Department History
| Year | Historical Event |
|---|---|
| 1973 | The proposal to build a juvenile detention facility is approved by the Linn County Board of Supervisors. |
| 1974 | The first director of Linn County Youth Facilities is hired. |
| 1975 | The Linn County Shelter Care facility opens at 1516 Fifth Avenue Southeast. |
| 1976 | The Linn County Juvenile Detention Center opens at the County Care Facility complex north of Marion on Highway 13. |
| 1977 | An exercise room is added to the juvenile detention building. |
| 1982 | Shelter Care moves to a new building constructed on 10th Street Northwest. Capacity of the program increases from 10 to 13 youth. |
| 1985 | The In-Home Services Program is started with the help of a Juvenile Justice Grant. The Peer Group Program, which originated in 1977, becomes part of youth services. The name is changed from Linn County Youth Facilities to Youth Services of Linn County to reflect the wider range of services. |
| 1986 | Youth Services becomes a division of the newly organized Linn County Department of Human Resources Management. |
| 1993 | The In-Home Services Program becomes certified to provide services under the Children's Medicaid Initiative. |
| 1999 | The new 35-bed Juvenile Detention Center opens on Walford Road. |
| 2006 | Youth services begins facilitation of the Linn County SED Wraparound Fund Program. |
| 2009 | The Alternative Detention Initiative and LINK Detention Alternative Program are launched. |
| 2010 | The Linn County Youth Shelter Program permanently closes |
| 2011 | The name "Youth Services" is changed to "Linn County Juvenile Detention and Diversion Services." |
| 2011 | LINK tracking services were implemented in Linn, Iowa, and Johnson counties. |
| 2013 | LINK tracking services were expanded into Benton County. |
| 2013 | A pilot program of individualized day treatment on a one-to-one basis was developed and implemented. The "Solo" Program is launched in Johnson County. |
| 2015 | Solo expanded into Benton, Iowa and Tama Counties |
| 2016 | LADDERS, a disorderly conduct diversionary program was developed in Johnson County |
| 2016 | A part-time medical director was hired to enhance the medical services provided to residents of the detention center |
| 2017 | Tracking expanded services into Johnson County |
| 2018 | (In)Power, a gender-specific girls group, was developed and implemented in Linn County |