We are the Wisconsin Juvenile Court Intake Workers Association, an association of juvenile justice professionals founded in 1979. Our members provide intake and dispositional services to juvenile courts throughout the state of Wisconsin. They are involved in the development of policy as well as its implementation. They fill a pivotal role in juvenile justice in the state.
About
OUR GOALS
Statements of Philosophy
CORPORATE BY-LAWS
COMMITTEES
BOARD OF DIRECTORS & ELECTION INFO
Our GOALS
To represent the interests of all of the juvenile court intake workers involved in the child welfare and juvenile justice systems.
To provide professional and educational standards for juvenile court intake workers.
To disseminate relevant information to juvenile court intake workers and other professionals concerned with the child welfare and juvenile justice systems.
To solicit input from the membership on issues pertaining to the child welfare and juvenile justice systems.
To address the information and input received from juvenile court intake workers and other professionals concerned with the child welfare and juvenile justice systems.
To review and monitor proposed legislative changes to the child welfare and juvenile justice systems.
To provide information to the membership and other juvenile justice professionals on proposed legislation and on the development of public policy.
To coordinate and provide training for juvenile court intake workers.
To continuously evaluate and upgrade the training provided to juvenile court intake workers.
To provide assistance to child welfare and juvenile justice professionals in the development of written court policies.
To pursue uniformity of the child welfare and juvenile justice systems while recognizing the uniqueness of each county.
CORPORATE
BY-LAWS
Corporate By-laws
Article I. Name and Purpose
1.1 Name. The name of the corporation shall be the Wisconsin Juvenile Court Intake Association, Inc.
1.2 Purpose. The corporation has been organized to operate exclusively for charitable and educational purpose, including but not limited to:
a. Assisting juvenile court intake workers in Wisconsin by providing relevant information and training as well as opportunities for members to share information among themselves.
b. Bring together juvenile court intake workers to discuss common problems and to develop effective resolutions to these problems.
c. Keeping members informed of social and legal developments in juvenile justice and related areas.
d. Providing information to the general public on the role and responsibilities of the juvenile court intake worker.
e. Providing uniform input on matters which directly affect juvenile court intake workers and the juvenile justice and related systems in Wisconsin.
f. Acknowledging our common interest with other agencies, organizations, institutions and individuals concerned with youth and the welfare of the community.
g. Encouraging the application of the highest ethical standards of our profession.
Article II. Membership
2.1 Type. Members of this Association shall consist of Active and Associate who have paid the established membership fee or who have had such fee waived by the Board of Directors, and who support the purposes for which the association is formed.
2.2 Active Membership. The Active Membership of the Association shall consist of persons who perform in whole or in part any of the duties of a juvenile court intake worker as defined in s.48.067 and/or 938.067, Wisconsin Statutes.
2.3 Associate Membership. All persons who are engaged in whole or in part in any aspect of work within Wisconsin's juvenile justice, social services, mental health or educational systems, and who are not eligible for active membership are eligible to become Associate members. They shall in all respects be entitled to the same rights and privileges as Active Members, except that they shall not be entitled to election to the offices of President, President-Elect, Secretary or Treasurer.
2.4 Term. Membership shall issue from the start of an annual meeting and expire at the start of the subsequent annual meeting. All memberships are subject to renewal at annual meetings.
2.5 Fee. The Board of Directors is empowered to establish by resolution membership fees.
2.6 Privileges. Voting and privileges of the floor at any meeting shall be limited to members. The President, at his/her discretion, may recognize and extend to non-members the opportunity to address the Association.
Article III. Board of Directors
3.1 General Powers and Duties. The Board of Directors shall be the governing body of the corporation and shall manage and direct the affairs and property of the corporation.
3.2 Initial Board of Directors. The initial Board of Directors shall have sixteen (16) members and shall be named in the Articles of Incorporation.
3.3 Composition of the Board of Directors. The number of members constituting the entire Board of Directors shall be fixed from time-to-time by resolution of the Board of Directors, but shall not be more than twenty-one (21) nor less than nine (9). The Board shall by resolution set the number of associate Members who may serve on the Board of Directors.
3.4 Election and Term of Office. Except for the initial Board of Directors, each Director with the exception of the President-Elect, shall be elected by the members at the annual meeting for a term expiring at the subsequent annual meeting.
3.5 Vacancies. Any vacancy occurring in the Board of Directors may be filled until the next annual meeting by the affirmative vote of a majority of the then members of the Board of Directors.
3.6 Removal. Any director may be removed at any special or regular meeting by two-thirds (2/3) vote of the entire membership. If any Director fails to attend three (3) meetings of the Board in the term of office without an excuse by the President, that Director may be removed by the affirmative vote of a majority of the then members of the Board present and voting.
3.7 Resignation. A member of the Board of Directors may resign from the Board at any time by giving notice in writing thereof to the President.
3.8 Nominations. Nominations for the Board of Directors shall be solicited from the general membership at least four weeks prior to the annual meeting. These nominations shall be presented to the membership for voting at the annual meeting. Nominations will be accepted from the floor up until the time of elections provided the nominee is present or has previously consented to his or her name being placed in nomination.
3.9 Election. Should the number of nominations be less than or equal to the number currently fixed by resolution under Article III (3.3), there will not be any voting. The nominees and the president-elect will form the Board of Directors. The election at the annual meeting shall be conducted by the Secretary under the supervision of the Board of Directors. All voting shall be by written ballot. The ballots shall be counted and announced by posting such the following day at the Annual Conference. A list of newly elected board members shall be sent to each newly elected Board Member within 30 days after the annual meeting.
3.10 Reimbursement of Expenses. The Board of Directors shall serve without compensation except for the reimbursement of reasonable expenses incurred in the performance of their duties as Directors on behalf of the Association, but such reimbursement shall not be paid without presentation of documentation of expenses to the Treasurer and approval by the President. The Board of Directors may by resolution reimburse the reasonable expenses incurred by non-Directors in the performance of their assigned duties.
Article IV. Officers
4.1 The Officers of the Association shall be the President, President-Elect, Secretary and Treasurer. These Officers shall be elected from the Board of Directors by an affirmative vote of the majority of the then members of the Board no more than 30 days after the annual meeting.
Commencing with the election at the annual meeting in 1984 and thereafter, the President shall be the person who served as President-Elect the preceding year. All other officers shall be elected pursuant to this section. The term for all officers shall be for one year. Should an officer other than the President be unable to continue in their office, that vacancy shall be filled by an election conducted at the next regularly scheduled board meeting after receiving notice of the vacancy. The Officer shall be elected from the Board of Directors by an affirmative vote by the majority of the current members of the Board. This Officer shall serve the remainder of the term. In the case of a vacancy in the office of President, the office shall be filled by the President-Elect who will serve the remainder of the President's term and the next term for which he or she was scheduled to serve.
4.2 President. The President shall preside at all meetings of the Association and of the Board of Directors, shall give notice of meetings to all members of the Board of Directors, and shall perform such other duties and acts usually pertaining to this office. He or she shall appoint all standing and special committees; shall approve all reimbursements and other expenses; and, shall report to the membership on a regular basis, and at the annual meeting, as to the state of the Association. The President shall also have the authority to accept on behalf of the Association, grants, donations, gifts, devices and bequests made to the Association, and to agree to any conditions or limitations thereto approved by the Board and to give receipts and quittances therefore.
4.3 President-Elect. The President-Elect shall have all the powers and perform all duties of the President in the absence or incapacity of the President, and perform such other duties as may be assigned by the Board of Directors. The President-Elect shall automatically serve an additional term on the Board of Directors as President. His or her term of office shall be extended one term and that person shall not be required to stand for re-election.
4.4 Secretary. The Secretary shall keep a true record of all proceedings, acts and votes at all meetings of the Association and the Board of Directors; shall be the custodian of all books, papers, documents and property of the Association; and, shall perform such duties as may be assigned by the Board of Directors.
4.5 Treasurer. The Treasurer shall keep a true record of all receipts and disbursements of the Association and shall be the custodian of all monies of the Association. He or she shall also perform such duties as may be assigned by the Board of Directors.
Article V. Meetings
5.1 Annual Meeting. There shall be an annual meeting of the Association. The time and place of the annual meeting shall be determined by the Board of Directors and shall be announced to the membership at least four weeks in advance of the meeting. At the annual meeting the membership shall elect a Board of Directors, and reports of officers and members shall be delivered.
5.2 Board Meetings and Manner of Acting. The Board of Directors shall meet from time-to-time as directed by the President, but shall meet no less than twice a year. The act of the majority of directors present at a meeting at which a quorum is present shall be the act of the Board of Directors, unless the act of a greater number is required by law, the articles of incorporation or these by-laws.
5.3 Special Meetings. Special meetings may be called by the President or by a majority of the Board of Directors. The time and place of special meetings shall be announced to the membership at least two weeks in advance of the meeting.
5.4 Quorum. Except as otherwise provided by law or by the articles of incorporation or by these by-laws, a simple majority of the number of Directors presently serving shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at any meeting of the Board of Directors. At any meeting of the general membership, ten percent (10%) of the paid membership including two Directors must be present to constitute a quorum for the purpose of conducting business.
5.5 Parliamentary Authority. ROBERT'S RULES OF ORDER, REVISED shall govern in all matters before the Association or at any meeting.
5.6 Action Without Meeting. Any action required or permitted to be taken at any meeting of the Board of Directors may by its oral agreement be taken without a meeting, if within seven (7) days after such oral agreement, the text of the resolution or matter agreed upon is sent to all members of the Board of Directors and unanimous consent to such action is obtained in writing, setting forth the action taken, within fourteen (14) days of the mailing of such text. Such consent in writing shall have the same force and effect as an affirmative vote of the majority of the Board of Directors at any meeting at which a quorum is present.
Article VI. Committees
6.1 The Executive Committee shall be a standing committee of the Board of Directors. The purpose of the committee shall be to develop long and short term goals of the Association. Its members shall consist of the Officers of the Board of Directors and will be chaired by the President of the Board.
6.2 The Nomination Committee shall be a standing committee. The purpose of the committee shall be to recruit and receive nominations for positions on the Board of Directors. The President of the Board shall appoint three (3) active association members to serve on this committee. The committee shall report to the Secretary.
6.3 The Board of Directors may establish, by resolution, standing committees. The chairpersons and members of such committees shall be appointed by the President.
6.4 Written minutes shall be kept for committee meetings and sent to the Secretary. All committee chairpersons shall submit a plan of transition to the President at the end of their term.
Article VII. Financial Administration
7.1 The Board of Directors shall oversee the financial administration and assure that all fiscal records are properly maintained. All funds not otherwise employed shall be deposited to the credit of the Association in such banks, trust companies or other depositories as the Board of Directors may designate by resolution. All checks, drafts or other orders for payment of money or all notes or other evidences of indebtedness issued in the name of the Association shall be signed by such officer or officers, agent or agents of the Association and is such manner as shall be determined by resolution of the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors shall have discretion to set any and all fees.
Article VIII. Amendments
8.1 These by-laws may be altered, amended or repealed and new by-laws may be adopted at any meeting of the members, or at any special meeting called for that purpose by the affirmative vote of a majority of the then present membership, provided that at least two (2) weeks written notice is given of the intention to alter, amend, repeal or adopt new by-laws at such meeting.
Article IX. Indemnity
9.1 The corporation shall indemnify any Director or Officer or former Director or Officer of the Corporation, or any person who may have served at its request as Director or Office of another corporation, whether for profit or not for profit, against expenses and liabilities actually and necessarily incurred by him or her in connection with the defense on any action, suit, or proceeding in which he or she is made a party by reason of being or having been such Director or Officer, except in relation to matters as to which he or she shall be adjudged in such action, suit or proceeding to be liable for gross negligence or misconduct in the performance of a duty.
Article X. Dissolution
10.1 Upon dissolution or final liquidation of the Corporation, all corporate assets remaining after payment of its obligations shall have been made or provided for, shall be distributed exclusively to charitable, religious, scientific, literary or educational organizations which fall within the provisions of s.501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 (or the corresponding provisions of any future United States Internal Revenue law as the Board of Directors shall designate).
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COMMITTEES
LEGISLATIVE:
The purpose of this committee is to provide the membership of WJCIA with information regarding current legislation affecting juvenile justice issues. This committee reviews pending legislation, provides legislative updates to the membership, and recommends positions to be taken by the WJCIA Board of Directors. This committee is the direct link between the Board of Directors and officials involved in the legislative process.
CURRICULUM: Sarah Socha, Chairperson
This committee is responsible for updating the curriculum for trainings including Spring Trainings and Carey Guides and BITS.
CONFERENCE: Cathrina Dunnam and Kim Scwarz, Co-Chairpersons
This committee is responsible for the planning of the next year’s conference. This committee develops training curriculum, secures conference presenters and vendors, works out the arrangements with the facility, and handles all details regarding the conference. There are normally a few site visits during the year when the committee will meet at the facility the conference will be at. This committee provides information on conference progress to the full board on a regular basis.
MEMBERSHIP: Rachel Johnson, Chairperson
This committee coordinates the recruitment of new WJCIA members, provides a current membership list to relevant committees, and reports to the board regarding membership status.
NEWSLETTER: Barb Holt and Katie Bell, Co-Chairperson
This committee is responsible for the development, coordination and supervision of the publication of each issue of Prima Facie, the association newsletter.
BYLAWS: Jodi Petersen, Chairperson
This committee is responsible for the review, update and sometimes development of the WJCIA bylaws, and notifying the Board and the President of relevant protocol.
NOMINATIONS: Kari McKenna, Chairperson
This committee coordinates the recruitment and receipt of nominations of candidates for the WJCIA Board of Directors.
POSITION STATEMENTS: Jodi Petersen, Chairperson
Responsible for reviewing WJCIA’s current Position Statements, revising them as necessary, and bringing a proposal to the Board for changes in wording, rationale, etc.
CONFERENCE SITE: Kenny Cyracus and Kathy Gourdine, Co-Chairpersons
Review and recommend sites for conference to Board of Directors
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY: Kari McKenna, Chairperson
The information and technology committee is tasked with determining the ways and means of the organization’s communications with its members and others, making organizational tasks more effective and efficient, and forecasting future technological needs of the organization.This committee is also responsible for website updates, Facebook Page posts and emails sent to the membership.
RECOGNITION: Barb Holt, Chairperson
Review nominations and select recipient of the Associations annual award - the Frank J. Crisafi Recognition Award to recongnize all the hard work done by those in this rewarding profession.
FINANCE: Kenny Cyracus, Chairperson
GRANTS: Stacy Ledvina, Chairperson
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BOARD
OF DIRECtors
Stacy Ledvina - President
MANITOWOC COUNTY
Stacy attended UW Oshkosh where she obtained her Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work in 1995. In 1996 she went on to UW-Milwaukee where she obtained a Master’s Degree in Social Work, with an emphasis in school social work. In September 1998 Stacy began working in the Youth and Family Services Unit at the Manitowoc County Human Services Department. In 2006 Stacy became the supervisor of the Youth and Family Services Unit, supervising both intake and ongoing youth justice services and programming. Stacy is devoted to the implementation of evidence-based and best practices for youth and their families. Stacy is chair of the Grants Committee. Stacy has been a WJCIA Board Member since 2008.
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Barbara Holt - President Elect
SHEBOYGAN COUNTY
Barbara is a Juvenile Court Intake Worker assigned to work with students at CHANGE Academy, a self-contained special education program in the Sheboygan Area School District, and Juvenile Court Ongoing Cases. She has been employed in Sheboygan County since 1998 as a social worker and has worked in the Juvenile Court Intake Unit since 2001. She was assigned to Tower Academy (formerly called STRIVE) for 13 years and then served in the role of Manager- Juvenile Court Intake for 6 years. Barbara has been employed in the field of child welfare since 1997 after obtaining a BSW from UW-Whitewater. Barbara has been practicing mindfulness through yoga and meditation for over 15 years and teaching since 2008 when she completed her 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training at Yogaloft in Sheboygan. Since then she has participated in trauma-informed yoga and children's yoga trainings. Barbara has experience teaching yoga and meditation to diverse groups including in the workplace, to athletes, to children, and to at-risk youth and has a passion for making mindfulness practices accessible to everyone. Barbara enjoys spending time outdoors with family and friends. Barbara Co-Chairs the Newsletter Committee, and Chair of Recognition Committee. Barbara has been a WJCIA Board Member since 2016.
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Cathrina Dunnum - Secretary
VERNON COUNTY
Cathrina has been employed with Vernon County Department of Human Services since February 2015 and is a certified Social Worker. She started her career as a LTE position in Monroe County in December 2014 as a CPS initial assessment worker before being hired full time in Vernon County. Vernon County is small, rural county with nine social workers in the Child Welfare unit. She has primarily handled all youth justice cases from intake through case closure since July 2017. If there is an over flow of CPS cases, she also helps out with those investigations as well as taking access calls and on-call after hours. Cathrina received her BSW from Winona State University in December 2014. She currently Co Chairs the Conference Planning Committee. Catherina has been a WJCIA Board Member since 2019.
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Kathleen Bell - Treasurer
IOWA COUNTY
Katie is the Juvenile Court Intake and Truancy worker for Iowa County since January 2021. Aside from her main job roles, she also carries a caseload of juvenile and CLTS cases. Prior to Iowa County, Katie worked in Lafayette County as a Youth Justice worker for a year and in Franklin County, Ohio as a Family Services Manager (CPS and YJ) for a few years. Katie received her Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice from University of Wisconsin – Platteville in 2016. Katie Co-Chairs the Newsletter committee. Katie has been a WJCIA Board Member since 2022.
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Kenny Cyracus
OUTAGAMIE COUNTY
Kenny Cyracus II is currently a Youth Justice Supervisor for Outagamie County Youth and Family Services. Prior to this role, Kenny served as a Juvenile Intake Social Worker in Outagamie County. Kenny has experience serving adults and at-risk youth in different areas throughout Wisconsin. While working closely with the Portage County District Attorney, Kenny developed and implemented Portage County’s first adult diversion program. This consisted of assessing and monitoring first time/low risk adults involved in the Deferred Prosecution Agreement Program. Kenny has a strong desire to work with at-risk youth and has been working with this population in some capacity since 2015. Kenny is passionate about working with youth, specifically in the areas of diversion and restorative justice. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Social Work in 2018 from UW- Stevens Point. In 2019, he received his Master’s in Social Work from UW-Green Bay. Kenny is Co-Chair of the Conference Site and Chair of the Fianace Committees. Kenny has been a WJCIA Board Member since 2019.
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Morgan Doty
GRANT COUNTY
Morgan has been with Grant County Department of Social Services since 2016. After a short time as an ongoing caseworker, she has been working as a juvenile court intake worker since 2017, and also does foster care licensing and kinship care assessments part-time. Her region for both juvenile court intake and foster/kinship care work include the northern half of Grant County. She thoroughly enjoys having a dual role, as it offers some balance, as well as different perspective. Morgan graduated from Loras College in Dubuque, Iowa in 2015 with a double major in Psychology and Spanish, as well as a minor in Criminal Justice. Prior to working for Grant County, she worked in an adult, residential, mental health facility, but felt her work could be more impactful with a younger target population and earlier interventions. Morgan and her family still reside in the beautiful city of Dubuque, and enjoy attending all of the festivities and local attractions. In her free time, Morgan enjoys camping with her husband, daughter, and their two doodles. GO HAWKEYES! Morgan has been a WJCIA Board Member since 2024.
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Tracy Erickson
DUNN COUNTY
Tracy is a 2007 graduate of UW-Stout and is a certified Social Worker. She did her college internship with Eau Claire Juvenile Probation and was hired on as a Community Coach. Tracy then worked at Positive Alternatives Inc for 3.5 years until October 2010 when she became a Social Service Aide at Dunn County Human Services. In March 2014, she was hired as a Social Worker doing CPS on-going and YJ on-going. She transitioned to full YJ On-going before becoming the Juvenile Intake worker in 2016. Tracy conducts delinquency and truancy intakes, follows cases through the Court process and manages the Truancy Court cases. When away from work, Tracy enjoys spending time with her friends and family. Most of her free time is spent raising her three beautiful boys, ages 5, 4, and 1. Tracy has been a WJCIA Board Member since 2020.
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Joy Lynn George
PIERCE COUNTY
Joy Lynn has been employed with Pierce County DHS since October 2002. In December 2019 she became the Youth Services Supervisor/CYF Program Manager for Youth Justice and CLTS programs. Prior to that she was the Juvenile Court Intake Worker and Lead Worker for the Youth Services Team for 5 years and before that she was an on-going Juvenile Justice Social Worker for 19 years. Prior to Pierce County she worked at Dunn County for 2 years and Polk County for 5 years doing on-going Juvenile Court Supervision. Joy Lynn graduated from UWRiver Falls in 1996 with her BSW and from Vermilion Community College in 1993 with her Associate of Arts Degree in Law Enforcement. She is a licensed/certified Social Worker in Wisconsin and Minnesota. She has been the President, President Elect and the chairperson for the Information & Technology Committee. Joy Lynn has been a WJCIA Board Member since 2008.
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Kathy Gourdine
FOND DU LAC COUNTY
Graduated in May of 2000 with a Master's Degree in Social Work from UWM, Kathy earned her Bachelor's Degree in Social Work at UW-Oshkosh in 1993. She has been employed by Fond du Lac County Social Services since March, 1993, in the juvenile-resource unit. Kathy Co-Chairs the Conference Site Committee. Kathy has been a WJCIA Board Member since 1995.
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Jason Halbach
BROWN COUNTY
Jason has been with Brown County Human Services since 2014 as an Ongoing Youth Justice Caseworker. He graduated from Marian College with a degree in History in 2006. Jason has worked with at-risk youth at Homme Youth and Family in Wittenberg, Wisconsin, and managed community-based programs specific to youth with Mental Health and Cognitive Disabilities from 2007-2014 through Innovative Services. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with family in Northern Wisconsin hunting and fishing. Jason has been a WJCIA Board Member since 2024.
Jacob Hanifl
DANE COUNTY
Jacob is an Ongoing Youth Justice Social Worker II with Dane County Department of Human Services. Jacob comes to this work with lived and shared experiences that somewhat mirror the experiences of the youth and families involved in our youth justice system. Jacob’s passion lies in collaborating with stakeholders to create innovative practices resulting in equitable and just outcomes. Jacob has been a part of moving restorative justice across Youth Justice in Dane County; from implementing diversion opportunities to incorporating restorative justice post disposition. Jacob has over a decade’s worth of experience facilitating, coordinating, training, and managing RJ programming in youth justice and educational settings. Prior to working in Youth Justice, Jacob worked as a School Social Worker in Madison, Beloit, and Sun Prairie. Jacob earned his B.S. from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse where he studied Sociology, Criminal Justice, and Political Science. He then went on to earn his M.S.W. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Jacob’s professional and lived experiences bring a diverse voice and perspective to the WJCIA Board of Directors team. Jacob has been a WJCIA Board Member since 2024.
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Rachel Johnson
ST. CROIX COUNTY
Rachel has been employed with St. Croix County Health & Human Services since March 2009. Rachel has experience in many areas of Children Services including Initial Assessment, Ongoing Child Protection and is currently in Youth Justice. Rachel carries a caseload that is primarily Youth Justice; however, continues to have some Child Protection responsibilities due to increased agency needs. Rachel has served on multiple internal committees within St. Croix County including Information & Technology, JET initiative and Coordinated Family Services. Prior to working for St. Croix County, she worked for Cottonwood Group Home for teen girls in Amery, WI. Rachel graduated from UW-River Falls in 2007 with her BSW. Rachel is the Chair of the Membership Committee. Rachel has been a WJCIA Board Member since 2023.
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Kerry Krista
CHIPPEWA COUNTY
Kerry has been a Social Worker since 1995. She received her Social Work degree from UW-Eau Claire. She has worked in Corrections, Residential, and did Protective Services in Clark and Rock Counties. In 2016 Kerry became the 3rd ever Juvenile Court Intake worker for Chippewa County (following behind Mike Weber and Gary Lefler). She had done on-going Juvenile Justice for 13 years in Chippewa County prior to taking the Intake position. Kerry is the current Vendor contact for the Annual Conference. When away from work, Kerry enjoys spending time with her family, kayaking, and going to the cabin. Kerry has been a WJCIA Board member since 2015.
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Linzi Luck
LA CROSSE COUNTY
Linzi Luck is a Youth Justice Social Worker for La Crosse County. She graduated in 2013 from UW-Platteville with her B.S. in Psychology and minor in Criminal Justice. Following college she took a year off from school and worked full-time providing in-home Autism therapy in the Beaver Dam, WI area. In 2014, she went back to school for her Master’s in Social Work from UW-Madison and graduated in 2016. While in graduate school she interned for Briarpatch Youth Services during the 2014-2015 school year. While at Briarpatch, she provided intensive supervision to youth on county supervision in Dane County. During the 2015-2016 school year, she decided to try her hand at policy and program development and interned at the Dane County TimeBank helping with running and developing their new community based Youth Court Program. This program worked to divert those youth that received municipal citations and other minor delinquency charges (i.e. Disorderly Conduct) out of the juvenile system by providing them with restorative justice alternatives. These alternatives included, community service, research papers, or apology letters, to name a few. After graduation she wanted to continue working with youth and families involved in the youth justice system which led her to her current position at La Crosse County in 2016. Linzi has been a WJCIA Board Member since 2017.
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Kari McKenna
MONROE COUNTY
Kari graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater in 2008 with a Bachelor's Degree in Social Work and Human Services. Her career in Human Services began in 2010 working as an Ongoing Case Manager with Children's Service Society of Wisconsin in Milwaukee County. In 2013, she relocated to Monroe County where she began Ongoing Case Management for CPS until December 2014, when she accepted the position of Youth Justice Intake worker and still holds the position currently. Kari works with youth through the Intake Process and Court Systems in Monroe Count, holding a working caseload of intakes and Deferred Prosecution Agreements. She is also certified to run the Not a Number program through Love146, which is a Human Trafficking Prevention program for teens. Kari chairs the Nominations and Technology Committees. Kari has been a WJCIA Board Member since 2017.
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Jodi Petersen
PORTAGE COUNTY
Jodi graduated from UW-Eau Claire in 1994 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice and obtained her social work certification in 2005. She worked in residential treatment and juvenile detention prior to beginning her career with the Portage County Health and Human Services Department in 1997. Jodi worked as a juvenile court social worker providing intake and ongoing case management for juveniles involved in delinquency and JIPS for 13 years until becoming the Juvenile Justice Supervisor in June 2010. Jodi has served on many of the WJCIA committees; she chaired the Nomination Committee from 2009-2016, and has been chair to both the Corporate By-Laws and Mission & Position Statement Committees since 2017. Jodi has been a WJCIA Board Member since 2006.
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Kim Schwarz
LANGLADE COUNTY
Kim Schwarz has been employed by the Langlade County Juvenile Justice Department since 1998. Initially hired as the Intensive Supervision Worker, her roles have expanded to include a variety of Juvenile Justice Intake responsibilities. Along with conducting all Intake Inquiries for the county, she runs the Intensive Supervision Program and carries a caseload consisting of both on-going formal supervision and Deferred Prosecution Agreements. Kim graduated from UW- Eau Claire in 1996 with a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work. Prior to working with the county, she was employed in a residential setting. Kim Co-Chairs the Conference Planning Committee. Kim has been a WJCIA Board Member since 2017.
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Sarah Socha
PRICE COUNTY
Sarah has been employed with Price County since 1991. Her duties have included child protection investigations, foster care, and monitoring DPA’s. In 1995 she became the Chief Juvenile Intake Worker with duties including juvenile intake inquiries and following each case through DPA or Delinquency adjudication to closure. In 2000, she assisted in developing and coordinating the Price County Teen Court Program. In 2004 she accepted the position as the Children and Youth Supervisor and supervises the areas of juvenile court intake, initial assessment, child protection, foster care, and ongoing services. She served one term as president of WJCIA in 2007-2008. She has served on conference, legislative and training committees and is the current Chair of curriculum committee. Sarah has been a WJCIA Board Member since 1996.
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Ashley Timmerman
JEFFERSON COUNTY
Ashley graduated with a BA in Sociology and Criminal Justice from UW-Whitewater in 2007 and earned her MSW from UW-Milwaukee in 2010. She has worked in Jefferson County since early 2011 in various roles. Prior to Jefferson County, she worked in Milwaukee County. For many years, she worked in Initial Assessment for CPS but did crisis work coverage for Jefferson County's emergency mental health and after-hours unit. For the past several years, she has also been a field supervisor for the Title IV-E students at UW-Madison. She is currently in a hybrid role where she provides services to both CPS and Youth Justice, focusing on prevention and school-based collaboration. She also does voluntary kinship for Jefferson County. Ashley has been a WJCIA Board Member since 2022.
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Melissa Williams
WASHBURN COUNTY
Melissa has been employed with Washburn County Health and Human Services since November 1999, as the Juvenile Court Intake worker. Melissa handles all the juvenile intake responsibilities and supervises all the juvenile cases. Prior to working in Washburn County, Melissa worked in Polk County for 7 years doing on-going juvenile supervision. Melissa joined the board in 2006, and currently serves on the conference and recognition committee. She chaired the training committee from 2009-2017.
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The Wisconsin Juvenile Court Intake Association (WJCIA) typically meets five to six times a year in the Wisconsin Dells. Board meetings occur on Fridays from 9am-12pm. Some of the committees meet on Thursday afternoon preceding the Board meeting, and some have breakfast meetings on the Friday morning prior to the board meeting. There are also some committees that only meet as needed. Committee chairs will inform committee members of the time and place of the meeting.
Board members are expected to serve on one or two committees. Committees include:
- Conference Committee: responsible for everything involved in planning each annual conference
- Legislative Committee: provides WJCIA membership with information regarding current legislation affecting YJ issues
- Curriculum Committee: responsible for updating and assisting with curriculums for Spring Training and other training opportunities.
- Membership Committee: coordinates recruitment of new association members
- Newsletter Committee: develops, coordinates the association’s newsletter (Prima Facie)
- Intake Directory: collects and maintains accurate information on each intake office in the state, and prepare the Intake Directory
- Bylaws Committee: reviews, updates, develops WJCIA bylaws/protocol
- Nomination Committee: coordinates the recruitment and receipt of nomination of candidates for the WJCIA Board of Directors
- Position Statements Committee: reviews current position statements and proposes changes as necessary
- Conference Site Committee: reviews and recommends sites for the annual conference
- Information Technology Committee: develops and maintains the WJCIA website
- Recognition Committee: review nominations and select recipient of the WJCIA annual recognition reward.
The election for the board of directors is held at our annual conference each year. If you are interested in having your name placed in nomination you will be asked to forward a paragraph about yourself and a 4x6 photo to Kari McKenna by September 1st. These will be included on the Nominations picture board with the other current/prospective board members at the annual conference prior to the election.
Board of Directors Election
For more information regarding becoming a Board member, please contact the Nomination Committee Chair, Kari McKenna, at kari.mckenna@co.monroe.wi.us
608-269-8643
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Statements
of
philosophy
Statements of philosophy may be adopted by the Board of Directors to address a general issue or topic of significance to intake workers statewide. Such a statement should not be in response to a specific legislative proposal but rather a broad philosophical framework, within which legislative positions are formed.
A Statement of Philosophy should not be subject to change without substantial consideration. Adoption of a Statement of Philosophy requires an affirmative vote of no less than two-thirds of all members of the existing Board of Directors. A motion to revise or rescind a Statement of Philosophy shall not be successful unless supported by an affirmative vote of no less than two-thirds of all members of the existing Board of Directors.
THE APPROPRIATE USE OF SECURE DETENTION FOR JUVENILES
I. POSITION
The Board of Directors of the Wisconsin Juvenile Court Intake Association supports limiting the statutory authority to place juveniles in secure detention under 938 to the level allowed as of January 1, 1998. The Board of Directors of the Wisconsin Juvenile Court Intake Association supports removal of statutory authority under 48.208 and 48.209 so as to prohibit placement of children in secure detention.
II. RATIONALE
In January of 1998, the Wisconsin State statutes provided the authority to place juveniles in secure detention both pre-adjudication and post-adjudication. The criteria established in 938.208 focuses on juveniles who present a substantial risk of physical harm or a substantial risk of becoming unavailable for court proceedings. The detention of these juveniles in appropriate facilities is generally in the best interest of both the juvenile and the community. Certain juveniles will meet the statutory criteria for secure detention but may be able to be served in a less restrictive setting that will meet the safety needs of the community. The role of the Juvenile Court Intake Worker to assess each referral is critical. The Intake Worker is best suited to make determinations of the need for secure detention based on training as mandated by Chapter 938 and local policy.
Post Adjudication secure detention is permitted under 938.34(3)(f) (Dispositional Placement), 938.355(6)(d) (Sanctions for Violation of Order), 938.355(6d) (Short Term Detention for Violation of Order), and 938.357(2) (Change in Placement). Placement in detention as Sanctions for Truancy (938.355(6m)) is allowed by statute only if the County’s Board of Supervisors has authorized the use of secure placement as a sanction for truancy or habitual truancy. It is the opinion of the membership that Sanctions for Truancy is not best practice and, thus, does not support this as a reason for secure detention placement. The detention of juveniles in Type II Child Caring Institutions and in correctional placements is not a part of this discussion.
Present research shows that the use of secure detention as a whole has drastically reduced. Per a policy brief by Kids Forward in 2018, the average daily population in secure detention across the state went from 866 in 2002 to 227 in 2016. This is in line with the trends seen nationally and consistent with research on the effects of the use of secure detention. When looking at the data provided Walker, S. C., & Herting, J. R. (2020) on the use of secure detention for youth prior to adjudication, it shows that youth have a higher rate of recidivism regardless of length of stay.
The use of secure detention should be within the context of the legislative intent and purposes stated under Ch 938.01. The legislature intended to create a system that would protect the community, impose accountability and equip juvenile offenders with competencies to live responsibly and productively. The use of secure detention may protect the community during the time period the juvenile is held in detention. However, recent research indicates recidivism rates actually increase and other negative consequences result from youth being held in secure detention facilities. “Peer-reviewed research sponsored by the Foundation concludes that a stay in pretrial juvenile detention increases a young person’s likelihood of felony recidivism by 33% and misdemeanor recidivism by 11%. In addition to a ticket to deeper justice system involvement, detention often leads to other profound and potentially negative consequences such as exacerbated health issues and separation from family, school, job and community.” (Annie E. Casey Foundation. March 26, 2021, Juvenile Detention Explained.)
There are clear and significant financial disincentives should Wisconsin children be held in secure detention absent an alleged or adjudged delinquency. It is a violation of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act (JJDPA) to hold status offenders and nonoffenders in secure detention, absent some very clear exceptions. JJDPA violations found during regularly scheduled audits reduce the amount awarded to the State via Title II funds. This impacts how DOJ can spend Title II funds to support Wisconsin youth.
REVISED AND REAFFIRMED 4/14/2023
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FACILITIES FOR SECURE DETENTION OF JUVENILES
I. Position
The Board of Directors of the Wisconsin Juvenile Court Intake Association (WJCIA) supports the use of facilities designed specifically for the secure detention of juveniles and supports limitations on the use of adult jail facilities.
II. Rationale
The WJCIA recognizes that circumstances may require that a juvenile be held in secure detention. The legislature has provided us with a juvenile justice system that is designed to protect the community and impose accountability, as well as equip the juvenile offenders with competencies to live responsibly and productively. It is acceptable and sound practice to hold juveniles in secure detention when they present a substantial risk of physical harm to others or when they present a substantial risk of being unavailable for upcoming court proceedings. In some cases, the use of secure detention is an appropriate dispositional option. When a juvenile violates their court order, it may also be advisable to use secure detention as a tool to hold them accountable.
It is the contention of the WJCIA that the goals of confinement and the legislative intent under 938.01 can best be met in facilities that are specifically equipped to deal with juveniles. Adult facilities can be seriously over-crowded and are not designed to provide the level of programming and care that juveniles require. We believe that juveniles have substantially different supervision and programming needs. Staff that are trained to work with juveniles will better understand juvenile issues and will provide better care and treatment.
The removal of Wisconsin juveniles from adult facilities has followed national trends. The Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act allows for exceptions to the federal mandate preventing the use of adult jails for juveniles. The current exceptions allow for the use of adult facilities for short periods of time depending on the population density of the jurisdiction. The administrative rules of the Wisconsin Department of Corrections further controls the use of adult facilities. The WJCIA would recommend that juveniles only be held in juvenile facilities. We do believe that the short term detention of juveniles in adult facilities is acceptable provided that the adult facility conforms to the expectations of the Wisconsin Department of Corrections and the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act.
REAFFIRMED 04/14/2023
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PROVIDING JUVENILE COURT INTAKE SERVICES UNDER WISCONSIN STATUTES 48.067 AND 938.067
I. Position
It is the position of the Wisconsin Juvenile Court Intake Association that Juvenile Court Intake Services required by Wisconsin Statute 48.067 and 938.067 shall be provided by employees of the court or a county department and should not be sub-contracted.
II. Rationale
Currently s.48.06(2) and s.938.06(2) require that, in counties with a population under 500,000, intake services required by s.48.067 and s.938.067 be provided by employees of the court or county department and may not be subcontracted. There are only two exceptions to this requirement. The Statutes do allow that intake services can be contracted from the county sheriff’s department provided they were already contracted from the county sheriff’s department prior to April 1, 1980. The Statutes also allow that secure custody determinations can be provided by the county sheriff’s department in any county where the county sheriff’s department also operates a secure detention facility. These decisions can be made only between the hours of 6 p.m. and 6 a.m. and must be reviewed within 24 hours by an intake worker who is employed by the court or county department.
The issue of privatizing governmental services will continue to be contentious on many levels: legislators looking for solutions to community problems, private agencies, public sector employees and unions all have interest in the issue. Those interested in the quality of, and accountability of juvenile justice services are especially concerned.
This position is limited strictly to the issue of juvenile court intake services as defined at s.48.067 and s.938.067 and whether or not those services are properly provided by employees of government agencies.
The role and responsibilities of the juvenile court intake worker are unique. Juvenile court intake is the first step in the court process. The protection of due process rights begins with the onset of either custody intake or the court intake inquiry. Only intake workers and judges have the statutory authority to coercively place children, juveniles and expectant mothers under Chapter 48 and Chapter 938. Intake workers along with a select group of other professionals have statutory authority to place individuals needing emergency services under Chapter 51. These functions alone provide compelling rationale for intake workers to be guided by statutes and judicial guidelines and free from profit motive considerations.
The power of the state to intervene coercively in families by changing custody and/or placement of children is a momentous deprivation of liberty and should be strictly controlled.
Since the inception of the juvenile court intake function in Wisconsin, intake workers have been given the responsibility of balancing the public interest with the interest of children, juveniles and families as well as determining a threshold of legal sufficiency (prima facie jurisdiction). Intake workers are guided by court policy and guidelines as well as statutes. This tends to ensure that intake decisions are made responsibly and that there is accountability.
Decisions to contract with private entities for traditionally governmental functions are often tied to perceived economic savings and increased flexibility and innovation in services. The question of economic benefits has not yet been answered conclusively in any aspect. Initial cost savings based on lower employee costs are often offset by high turnover rates resulting in training costs and inconsistent levels of performance. Several studies of privatization find that conclusions are very difficult to make or that savings are either minimal or non-existent.
It is critical that children and juveniles receive equal protection under the law and that services be delivered with consistency. A fundamental aspect of contracting for services is that it is likely that a number of different service providers will compete for each contract. This is true within local jurisdictions and more so statewide. Under these circumstances the likelihood of inconsistent application of laws and policies is greatly increased.
Some functions are generally agreed upon to be proper government services. The decision to take and hold people in custody is clearly a government function. The application of laws and court policies are essential functions of government agencies. To contract with a non-governmental entity to perform those functions diminishes accountability but in no way relieves the government of either responsibility or accountability for the decisions.
REAFFIRMED 04/14/2023
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Fill out this intake form To become a member.
The Wisconsin Juvenile Court Intake Association is a professional association for intake workers and juvenile justice professionals. There are two membership categories.
Active Membership refers to those who perform in whole or in part any of the duties of Juvenile Court Intake Worker as defined in 938.067 and 48.067 of the Wisconsin Statutes.
Associate Membership refers to those who are engaged in whole or part in any aspect or works within Wisconsin's juvenile justice system, social services, mental health or education systems, and who are not eligible for active membership.
Please note, if you attended WJCIA's Annual Conference, you are a member of WJCIA for that following year, as the membership fee is built into the cost of conference.
If you were unable to attend conference and would like to be a member for the current year, please fill out the membership application (button to the form is in red), print off the submission confirmation, and send the confirmation with a check for $20 payable to WJCIA to:
Kathleen Bell
303 West Chapel Street,
Dodgeville, WI 53533
Additionally, we accept PayPal and Venmo. When utilizing one of these options, please add "WJCIA Membership" and your name in the notes section.
For further information you may contact Rachel Johnson at 715.410.6326 or email Rachel Johnson.
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Membership cost is built into the price of that WJCIA Annual Conference fee. If you are unable to attend and still want to join WJCIA, please fill in the membership application below and submit it online. If paying with a check, please print the displayed confirmation, and send the confirmation with a check for $20 made out to WJCIA to:
Kathleen Bell
303 West Chapel Street,
Dodgeville, WI 53533
Also, we accept PayPal and Venmo. If utilizing one of these services, please list your name and "WJCIA Membership" in the message space.
For further information or questions, please contact Rachel Johnson at rachel.johnson@sccwi.gov
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