About Us
The Michael Prenger Family Center is a diverse facility offering a variety of services to the residents of Cole County.
The Juvenile Office provides services to all juveniles and their families residing within Cole County, as well as servicing four local school districts.
Services that our office provides includes, but is not limited to, linking juveniles and their families with community resources, formal and informal supervision, community service, educational testing and programs, as well as Juvenile Court involvement.
Our office works with juveniles and their families from birth through age 20, for children and families who are in Protective Custody and state care.
We also work with juveniles, through 16 years of age, who commit status and delinquency offenses. Status offenses are issues affecting only juvenile’s under the age of 17, including runaway, truancy, beyond parental control, and behaviors injurious, etc. Delinquency offenses are misdemeanor and felony offenses that would be considered a law violation if the juvenile were an adult. Delinquency offenses include robbery, stealing, assault, and drug possession, etc.
Juveniles and their families are referred to our office by their family, community agencies, law enforcement, and school personnel.
Within our facility, we operate a 14 bed residential program, a 6 bed secure detention facility, as well as a variety of professional offices, including the Juvenile Court Administrator/Juvenile Officer, Chief Deputy Juvenile Officer, Deputy Juvenile Officers, facilities superintendent, clinical, residential, and detention personnel and administrative staff.
Our staff are professional, well trained, and operate under the jurisdiction of Missouri State Statute 211.031. We are governed by the Professional Standards for Juvenile Officers and the Presiding Judge of the 19th Judicial Circuit.
Because we are a single County jurisdiction, our staff are considered County employees. Our operational budget is funded by County, State, and Federal grants.
For any additional information about or office, operations, and the services, please do not hesitate to contact us.