How We Help Families in Belknap County
Seal of Belknap County
The Belknap County Citizens Council on Children and Families is a county department working in partnerships with citizen volunteers, professional service providers, and others to promote Community Justice throughout Belknap County so that children and families can live safely with dignity and respect.Community Justice flourishes best through collaboration, sharing, open dialogue and a coordinated exchange of information, which is why most all initiatives and activities of the Citizens Council are planned and carried out in partnerships with others. In some instances the Council leads and manages these projects, while in others, the Council is a team member.All Council efforts address at least one facet of the Web of Challenges (Juvenile Crime, Substance Abuse, Mental Illness, Child Abuse, and Domestic Violence) and all promote the values of Community Justice.Click on the links below for more information about specific projects:
  • Prevention Projects of the Citizens Council address the causes, rather than the symptoms of a problem, by identifying and enhancing the protective conditions in communities, neighborhoods, families, and individuals.
  • Restorative Justice Projects of the Citizens Council promote and emphasize the principles of restorative justice as the preferred approach to managing juvenile and adult crime. Restorative Justice goes beyond just punishing the offender to:
    • Providing restoration as much as possible to the victim of crimes and offenses
    • Ensuring the safety and well-being of neighborhoods and communities where crime has occurred
    • Ensuring accountability of the offender first and then assists in identifying and developing his/her strengths
  • Belknap County Systems Integraton Initiative

Additional information on Council projects is available by reviewing the Executive Director Reports section on this website.