Human Services Supervisor (Youth Justice)

Waukesha County's Department of Health & Human Services is recruiting for a talented Youth Justice Supervisor to join its Child and Youth - Family Services Division.This position primarily supervises workers providing ongoing youth justice case management and court-related services for youth involved with the juvenile court, including youth in out-of-home placement and youth with concurrent child welfare involvement.

The purpose of Child and Youth - Family Services Division is to serve individuals and families of Waukesha County by providing quality and professional services. We strive to use the many formal and informal supports within families and our community to keep children in their home whenever safely possible. We value collaboration and coordination with the families we serve, community professionals, and within our Department to implement effective prevention and intervention strategies. We are committed to providing the appropriate level of intervention and protection, while encouraging families to utilize their strengths toward independence and self-sufficiency whenever possible. While adhering to legal mandates, our work is conducted in an atmosphere of respect, compassion, confidentiality, and professionalism.

In Youth Justice, we work to:

• Hold youth accountable in developmentally appropriate ways

• Promote individual and community safety

• Reduce reoffending through evidence-based interventions

• Increase youth and family engagement, voice, and meaningful participation

• Support equitable outcomes ensuring services are tailored to the assessed needs

• Support safe, stable placements and connections for youth in out-of-home care, including attention to visitation, permanency planning, and service coordination

• Coordinate with child welfare partners to support safety, permanency, and well-being across systems

Why Join Our Dedicated Team?

In the role of Youth Justice Supervisor, you will empower a team of talented professionals ensuring youth and community safety, well-being, and lawful, developmentally responsive decision-making through practices aligned with Youth Justice Standards, Out of Home Care Standards, CPS Ongoing Standards Safety Intervention Standards issued by Wisconsin Department of Children and Families (DCF).You will work in a supportive environment leading and supervising youth justice workers, while applying child welfare best practices including:

Using a Family Centered Approach

• Engaging youth and families as partners in assessment, planning, and decision-making

• Building case plans that reflect strengths, needs, and individualized goals

• Supporting natural/community connections that improve long-term outcomes

• Coordinating with child welfare, out-of-home care providers, and permanency resources to align case planning, visitation, and service expectations when systems overlap.

Prioritizing Trauma-Informed and Developmentally Responsive Practice

• Recognizing how trauma, adversity, and adolescent development affect behavior and engagement

• Coaching staff to use strategies that build regulation, skills, and resilience

• Supporting practices that reduce re-traumatization for youth and families

• Applying a child welfare-informed lens for youth with a child abuse and neglect history, including attention to placement stability, caregiver engagement, and the impact of prior system involvement

Using Evidence-Based and Data-Informed Decision-Making

• Using validated screening/assessment tools and structured decision-making.

• Monitoring outcomes and using data to guide coaching, quality improvements, and program effectiveness

• Monitoring indicators related to placement stability, school engagement, service participation, and court compliance for youth in out-of-home care and dual system involvement.

Why Come Work for HHS?

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

• Manage, guide, and support Youth Justice professionalsproviding ongoing supervision services for court-involved youth.

• Ensure integrated case planning and coordinated service delivery for dual status youth

• Provide coaching to strengthen worker performance and professional development, including documentation quality, engagement practices, and behavior change strategies.

• Maintain a unit culture that values youth voice, family engagement, collaboration, equity, and professional accountability.

• Be innovative, solution-focused, open to new ideas, and a strong team player.

Casework Oversight

• Ensure timely, accurate, and thorough documentation consistent with applicable statutes, court expectations, and county standards.

• Provide consultation on complex cases and guide case planning to address safety, risk, need, responsivity factors, and protective factors.

• Review and approve recommendations related to diversion, supervision level, service referrals, court reports, and case response strategies.

• Provide oversight and consultation for crossover cases, ensuring coordination with child protection case planning, safety planning, and placement responsibilities when applicable.

Court and Community Collaboration

• Serve as a key partner with the juvenile court, legal partners, law enforcement, schools, and providers to coordinate effective responses for youth.

• Ensure high-quality court communication, timely reporting, and appropriate preparation for hearings and case reviews.

• Support worker participation in multidisciplinary teams and coordinated case planning meetings.

• Coordinate with out-of-home care providers, child welfare staff, and other internal teams to support consistent court messaging, service delivery, and shared safety/permanency goals.

Crisis Response and Safety Planning

• Respond promptly to urgent or high-risk situations (e.g. threats to safety, runaway situations, child abuse and neglect, detention-related decision points, significant incidents).

• Provide direction and support to staff during emergencies to ensure youth/community safety and timely intervention, while maintaining legal and procedural integrity.

• Ensure appropriate coordination and reporting when child safety concerns arise, including compliance with mandated processes.

Quality Assurance and Compliance

• Monitor compliance with Wisconsin Statutes, Chapter 938 (Juvenile Justice Code), Chapter 48 (Children's Code) and Department of Children and Families (DCF) standards, including Youth Justice Standards, CPS Ongoing Standards, Safety Intervention Standards, and Out of Home Care Standards

• Ensure compliance with confidentiality requirements, court orders, and division/county policies and procedures.

Partnerships and Resource Development

• Foster partnerships with community agencies and contracted providers to expand service options and intervention supports.

• Strengthen coordination with internal and external partners for targeted service delivery to meet youth and family needs.

• Build and maintain partnerships with placement providers and community-based supports to increase stability and continuity for youth in out-of-home care.