Community Services Unit

About the Program

Category: Criminal Justice and Public Safety (Best in Category)

Year: 2011

The Community Service Unit (CSU), a product of the Children’s Coalition, is comprised of services conveniently co-located at the Juvenile Court. The SCU includes representatives from child welfare, behavioral health, volunteer lawyers and law students, mediators, court guides, court operations, and early intervention staff. The partnerships between governmental, education, and community stakeholders, located at the Juvenile Court, can address barriers to the delivery of services and serves to create a “one-stop-shop” approach to enhancing the system interface and timely delivery of service. As the fifth largest jurisdiction in the nation, Maricopa County faces a unique set of challenges. High unemployment and foreclosure rates, budget deficits, large immigrant populations, displaced families and dwindling resources have brought attention to the common concerns of Courts, government, and community stakeholders. However systems tend to develop into “stovepipes,” resulting in a lack of communication. Opportunities for collaboration, timely interventions and better outcomes for children and families are often lost. The placement of government and community services in the court can effectively bridge system gaps.