Ripple of Hope for Dual Status Youth

An op-ed by Mark Mertens, manager of the Outagamie County Youth and Family Services Division and member of the Robert F. Kennedy National Resource Center for Juvenile Justice’s Dual Status Youth Practice Network, was recently featured on the Juvenile Justice Information Exchange (JJIE). In his op-ed, Ripple of Hope for Dual Status Youth, Mr. Mertens demonstrates the important need for collaborative reform by weaving together his perspective on Outagamie County’s innovative and effective reform efforts with a reflective view of Robert F. Kennedy’s legacy and ongoing inspiration to improve outcomes for all children. This call to action urges child welfare and juvenile justice leaders to confront the common challenges associated with change and to commit to a new vision of hope for the youth they have in common.