The Klickitat County Juvenile Department operates under the authority and direction of the Klickitat County Superior Court. The department operates under statutory authority granted by RCW 13.04, or more specifically stated, under 13.04.030-Juvenile Court-exclusive original jurisdiction.

Recognizing that the mission of the department is dependant upon the umbrella under which services are provided, be they criminal or civil proceedings resulting in court ordered sanctions entered against a child or their parent, or civil proceedings strictly aiding a dependant child (under the CASA program). The overall commitment of the department is the same: to maintain a standard of high professionalism, integrity, and efficiency, treating all involved parties with dignity and providing services without regard to a parent or child’s race, sex, color, creed, or their social or economic status in the community.