About US
The Commission on Children and Youth is an appointed body of
the Kitsap County Commissioners, with up to 24 representatives from education
and schools, health and social service providers, juvenile justice and law
enforcement, community leaders and non-profit organizations. The Youth
Commission's charge is to:
Advise County Commissioners and residents on the needs of children,
youth and families based on periodic assessments;
Facilitate coordination of information among agencies to maximize
resources; and to
Advocate for an environment that fosters healthy, self-sufficient,
responsible and productive children, youth and families.
In 1992, as a step towards improving state services for
children, Washington State lawmakers officially established the Family Policy
Council, charged with making social programs and policies more responsive to the
needs of families. Community Public Policy Health and Safety Networks were
established by the Legislature in 1994 - using Family Policy Principles - as a
way to give communities a larger role by tackling their own social problems.
The Commission on Children and Youth became the local Community Public Health
and Safety Network for Kitsap County in August of 2000: The Youth Commission
supports activities that increase the capacity for
the community to build developmental assets among
youth.
The four problem areas that the Youth
Commission has targeted include:
Dropping out of School
Youth Substance Abuse
Youth Violence
Child Abuse and Neglect
