COURT SERVICES are provided only to children and families involved in the Juvenile Dependency and/or Juvenile Delinquency Courts.
The Department of Children and Families provides social and mental health services to children and families when child(ren) have been removed from the home. Services are aimed at improving the family environment to make it safe for the child to return home and to determine an alternative permanent placement for the child should reunification efforts fail.
Family reunification efforts are monitored by the Juvenile Dependency Court based upon reports received from mental health and child welfare staff. Reunification efforts are time-limited to avoid prolonging a permanent placement decision for the child(ren). In the event reunification does not occur, a plan for adoption, guardianship or long-term foster care is ordered by the court.
Advocacy for children involved in juvenile dependency court is provided at no charge by the Court Appointed Special Advocates of Fresno County – 559-244-6485.
Mental health services, including crisis intervention, medication management, group and individual therapy, case management and psycho-education are provided at the Juvenile Justice Campus, the Teilman Service Academy and the Elkhorn Correctional Facility. A limited number of youth and their families participate in Functional Family Therapy, aimed at improving overall family functioning to prevent a recurrence of the events that led to detention.
