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The Saratoga County Youth Bureau was established by a resolution of the County Board of Supervisors on November 17‚ 1976. The resolution states that the "Youth Bureau would serve as a focal point on all aspects of the County's responsibility to the youth of the County of Saratoga for the purpose of planning‚ coordinating and supplementing the activities of public‚ private and religious agencies devoted to the welfare and protection of youth."

Saratoga County is made up of nineteen towns‚ two cities and nine villages. According to the 2000 census‚ there are 57‚470 youth in Saratoga County. There are no municipal youth bureaus other than the county Youth Bureau. All municipalities do have youth or recreation commissions that are responsible for the municipal youth programs. These commissions utilize the Youth Bureau for technical assistance and additional state aid funding. All Office of Children and Family Services' applications are submitted through the Youth Bureau by the commissions. In addition‚ each commission is represented on the current Advisory Youth Board.

The Office of Children and Family Services' funding is allocated to municipalities‚ local programs and agencies based on the needs as identified in the current County Comprehensive Plan for Youth Services. All programs funded through the Youth Bureau are monitored by the Youth Bureau staff and an evaluation of their ability to meet their stated objectives is one of the considerations each time the Youth Bureau makes decisions regarding the next years funding.

The Youth Bureau is the prime sponsor of the county comprehensive planning in Saratoga County. In this role‚ the Youth Bureau provides many services to local municipalities and youth serving agencies. The services include technical assistance in such areas as program development‚ establishing goals and measurable objectives‚ locating and applying for grants‚ the claiming process‚ fiscal management‚ etc. It is also a clearinghouse of information and referrals regarding youth programs.

The Youth Bureau has the added responsibility for the organization of special education service to preschool children with handicapping conditions throughout Saratoga County. The county is responsible for the education costs which include tuition‚ transportation and maintenance of the disabled child. Children ages 0-3 are provided services under the New York State Health Department's Early Intervention Program. The Youth Bureau and the Saratoga County Public Health Nurses work together to coordinate this program. Public Health is responsible for its implementation while the Youth Bureau's responsibility includes fiscal management and contracting with individuals to provide services for the children. Both departments are jointly using the KIDS computer program. Currently‚ the Early Intervention program provides services for approximately 401 children. The Youth Bureau processes all the vouchers for the itinerant providers‚ technical assistance devices and subsequent billing for third party insurance.

The Youth Bureau also works with a dozen CPSE (Committee on Preschool Special Education) Chairpersons implementing Section 4410 of the New York State Education Law to provide services to children ages 3-5 who qualify for this program. The Youth Bureau is responsible for all vouchers‚ submission of claims for state reimbursement and processing paperwork for the over 750 children involved in this program.

The Youth Bureau also serves as liaison for the Saratoga County Criminal Justice Advisory Council and Crime Victim's Task Force. In this capacity‚ we coordinate and staff such functions as the court ordered DWI Victims' Impact Panel.