[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6480603,"mediaKeyId","5551281-db72dcb113f0b3f0addba3b2a39d9a93","parentId",5551281,"title","Marathon County reviews youth-justice intake, diversion and restorative programs after Goodwill contract ends","audioSeconds",3184,"startMs",665000,"endMs",3849000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5551281-db72dcb113f0b3f0addba3b2a39d9a93&start=665&end=3849","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5551281-db72dcb113f0b3f0addba3b2a39d9a93/thumbnail_665000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6480603/Marathon-County/Wisconsin/Marathon-County-reviews-youth-justice-intake-diversion-and-restorative-programs-after-Goodwill-contract-ends","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6480603-913053378a63fdb3abc89837d9f73ee5/orig.mp4?Expires=1770435842&Signature=WfVczLiHWI60~ztuO7eAZjnnFD7yqQ5G~vmRdOPtkU0KjMl0j0bSKE6btJJKahWb6hGMdJSqCba8QqJ8mzvpGGSWZDerHe1TNQ18I-AGsrVtcNHiyddXzXGnMT0Zu0Kh3PHZGkwRzQxNDFUOoBncgaZ2KRbcOlBjyO9mtYdKoq9DH6B4UN46E4tRZF7jYOOt-2WTSOJqsHWqJVS1FNsa~2OY0~cW9d0nwZSxOjJQUlS78VSMN4OeJyDkqojo0vr6~~HKHyKruCPK5kWhf73CzYV7sunEwqd3n30hmAEvYf54oI6f6GRRRuJmg3DM2FOK4ZsiyBQIKeYGkko6S1H5mQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Marathon County, WI","date","2025-08-07T06:12:37.063Z","article","Marathon County social services, juvenile-intake staff and sheriff’s detention staff briefed Health and Human Services and Public Safety committee members on youth-justice intake, diversion options and secure detention operations during a joint session.

Krista Jensen, Marathon County director, introduced the presentation and said county staff wanted committee members to learn “what Marathon County is currently doing” on youth justice and prevention. Becky Bogan, youth justice supervisor, and intake worker Greg Jen described the county’s intake process, diversion tools and the Youth Opportunity Center (YOC).

Bogan said Marathon County has used the Youth Assessment and Screening Instrument (YASI) since February 2019 to measure a youth’s risk to reoffend and assess protective factors, and that the assessment is one input among social-worker judgment and school and family information. “If a youth is low risk, we should really take a hands off approach with those kids,” Bogan said, summarizing the state guidance to avoid widening the net for low-risk youth.

Staff presented referral statistics: 385 total referrals in 2023; a 14% reduction in 2024; and a 9% increase to date in 2025. Disorderly conduct was the most common referral in all years; possession of THC grew in 2024 and remains a frequent charge in 2025. Bogan and Jen said, of the youth who completed a disorderly-conduct diversion cohort they tracked, about 97% had either a mental-health diagnosis or prior Child Protective Services involvement.

Presenters described diversion tools: counsel-and-release intakes, deferred prosecution agreements (DPAs) that set conditions and may be dismissed if complied with, online education, THC- and sexting-diversion programs, and school-based referrals such as truancy diversion. Greg Jen said DPAs are often used for first- or second-time, lower-level referrals; the district attorney’s office reviews county recommendations and can override them.

Jensen and Bogan explained the county’s restorative justice contract with Goodwill ended late in 2024 because Goodwill determined the program “no longer fit with their philosophy.” The Wausau Police Department has implemented a restorative justice program for many first-time, nonviolent offenses; the program includes a four-hour Saturday course, court-ordered community service and monthly check-ins with a school resource officer.

Staff highlighted the Youth Opportunity Center, which marked its one-year anniversary in June. The YOC is funded in part by a Wisconsin Department of Children and Families (DCF) grant that will expire at the end of the year; staff said there is money in the county budget to continue operations in the short term but the grant expiration will require planning.

Committee members and administrators raised questions about whether diversion programs are reducing longer-term involvement in the justice system. County Administrator Leonard said the county is building data capacity and has a data officer working across programs to define key performance indicators — measuring activity, performance and impact — but that social services and criminal justice data sources are still being integrated.

Representatives from the sheriff’s secure-detention unit described intake procedures for youth placed in secure attention and said any new resident not adjudicated would meet with social services and appear before the court the next day. Committee members asked about alcohol versus THC trends, peer-to-peer supports and school-based interventions; staff pointed to the school-based counseling consortium and Mirror Image truancy program as preventive resources.

No formal committee action was taken on policy changes during the presentation; committee members requested follow-up information on program outcomes and metrics.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Marathon County Joint Health & Human Services & Public Safety Committee Meeting - 8/6/2025","oneSentenceSummary","Health and Human Services and Public Safety committees heard a presentation on youth-justice intake, diversion tools, the Youth Opportunity Center and alternatives after the county’s restorative justice contract with Goodwill ended; staff described program statistics and gaps and said they are building data capability to measure outcomes.","taxTitle","Marathon County, Wisconsin","taxId",4560,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6480608,"Marathon County HHS committee directs staff to include homelessness project manager in 2026 budget",143,222000,365000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5551281-db72dcb113f0b3f0addba3b2a39d9a93&start=222&end=365","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5551281-db72dcb113f0b3f0addba3b2a39d9a93/thumbnail_222000.jpg","/articles/6480608/Marathon-County/Wisconsin/Marathon-County-HHS-committee-directs-staff-to-include-homelessness-project-manager-in-2026-budget","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6480608-e11f9b7703eb4bd589329b4943f8571a/orig.mp4?Expires=1770435842&Signature=esehkukXsu5UtLzeYMAXpYmts6ekYl7jh2qeYE2YeTm9bEyDo0POsTUsAjBLeORSkGKC80vTpRYg7bhEEudHFMBudQNrq5yLNR1uGPV4jzx43AiZ0mtXdpzk2GxYHfBubnKTEQFEc6UsylEyqoag1n-~JlFmXr1DZUAxLFtPyoWv7zeLsR8Ik4Aop3rn9CZzckFCKYiNixv~EATSZ-ZwEF~4QQ0rMLaKD4FeebFRCDOZ9vsE4JQrum2xwvlKb2rOhYCKLuMGXdlI0M9TLRTOUxHaqaRStjfHgTPbcgNZrKxtDOob2BWShIHzOgIwFhI9zTwpIQYcxgDPRq70UKaR9Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Marathon County Health and Human Services committee voted to include a project management position focused on homelessness coordination in the 2026 county budget. Supervisor Cabeli moved the motion during the committee meeting; the motion was seconded and carried, with two members recorded as voting no.

County Administrator Leonard told the committee the motion would align with task-force recommendations and the county’s intent to adapt the Pathways Home model used in La Crosse. Leonard said the county does not currently have “a position dedicated to that work” and that adding a project manager to the budget would allow staff to “tailor” the La Crosse model to Marathon County and coordinate work with the City of Wausau.

The recommendation came during a larger conversation about 2026 budget assumptions and program fees. Administrator Leonard said Marathon County is finalizing numbers to implement a board-directed wage study, and that pay scales likely “need to move about 10%.” He estimated implementing wage adjustments would increase costs “in the neighborhood of 7.6 to 7.9%” and that a blended rate including health-insurance and other increases could be nearer 10%.

Supervisor Lemmer asked whether a project manager role was still under consideration; Leonard replied that the role was not yet funded but that the committee’s direction would place it in the budget. Supervisor Cabeli then moved to incorporate a homelessness project management position into the 2026 budget; Cabeli framed the motion as funding a position “for homelessness.” After brief discussion, the committee approved the motion; meeting records show two committee members opposed the action.

The committee did not specify a salary or full cost estimate for the position during the meeting. Leonard said staff would build the position into the budget development process and return with implementation details, including how the county would coordinate with the City of Wausau and local partners.

Committee members and staff positioned the motion as an early policy direction to allow planning and budgeting work this fall. The item will be incorporated into the county’s 2026 budget proposal and will next be considered through the usual budget review and county board processes.","The Health and Human Services committee voted to include a dedicated project management position for homelessness coordination in the 2026 budget after administration recommended adopting the La Crosse Pathways Home model; the motion passed with two committee members opposing.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Marathon County reviews youth-justice intake, diversion and restorative programs after Goodwill contract ends

Marathon County HHS committee directs staff to include homelessness project manager in 2026 budget