Kellie Warren

The Arizona Department of Juvenile Corrections has a new assistant director for programs and institutions.
Kellie Warren was promoted to the position in June, after almost two years spent overseeing ADJC’s medical and behavioral health programs as director of clinical services.
Ms. Warren will maintain the responsibilities of her previous position, while providing administrative oversight for operation of ADJC facilities.
“I’m very excited,” she said.
“I’m new in this current position, but I’ve been feeling out this agency and I have a good sense of which things need to work together to facilitate a good system.”
Ms. Warren stressed the importance of communication during the transition, adding that consolidating the administration is vital to the department’s success.
“The challenge is simply to remember that the people who have to do this job must be consulted with,” she said. “I think sometimes as administrators we have very good ideas on how to improve systems, but oftentimes we forget the people who have to actually execute the plans.”
One plan is increasing parental involvement in juvenile rehabilitation.
“We want to embrace the families more, and make sure they work in concert with us on their kids’ treatment,” she said. “We also want to allow the families to take part in educational opportunities to better prepare them for their kids.”
Ms. Warren’s new position is the latest in a career spent providing treatment services to troubled youth.
“There were people in my life who have believed in me, and so I want to believe in the youth of today,” she said
Ms. Warren was previously an administrator at a juvenile residential treatment center in Newark, N.J., and worked with the Ohio Department of Youth Services after receiving her doctorate in psychology from Wright State University.