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It's been a decade since we launched Stepping Up. Read about the initiative's impact—and future.
Take Action » Launch Stepping Up for Youth

Launch Stepping Up for Youth

Nationally, 7 out of 10 youth in detention have a diagnosable mental health condition, compared to only 2 out of 10 youth in the general population.

States that launch a Stepping Up for Youth initiative will receive technical assistance (TA) from The Council of State Governments (CSG) Justice Center at the state and local levels. This support helps states identify, implement, and expand best practices to safely reduce detention and increase connections to care for young people with serious behavioral health needs who are at risk of being or are in the juvenile justice system.

Objectives

Stepping Up for Youth initiatives culminate in:

  • A statewide juvenile justice and behavioral health action plan that addresses policy, practice, funding, and quality assurance across key state agencies
  • Tools, resources, and guidance to support implementation of the initiative in counties across the state
  • A statewide Stepping Up for Youth TA center to support the implementation and sustainability of the statewide action plan and local efforts

To learn about launching a Stepping Up for Youth initiative in your state, email steppingup@csg.org.

Kansas Youth Initiative

In 2024, Governor Laura Kelly launched the nation’s first Stepping Up for Youth (SU-Y) initiative in collaboration with the CSG Justice Center and the state’s Departments of Corrections, Aging and Disability Services, and Children and Families.

In Kansas, the work is building on existing efforts, including the funding of youth crisis centers and the implementation of Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative sites.

Through this initiative, the CSG Justice Center is partnering with state and local leaders to implement data-driven strategies and strengthen coordination across youth-serving systems.

Kansas SU-Y Objectives

1. Adapt and implement the Stepping Up model for the juvenile justice system.

This includes developing a youth-centered framework, key performance metrics, and localized solutions in collaboration with counties. In 2025, seven counties across Kansas were selected to pilot the Stepping Up for Youth framework: Barton, Bourbon, Franklin, Johnson, Sedgwick, Seward, and Shawnee. To inform lasting reforms, the CSG Justice Center provided the participating counties with:

  • Dedicated staff support
  • Individualized technical assistance
  • Access to national experts and resources
  • Peer learning opportunities
  • Strategic policy guidance
  • Opportunities for direct collaboration with state leaders

2. Align state policies, practices, and resources with research.

This work focuses on improving community safety and youth outcomes by safely diverting youth with behavioral health needs from secure detention and serving them in the community.

The CSG Justice Center conducted a yearlong assessment of state policies, practices, funding, and quality assurance mechanisms across corrections, courts, behavioral health, child welfare, and other youth-serving agencies. This led to two large-scale statewide recommendations and action plans: developing a youth early intervention system and establishing statewide detention standards.

Want to launch a Stepping Up for Youth initiative in your state? Email steppingup@csg.org.