Probation staff told the LaSalle County Law and Justice Committee that the county currently has 97 active juvenile cases and an administrative juvenile caseload of seven, and outlined how residential treatment placements are being used and managed.

"Current active caseload for juveniles is 97," the probation representative said while presenting October statistics. The county has two juveniles in residential placement — one at Chaddock in Quincy and another at Focus House in Rochelle — and officials said those placements follow a formal evaluation and court order.

Committee members and probation staff described a narrowing set of residential options compared with previous years. The probation representative said there are now "probably less than 8" facilities the county can use and explained that courts order placement after mental-health or psychological assessments recommend residential treatment.

Officials described discharge planning and family reintegration steps used by residential providers, including graduated passes (four-hour, eight-hour, overnight and weekend passes) and family-centered treatment before the youth return home. The probation office emphasized regular communication with facility therapists and site visits to monitor progress.

The committee discussed prevention and family programs. Probation staff and members said local efforts such as the "Parenting with Love and Limits" curriculum were previously used and that COVID disrupted those offerings. The probation office plans to reinitiate parenting cohorts in partnership with the Youth Service Bureau (YSB) in February–March to strengthen parental engagement and early intervention.

Officials also reviewed the redeploy and "second chance" programs administered through the 708 board. Under that structure, subcontractors (including YSB and other providers) deliver therapy and casework; the county submits monthly billings to the Illinois Department of Human Services (DHS) for reimbursement, deposits reimbursement funds with the county treasurer and then pays subcontractors. Probation fees are used for ancillary supports — for example, rental assistance, psychiatric assessments and transportation incentives — but are not interchangeable with redeploy grant funds, staff said.

Local officials said workforce shortages complicate service delivery. They described recent efforts to recruit therapists across the judicial circuit and noted transitions after providers scaled back services in 2023. The probation office said it has hired caseworkers and is coordinating with regional partners (including North Central) to expand clinical access.

The committee did not take formal action on program design at the meeting; members expressed support for continued funding and coordination and encouraged staff to bring funding and program proposals forward.