CHICAGO – The Council of Juvenile Justice Administrators (CJJA), a national organization devoted to improving juvenile justice practices, recently appointed Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice (IDJJ) director Heidi Mueller to its executive board in the role of secretary.

“Director Mueller is a thoughtful, kind, and committed leader,” said CJJA President Brett Peterson. “Her focus on positive youth development, and her awareness of the challenges our youth and staff face, brings such a positive perspective and impact to her fellow juvenile justice administrators. I am excited and honored to work alongside her in this new role.”

“The work that centers on caring for justice-involved youth not only contributes to the wellbeing of families, but also to the support of communities,” said Lt. Governor Juliana Stratton. “Director Mueller knows this and will bring that focus and passion to the role. She is an amazing leader.”

CJJA’s initiatives include training opportunities for facility superintendents, emergency planning and technical assistance for agencies, and services such as policy and practice reviews. The work of CJJA is accomplished at the national, state, and local levels and represents the youth correction chief executive officers in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and major metropolitan counties.

“I am excited to continue my work with CJJA in this new role,” said Dir. Heidi Mueller. “CJJA stands as a national thought leader and collaborator in juvenile justice. They provide invaluable support to juvenile justice agencies and administrators around the country and work to establish standards of care for the young people we all serve. CJJA has also provided tremendous guidance and resources to IDJJ as we continue to make progress on our Transformation Plan.”

Prior to her appointment to the CJJA executive board, Director Mueller has served as the Chair of CJJA’s Behavioral Health Committee and has participated in numerous CJJA seminars and convenings as both presenter and participant.

The two main objectives of CJJA are to influence the development of juvenile justice policy nationally and to support administrators locally. CJJA’s mission is to improve systems and practices so young offenders’ lives are improved by their contact with the juvenile justice system and future crime is prevented.

The Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice (IDJJ) was created by statute in 2006 with the mandate of safely housing and rehabilitating youth committed to its custody. The mission of IDJJ is to promote community safety and positive youth outcomes by building youth skills and strengthening families.