The Wyoming Youth Council was authorized by the Wyoming State legislature in l949 and designated by the Governor to direct preparation for the l960 White House Conference on Children and Youth.

The Council was made up of l4 members, seven of whom were members at large appointed by the Governor. Each of the State Departments of Labor, Welfare, Health, Public Education and the Board of Charities and Reform were represented by an official delegate and a representative from the Wyoming Senate and another from the House of Representatives were appointed, by the leader of each respective body, to Council membership. The Council received a biennium appropriation from the State legislature and prepared a bi-annual report to the Governor.

The Wyoming Youth Council made continuous study of education, health, recreation, welfare, moral environment, economic and working conditions of children and youth with the objective of improving conditions to safeguard and improve their welfare; reviewed legislation concerning services for children and youth and considered needed revisions, appraised adequacy and accessibility of existing services for children and youth within the State; formulated, after consultation with individuals and agencies concerned with welfare of children and youth, programs for improving existing conditions; maintained contacts with governmental agencies and volunteer groups concerned with planning for children and youth.

Emphasis was placed on legislative work by the Wyoming Youth Council. In addition, the Council conducted education and research programs. It was available in an advisory capacity and was responsible for organizing study groups and convening conferences.

After the Conference, the Council was been actively engaged in organizing local committees on children and youth throughout the State. The Council sponsored an annual conference of the Wyoming delegation to the White House Conference in which delegates met to discuss programs underway in local communities; the Council prepared a model city ordinance establishing a youth planning committee that was supported on a community level by committees organized by individual delegates to the White House Conference; other projects were sponsored by the delegates with the aid of the Council and other State agencies such as a Medical-Legal Seminar on Juveniles conducted at the University of Wyoming, June l6-l7, l96l. The Seminar was designed to give professional persons some background in methods of counseling and helping troubled, disturbed juveniles.

The Wyoming Council for Children and Youth was organized in 1948 as part of efforts to revitalize the National White House Conference on Children held the same year. It was a statutory committee appointed by Governor to study needs and conditions of children and youth, review legislation and consider revisions, to appraise adequacy and accessibility of existing services, to formulate programs for improving existing conditions.