubled population in order to assess their needs and develop programs and services to meet these needs. This process is accomplished by bringing together leaders from a variety of disciplines and engaging them in a proactive group process to focus on examining the needs of our troubled youth, developing solutions in the service delivery system, sharing the system so that it can be truly effective, and planning for the future to benefit all of our county’s youth.

The Somerset County Youth Services Commission was established in 1981 as part of a pilot project at the state, county, and municipal levels in an effort to improve the juvenile justice system and the provision of services to youth involved with or at risk of involvement with that system. In 1982, the commission formally assumed the status of the Citizens Advisory Committee as required under that year’s Family Court legislation. 

The commission is co-chaired by the Superior Court Judge, who hears Family Court matters, and a County Commissioner. Their active participatory role in the process includes the appointment of committees to study particular issues as well as the designation of commission members to serve on these committees. 

The commission is governed by a set of by-laws and has established a mission statement and governing principles. The commission administers the Juvenile Justice Commission State/Community Partnership, Family Court, and Innovations Grant funding. 

The following standing committees consider the issues set forth by the mission and purpose of the Somerset County Youth Services Commission: 

Needs Assessment and Planning

Develops the comprehensive youth services plan that includes a needs assessment of sanctions and services for juveniles adjudicated or charged as delinquent and of delinquency prevention programs. Submits this plan to the YSC for approval. Analyzes various forms of data pertinent to the target populations of youth and develops recommendations to enhance the service delivery system for these populations of youth and their families.

Proposal Review and Program Monitoring

Reviews proposals from providers seeking to provide sanctions and services and/or delinquency prevention programs. Selects provider agencies and makes recommendations of the same to the YSC and the Board of County Commissioners. Monitors and evaluates provider agencies of sanctions and services for juveniles adjudicated or charged as delinquent and delinquency prevention programs.

Program Development

Develops sanctions and services for juveniles adjudicated or charged as delinquent and delinquency prevention programs for identified service gaps. Receives data from the Needs Assessment/Planning Committee that identifies service enhancement needs to include in the design of a program blueprint. Presents program blueprints to YSC for approval and promulgation to interested service providers. 

Education and Training

Educates and trains professionals who deal with the target populations of youth in state of the art techniques and strategies. Provides workshops on timely issues for parents and caregivers. Informs the community of the nature and extent of juvenile delinquency and delinquency prevention issues. Orients professionals and parents as to the availability and nature of programs and other resources available to youth and their families in Somerset County.

The Somerset County Commission on Child Abuse and Missing Children (CCAMC) was established through the New Jersey Department of Human Services and the Somerset County Board of County Commissioners. The commission addresses the problems of child abuse and missing children through data collection, assessment, program recommendations, education and training, and supports prevention efforts to build healthy families. It hosts an annual forum to recognize Child Abuse Awareness Month every April.

Serving as the local planning body of the state’s Children’s System of Care (CSOC), the Children’s Inter-agency Coordinating Council (CIACC) develops and maintains a responsive, accessible, and integrated system of care for children and youth with emotional and/or behavioral challenges, intellectual and developmental disabilities, and substance use and their families. Collaborative partnerships are established with parents, consumers, educators, and youth-serving agencies. They identify needs and address barriers to effective service delivery, and make appropriate recommendations on programs and policies to ensure a comprehensive system of needed service is maintained within each county. They also participate in ongoing CSOC quality assurance processes.

The CIACC provides a forum in which the system of care can be developed, reviewed, revised, and or redirected through a collaborative decision making process that promotes an optimal service delivery system in the least-restrictive setting possible. CIACC membership includes caregivers, community based organizations, agencies and government entities.

The CIACC also supports the work of the Education Partnership. The CIACC Committee meets regularly and includes representatives from schools countywide, agencies and community based organizations. They focus on how each body can support each other through collaboration. In addition, the Education Partnership provides comprehensive on-site trainings for school districts on how to access services.