Advisory Committee

Oakview Juvenile Residential Center understands the importance of being an extenion of the community and not existing alone. Oakview must be responsive to our community and that responsiveness can be enhanced through an ongoing dialogue with a local advisory board.

The purpose of the local community-based advisory board is to:

  • Provide help in establishing or defining program philosophy, mission, goals, and objectives.
  • Provide an opportunity for juvenile justice professionals to gain input from the local community
  • Offer suggestions from another point of view on program operations
  • Provide encouragement, support, and resources to staff and juveniles.
  • Allow staff to keep their fingers on the pulse of the political issues in the community.
  • Allow juvenile justice professionals to educate the local citizenry on the purpose and objectives of the program.
  • Provide the correctional agency with clout to address particular crisis situations.

The key to any successful human relations activity is the people involved. Therefore, the selection of an advisory board is of major importance. The administrative judge from each of Oakview's core counties have appointed two representatives to the advisory committee:

  • Belmont County: Kelly Carter and Tim Forte
  • Jefferson County: Fred Abdalla, Jr. and Joe Colabella
  • Guernsey County: Tim Welch and Travis Stevens
  • Monroe County: Jennifer Burkhart and Jessica McElvey
  • Noble County: Jamie Mathers and Eric Marshall
  • Harrison County: Mark Smith and Paige Wood

Oakview Juvenile Residential Center's Advisory Board meets a minimum of one time per year with administration from Oakview. Meetings are held at Oakview.