Eligibility:
- Age 10 - 17
- Resides in or goes to school in Wood County
- Exhibiting behaviors that may or have resulted in a Youth Justice Referral
Referrals can come from:
- Schools
- Law Enforcement
- Youth Justice Team from WCHSD
Office:
111 W Jackson St, Wisconsin Rapids WI 54495
Contact:
(715) 421 - 8650
Wood County Human Services Department received a program award from the Department of Health Services for the Community Partnerships for Diversion from Youth Justice grant in 2020 and has partnered with CW Solutions to operate the program. We expanded our program in 2022 with an additional Legacy Grant from the Legacy Foundation of South Wood County. Our program is based upon the Adolescent Diversion Project developed by Michigan State University. ADP is an 18-26 week intervention program whose mission is to reduce the number of youth who intersect with the youth justice system. ADP embodies the Kids at Hope principle of ‘All kids are capable of success, no exceptions!’
What does ADP Do?
ADP builds upon the strengths of a youth by focusing on solutions rather than problems, reinforcing positive behaviors and modeling a non-blaming approach for youth, parental caretakers, school staff and community members. The case manager develops goals with the youth, their caregivers, and other supports and creates a weekly plan to help the youth and family build the skills needed to achieve their goals by the conclusion of the program.
A youth worker intensely works with a youth for approximately four hours each week, helping the youth learn several positive behavior skills that align with their personal goals including:
LEO Program tools including:
- Higher Brain/Lower Brain Awareness
- Pause, Delay and Ask Questions
- OUCH Tool
- Higher Brain Communication
- Self-Worth
Behavior Intervention tools including:
- Thinking Traps
- Decision Making
- Overcoming Automatic Responses
- Problem-Solving
Caregivers play an active role in the program by helping to monitor youth progress, connecting weekly with the case manager, and learning LEO tools alongside their child. In addition, the youth worker helps the youth and family connect to community resources, positive peer networks, creative activities, and volunteer opportunities.
A key component of ADP is community engagement. Youth are engaged in the community through service, creative projects, and outdoor recreation.
Service Projects Include:
- Adopt-a-Highway Cleanups
- Day of Caring Raking
- Edgewater Haven Garden planting and tending
- Can Recycling
- Creating and sending cards to veterans and assisted living residents
Creative Projects Include:
- Mural projects at Edgewater Haven, McMillan Library, and partnership with Rise Up Central Wisconsin
- Canvas Painting
- Work with clay
- Participation in local arts center events
Community and Outdoor Recreation:
- Hiking in local, county, and state parks
- Swimming and paddle boarding
- Participation in local library events

McMillan Library
Mural Project
Spring 2023
Read more about this amazing project here.
Thank you to McMillan Library for allowing our youth team to express themselves in this way!
Edgewater Haven
Sun Room Mural Project
Fall 2023
The mural projects included youth from the ADP program and the Wood County HSD Youth Mentorship program.
Youth helped design, then paint the murals.

Edgewater Haven
Cafeteria Mural
Summer 2023
Each mural was revealed with a public reception to celebrate the youth who participated in the projects.
Working Together
Do you want to help Wood County youth uncover their potential? We are seeking volunteers to serve as mentors to participating youth! Volunteers will be matched with a youth or a group of youth involved in justice related programming with Wood County Human Services. This volunteer program was created to connect young people to supportive adults, to help youth explore careers and hobbies, and to connect youth to the community they live in. We encourage you to make this experience your own. Some volunteers may meet with a young person one time. Other volunteers may meet with a young person multiple times and share their experience informally through conversation or more formally through a job shadow. Some volunteers may even meet with youth weekly for an extended period of time. Connections between youth and supportive adults like yourself give young people the tools they need to navigate challenges and thrive in adolescence and adulthood. It may seem simple, but healthy connections between youth and adults can make all of the difference!

Interns
We have several interns each year who provide services directly to youth. Contact Angela O’Day at Angela.ODay@woodcountywi.gov for more information on internship opportunities.